Ruthless Knights (The Dark Elite, #2)

by Eva Ashwood

The fact that I’ve shown up with four men, one on each side of me? No one comments on it, but I know we make a statement. It’s as if I don’t belong to just one of them, but to all of them.

“We’ll keep an eye on her,” Zaid promises, his hand coming to rest on the small of my back. His tone is light as usual, but there’s something in the way he touches me that lets me know he’s being serious.

“I lied.” His voice holds amusement, but something else too. “I don’t want anyone to find us back here. Only Zaid and I get to see you like this. This moment is just for us.”

Fuck. I just had her, and I already want her again. She’s addictive as hell, and if I thought this would get her out of my system, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

We keep her sandwiched between us, and it’s not just because we both want to be as close to her as possible. I feel better this way, better knowing that the two of us are surrounding her. Keeping her safe.

So much pain. We could let all of that define us for the rest of our lives. We could carry it with us like Atlas carried the world. But we don’t have to.

But she hasn’t left. She’s stayed. She’s chosen us.

“No.” My brows pull together as I step toward him, directly disobeying his order. Hale raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything, so I barrel on. “I already am caught up in this, and not because of my father or Brian. I’m caught up in it because I care about you. I want to be with you. By your side, helping you. All of you. I’m part of this. And you can’t change that now.”

“No, I don’t think I can change it, can I?” Something warm and possessive passes through his expression, and he slides his hands from his pockets as he moves forward, closing the distance between us. “And maybe it makes me an asshole, but I don’t want to. I’ve fought against this as long as I can, Grace. I hope you don’t hate me for it one day, but I want you. I need you. If you’ll stand by our side, that’s exactly where I want you.”

“You’re good for him, kitten,” he says quietly as we break apart, and Lucas murmurs an agreement. “You’re good for all of us. I’m glad you’re here.”

They’re beautiful, dangerous, ruthless knights. All four of them have tried to protect me, to save me from the worst parts of the world. But maybe I don’t need saving.