Chapter 9: Ruby - Keeping Knight

“It’s about time I finally get to meet you.”

The dark-haired woman beside Rogue offers me a warm smile. She’s more than pretty, with long, glossy hair that reminds me of Snow White’s and hazel eyes that seem to be constantly shifting from blue to green. If not for the adoring gaze Rogue’s giving her, I’d probably be jealous. Which is dumb, because it’s not like Micah and I are dating or anything, but still. I can’t help feeling a little possessive of him.

Well, we haven’t come right out and said we’re dating, that is. But in the three days since our first kiss, we’ve shared plenty more. All different kinds of them—sweet kisses goodnight, quick ones in passing, tender ones while we watch the sunrise in the solarium, and long, passionate ones in the evening. So it kind of feels like we’re dating.

I haven’t brought up the subject, though. Not yet. And besides, I’m not in high school anymore. I don’t need to put a label on what Micah and I are to each other. We’re enjoying spending time together. Isn’t that what’s important?

“I’m Sofia,” she continues. “Although I’m sure you guessed that.” She makes a move forward, like she’s about to hug me, but stops herself. A beat later, she holds out her hand instead.

“Hi,” I reply as I take her hand. “I kind of figured who you were. Micah told me about you. And Rogue, of course.”

Sofia casts an affectionate glance at her fiancé. According to Micah, Rogue and Sofia got engaged this past May, and their wedding is planned for next spring. “It’s been a long time coming,” Micah explained when he told me about it. “They dated in high school, but some bad shit happened, and they broke up over it. Eighteen years, they didn’t talk. Then Sofia came looking for Rogue, and she ended up getting hurt. But it brought them back together. So I guess”—Micah kissed my cheek—“it was their silver lining.”

“Well,” Sofia says. “It’s great to meet you. I wanted to come sooner, but someone insisted I wait.” She smiles and lightly jabs Rogue with her elbow, and he makes a mock expression of pain.

“What I said,” Rogue replies, “was that it might be better to let Ruby get settled in before coming over for a visit.”

“Do you mind?” Sofia asks, her expression sobering. “If it’s too soon, I totally understand.” She thrusts a large gift bag towards me. “I can just leave this and come back another time.”

“Oh, no. This is fine.” I take the bag from her, but it’s heavier than I expected, and I almost drop it before firming my grip. “I’m so glad you came.”

Micah glances at the gift bag. Then he leans down to put his hand on the bottom to test the weight. With a chuckle, he asks, “What did you put in there, Sofia? A pile of bricks?”

“Hardly.” Sofia huffs at him, but I can tell she’s joking. “I just picked up a few things I thought Ruby might enjoy.”

“That’s so nice of you,” I tell her. “But you didn’t need to bring anything. Really.”

“I know.” Sofia smiles. “I wanted to.” Then she shoots a pointed glance at Rogue and Micah. “Don’t you two have business to discuss?”

Rogue looks at her in confusion. “I just saw Knight. At work. Why would I need to discuss business with him now?”

“Nico.” She angles an are you being intentionally dense look at him. I know that’s the look, because I remember seeing my mom give my dad the same one. “I’m pretty sure you have something to talk about.”

Micah smothers a laugh. Then he turns to me and asks quietly, “Do you mind if Rogue and I head into my office for a bit? And you and Sofia could hang out and talk?” He brushes my hand with his. “If you’d prefer, I can stay.”

“It’s fine,” I tell him. “I’d love to chat with Sofia.”

“Okay.” Micah gives my hand a little squeeze. His gaze holds mine. “If you need anything, just yell. Or hit the panic button. Or⁠—”

“Knight.” Rogue laughs as he shakes his head at his friend. “We’re going to be right here.”

Micah raises his eyebrows at Rogue. “This from the man who insisted on escorting Sofia here.”

“It’s nighttime,” Rogue retorts. “It’s just safer that way.”

Micah looks at Rogue for a moment. A silent communication passes between them. Then he gives a quick lift of his chin. “True.”

