He Knew Who I Was

ALANA

The rawness in his voice made it clear he'd just woken up.

Wait. Knight lived in the hotel?

Evading the question, I sat up straighter, dragging the duvet down my legs and away from my body. I quickly tugged down my coat, seeing Knight's eyes roaming over my sweats. Pink sweats. Way to go, lady.

"What time is it?"

"6," he replied, eyes on me as he watched me with anxiety. Oh, I knew what he was worried about just fine. I knew him too well. He hated that I had just shoved in the small blanket into my bag without folding it. His skin must be itching by now, that clean freak. Amusement lit me up like a candle. "Now tell me what you're doing here."

I scratched my shoulder and his eyes followed the movement. Seriously, why did he keep staring at me like that? Like I might be broken and he had to just find out what was wrong. Because clearly something was wrong if I was sleeping like a loon in the lobby. There was utter silence at this time. Nobody was awake.

Wait.

This was not the lobby.

I scrambled up so fast I was afraid I would fall and break an arm or two. "You dragged me to your office?!"

Knight stood up calmly, shoving his hand into his perfectly-pressed pants. Black this time. He looked good, I thought to myself though I was well-aware now wasn't the time for such thoughts. But, honestly. It went perfectly with his tousled inky hair and brought out the green in his eyes. Come to think of it, they looked more of a hazel today than green. Huh. How strange. And beautiful.

"I didn't," was all he said, turning to prop his hip against his table and crossing his arms.

"Then who?" If you want me to be honest, I really had no idea what I was saying. I just knew I was watching Knight's arms in fascination. So thick and muscular. He was always broad and had a nice build but the 'nice' had escalated into 'heart-wrenching'.

"The security guards. Didn't anyone warn you about our security system here? If it were someone other than a young girl like you, they would've been dragged to the police station. Now, I'm asking for the last time, Alana. Why. Were. You. Here."

I swallowed and my butt hit the sofa as I tried to grasp onto a suitable explanation. I came up empty. I mean, come on! I'd barely slept for three hours! I needed a shot of sweet tea and a whole lot of water dumped on my face to be able to think at the moment.

"Uh . . ." I decided then and there to go for the truth but Rees was standing there with his eyes narrowed in concentration as if he was sooo interested in my life.

Weird.

"Rees," Knight snapped his fingers and just like that, we were left alone.

Ookay.

He could be quite intense at times.

I stared at my shoes like young girls stare at the vegetables in their plates. Playing around with my hands, I finally found my voice.

"There are boys in my apartment," That's the first thing that left my mouth and I looked up to find Knight still calm, though his hand clenched around his bureau. Fascinated by that one manly gesture, I continued, "My roommates were . . . um . . . fooling around with them. But there were three of them and three of us so that left one . . . for, uh, me. So . . ."

He walked towards me, gait screaming of confidence and honestly the look in his eyes was a little frightening. I sank back, biting my lip in anticipation. I expected many things but what I did not expect was for him to kneel down in front of me again. It was just so sweet, that little gesture.

This big, burly man didn't mind lowering himself. We were at eye-level now and I realised how wrong I had been. Nothing in his eyes was scary. It was all anger, sure, but I knew it wasn't directed at me. In fact, for me, I only saw care and protectiveness. That was the first time I realised something inside of Knight already knew who I was.

He might not have accepted it or even let the possibility cross his mind but deep down inside, he knew just fine that I was his angel.