Unraveled Read Free Page B

her teeth. “Smart girl.”
    Fee shouldered her purse. “Got a few bucks for bus fare?”
    “I hate riding the bus. I could call Tom and he’d be here in fifteen minutes.”
    “No car and driver tonight, moneybags. It’ll be good for you to rub elbows with the
     common folk.”
    Shiori insulted her in Japanese.
    Fee shot back a Portuguese phrase.
    Then they both laughed.
    “Come on. Booze and boys await us.”
    The bus ride was tolerable. Diesel was just starting to fill up, but Gil had scored
     a corner table. Blue sat next to Katie.
    Fee said, “What’s up, guys?” Then she frowned at Gil. “I thought you were closing
     down the dojo?”
    “Knox said he’d handle it.”
    “I talked to him, and he said he’d be here right afterward,” Katie added.
    Of course she’d know Knox’s schedule.
    Giving her a second chance, remember?
    A pitcher of beer and one of margaritas were in the center of the table.
    “Pull up a chair and have a drink,” Blue urged.
    Both Fee and Shiori opted for margaritas.
    After the toast and the usual “Thank god it’s the weekend” comments, Fee leaned over
     and whispered, “You’ve already got one admirer eyeing you.”
    “Where?”
    “At nine o’clock. The guy in the suit at the bar?”
    Shiori casually turned her head and looked at the guy. Cute. Lanky. Malleable. He
     smiled at her. She smiled back.
    Just as she started to get up, a pair of hands landed on her shoulders.
    Proprietary hands.

CHAPTER TWO
    KNOX had been oddly elated to see that Shiori had shown up for a night out with the Black
     Arts crew. As he approached the table, her gorgeous fall of black hair had swished
     over her shoulder when she’d turned her head toward the bar.
    He’d followed her gaze to see what’d caught her attention and some jackass in a three-piece
     suit was making eyes at her.
    Give it up, buddy. She’s not interested.
    But then Shiori tilted her head and a crease appeared in her cheek, as if she was
     smiling at him. As if she was interested in him. Then her ass started to come out
     of the chair.
    Not happening.
    Knox pushed down on Shiori’s shoulders and put his mouth against her ear. “Going someplace?”
    “Yes. Why do you care?”
    Her silken tresses teased the side of his face. Her spicy scent filled his nose. She
     always smelled so damn good. “Because I’m surprised to see you here.”
    She angled her head slightly to look at him. “Why?”
    “You and Fee don’t usually hang out with us on Friday nights.”
    “We work with you guys all week and we need a break from all that testosterone, which
     is why we go elsewhere.”
    “Or you don’t come out with us because you’re afraid we’d cock block you.”
    “Right.” Shiori blinked at him. “You’re serious.”
    “Yep. If we saw the loser guys you planned on hooking up with at that dive bar you
     two troll in, we’d . . .
encourage
those jackoffs to look elsewhere.” His lips brushed her ear and he felt her shiver.
     “Like the fucker at the bar who was probably texting his wife while he tried to lure
     you in with a doofy smile. Be happy he’s gone.”
    Shiori leaned back to look at the empty barstool. “Nice going.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    Next thing he knew she had two fingers squeezing the skin on the inside of his knee.
     “Don’t cock block me again, Knox. You’re not my big brother. You don’t get to decide
     who I do and don’t fuck.”
    Jesus. That tiny pinch stung. “You can do better than him. You would’ve broken him
     like a twig, She-Cat.”
    “Maybe that’s what I like.”
    He smiled. “What a coincidence. I like that, too.” He stood but left his hands on
     her.
    She pinched him harder.
    Why the fuck that made him hard made no sense. He moved away from her and scooted
     into the booth next to Katie. Not because he had a thing for her, but because it put
     him directly across from Shiori. He poured himself a beer. “So what’d I miss?”
    “Nothing.” Katie sat