“So that’s settled,” Sofia announces. “Ruby. How about if we head into the kitchen, first? I brought some snacks. And then we can hang out in the TV room?”

“Sure,” I reply. As Sofia takes off towards the kitchen, I flash Micah a quick smile before following her. “See you soon.”

“I’ll send Sampson in,” Micah calls after me.

As I leave the living room, Rogue says something unintelligible. A burst of laughter follows.

Rogue making fun of his friend for being overprotective, maybe? Because that’s one thing I’ve learned about Micah since the attack—how protective he is. I mean, I always knew he was protective in that chivalrous way, but now I’m discovering just how deep Micah’s protectiveness goes.

Granted, sometimes it verges on bossy. Like when he demanded I take a break during the meeting with his friends, or when he marches into my room to tell me I’ve worked long enough. But I know Micah well enough now to understand where it’s coming from. He’s not trying to be bossy. He’s trying to protect me.

Considering how amazing Micah is, I think I can handle a few moments of bossiness. And it’s not like I’m some shrinking violet who can’t stand up for herself. If I really didn’t want to take a break, I’d say so.

“Nico doesn’t like me going places at night,” Sofia explains once we reach the kitchen. “I don’t know how much Micah told you. But I was attacked earlier this year. Right on the street. So he gets—” Her lips snap shut. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be bringing this up right now.”

I set the gift bag on the marble island and turn to face her. “It’s fine. You can talk about it. Micah mentioned a little. No details or anything.”

“I’m doing much better,” she replies. “Although I’m still not crazy about walking alone at night. If Nico’s not with me, I’ll usually have a driver take me where I need to go. But it’s a process. That’s what my counselor says.”

“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” I reply.

Sofia’s eyes darken to a dark, forest green. “I’m sorry about what happened to you, Ruby. I guess…” She pauses. “I wanted to meet you because of Micah. Because he’s Nico’s best friend, and I’ve come to think of him as a brother. And I’ve never heard Micah talk about a woman before you. But that’s not the only reason.”

She slides onto one of the stools; her gaze still on mine. “I remember how it felt. After the attack. How scared and overwhelmed I felt. I know the circumstances aren’t the same, but I thought… Well, Micah is great. Really great. So is his condo. But you’re isolated, too. You can’t see your friends and family. I guess I just wanted to offer my support.”

Unexpectedly, my eyes sting. Everything Sofia said is true. I might not see my friends all the time, but before this, I had the option when I wanted it. I could meet Jordan for a drink after work. I could spend a lazy Sunday with Kylie, watching movies and gorging ourselves on junk food. If I wanted to get away from the city, I could fly out to Chicago to visit Grace. Now, it’s not safe to do any of it.

And that Sofia understands, really understands, is almost like a weight I didn’t realize I’ve been carrying has been lifted off me.

Swallowing thickly, I say, “Thank you. You’re right. I’m glad I’m here, and Micah has been amazing. But it’s still strange. A week ago, my life was chugging along like normal. And just like that, everything’s different.”

Sofia nods. “It’s scary. Stressful. No matter how great the guy is who’s protecting you.” After a beat, she smiles. “Micah’s a good one, isn’t he?”

My lips curve up of their own accord. “Yeah. He is.”

Reaching into the gift bag, Sofia pulls out a bottle of wine. Smile widening, she asks, “Want to tell me about it?”

I look at her friendly smile, and then at the bottle of wine she’s holding. Warmth expands in my chest. “Sure.”

As I head over to the cabinets to search for wine glasses and an opener, Sofia rummages through the bag. By the time I get back to the island, it’s half covered with snacks and goodies.

My eyes widen. “Sofia. This is too much!”

“It’s all necessary,” she replies. Gesturing at the assortment of items, she continues, “Cupcakes are very important. These are from my favorite bakery. Then we’ve got truffles—also very important—and aged cheddar to go with the wine. The tea is a special blend that’s supposed to help you sleep. The candles will make your room smell nice. Fuzzy socks… well, who doesn’t need those? And Micah mentioned you like paint-by-number, so I picked up a few. They looked like so much fun; I got one for myself.”

As I stare at all the gifts Sofia brought, she adds, “I know they won’t fix things. But maybe they’ll help a little.”

I set the wine glasses and the opener down. Then I give Sofia a hug. “They will. They do. Thank you.”

She picks up the wine opener and starts to uncork the bottle. “You’re welcome.” A mischievous glint lights her gaze. “Now. We have wine. Chocolate. Cupcakes. And the guys are on the other side of the condo. So you can tell me. What’s going on with you and Micah?”

I wait until she pours some wine into my glass, and I take a sip. “I like him. A lot.”

Sofia sits back down on the stool and grabs her wine. “And?” Her voice dips conspiratorially. “I won’t say anything to Micah. That’s not what this is about. I just want him to be happy. And he seems happy with you.”

“He makes me happy, too,” I reply. “The timing… it’s not the best. I guess that’s the main thing I’m worried about.”

Nodding, she thinks for a second. “I get it. But sometimes that makes relationships stronger. Like if you can get through the really bad stuff together, everything else will feel so much easier. I know that’s how it’s been with me and Nico. When we first came back together, it was a mess. I was angry, he thought I’d lied to him… and there was all this other crazy stuff happening at the same time. But we got through it. And now I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

A spurt of optimism hits me. “That’s a good point.”

“My advice would be, just be honest about how you’re feeling,” she says. “Even if you’re having doubts. That way, you can talk them through together.”

“Micah’s easy to talk to,” I reply. “More than any other guy I’ve known.”

Sofia smiles. “That definitely sounds promising.” She pauses. “You don’t have to answer this. But have you kissed him yet?”

My immediate smile gives me away. “Yes.”

“And?” She drags out the word.

I beam at her. “It was amazing.”

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* * *

“How was it?” Micah asks.

Rogue and Sofia just left, so now it’s only me and Micah again. And Sampson, of course, but he’s fast asleep on his favorite armchair, his legs twitching as he dreams.

I turn so I’m facing Micah, tucking my legs pretzel-style in front of me. “Really good. I like Sofia a lot. I’m glad I got to meet her.”

He stretches, leaning back against the couch cushion and lifting his arms before sitting up again. “She’s great,” he agrees. “I’m glad she and Rogue found each other again.”

“She told me a little more about it,” I reply. “About what happened in high school, and after. I can’t even imagine dealing with all of that. It puts what I’m going through in perspective.”

Micah’s expression tightens with concern. “Did it bother you? Hearing about it? When Sofia asked about coming over, I didn’t consider that it could be upsetting for you.”

“It wasn’t upsetting. It was nice—well, maybe nice isn’t the right word. Comforting. Knowing she’d been through something similar. So she understands how it feels.”

Micah touches my hand. “Is there anything else I can do to help? I know I can’t understand like Sofia does. But if you need anything⁠—”

“You’re helping so much already,” I assure him. “You don’t need to do anything else.”

“Rue.” His fingers wrap around mine. “What did I say about that?”

“I know you said you don’t do things unless you want to. But I also know what kind of man you are. At least I’m figuring it out. And⁠—”

“The kind of man I am?”

“A gentleman. A protector. A man who risked his life for our country. The kind of person who goes out of his way because he thinks it’s the right thing to do. But that doesn’t mean you want to do all of it. Like…” I cast about for an example. “When my dad was alive. He had this thing about picking out a live turkey for Thanksgiving.”

Micah gives me a questioning look. “Okay?”

“I never understood it. He wasn’t a hunter, it wasn’t some family tradition, he just wanted to do it. He said it was more respectful. Every year, he insisted on driving to this turkey farm upstate. I hated it. I saw all those turkeys running around, all free and happy, and I felt bad about it.”

Micah rubs my hand. “I can understand that.”

“One year, when I was in college, I told my dad no. I wouldn’t go. He didn’t argue. But the look on his face… I could tell he was disappointed. So I ended up going after all. And every year up until he died, I made the trip with him. Did I want to? No. But I would have felt worse if I hadn’t.”

When Micah doesn’t answer right away, I feel my face going hot. “I know it’s not even remotely like the sacrifices you made,” I add quickly. “It was a dumb example.”

“It wasn’t a dumb example. I get what you’re saying. But.” His blue eyes meet mine. “You did want to go. Because you wanted to make your dad happy. Did you love everything about the actual act of it? No. But looking back, are you glad you did it?”

I don’t have to think about it. “Yes. For whatever reason, it meant a lot to my dad. So I’m glad I could make him happy. And I’m glad I have those memories with him. Driving upstate with the oldies station on, listening to seventies rock, stopping at these little out-of-the-way general stores to buy road trip food, and he always wore this silly turkey sweater…”

My throat goes thick as the memories flood in. My nose prickles. “Yeah. I’m glad I did it,” I finish. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“Ruby.” Sympathy darkens Micah’s gaze. Then he lifts me onto his lap and kisses me tenderly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

“You didn’t.”

He traces the line of my lips with his finger. “Then why do you look sad?”

“Because I still miss him. A lot. You know my mom passed away when I was twelve. So it was just me and my dad for a long time. Even when he remarried, he still made time for me. He’d come to the city once a month, and he’d help me with projects at my apartment. Or we’d play at being tourists, go up to the top of the Empire State Building, or take the ferry to Ellis Island.”

Micah strokes my hair. “He sounds like he was a great dad.”

“He was.” I swallow hard. “Not that he was perfect. But even though he had this important job, he still made his family his priority.”

“It must be even harder now,” he says. “With everything that’s happened.” His arms come around me, and he kisses the top of my head. “I wish I could make things better for you. I know you’re hurting, and sad, and scared…”

I tilt my head back to look at him. The pain in his eyes makes my heart twist.

He’s upset because he cares about me.

“It’s not all bad,” I say. “Silver linings, you know?”

“Like what?” Micah asks.

“Like… a lot of them, really. With my dad—I miss him. But I had thirty years with him, too. All those memories, and the things he taught me… even though he’s gone, I still carry them with me.”

“Ruby.” Micah hugs me more tightly.

“And now,” I continue, “some really awful things happened. But good things happened, too. I’ve gotten to spend more time with you. I finally met Sampson. Your friends. And…”

My heart thumps unevenly as I debate saying the next part.

“And?”

What did Sofia say? Talk to Micah. Tell him how I’m feeling.

On a deep breath and exhale, I say, “I got to kiss you. More than once. If that’s not a silver lining, I’m not sure what is.”

A slow smile spreads across his face. “That’s true. Kissing you is definitely an unexpected gift.” His lips brush across mine. “I thought about it, you know. Every time I saw you.”

My breath catches. “You did?”

Micah kisses me again. “Yes. Before. And after.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask why he never acted on it, then. Never asked me out. Never said anything to let me know he wanted more than friendship.

But doesn’t it go both ways? I was attracted to Micah. But I was so set on staying single, I closed myself off to the opportunity. Up until my feelings for him became too strong to ignore ‌anymore.

Almost as though he’s reading my mind, Micah says, “I’ve avoided relationships for a long time. In the past, I had really bad luck with them. So I decided it was easier—” He grimaces. “I thought it was safer, too. To stay single. Not very brave, when I think about it.”

“That’s what I did,” I reply. “I told myself being single was better. But.” I stroke his jaw, running my finger across his freshly-shaven skin. “Choosing to stay single doesn’t mean you’re not brave, Micah.”

He raises his eyebrows at me. “No?”

“Sometimes protecting yourself is the best thing to do. Sometimes, deep down, you know you’re not ready for something. Maybe that’s what it was.”

Micah just looks at me, his features creased in thought. Then he says, “Maybe you’re right. But now… I don’t think I feel the same way anymore.”

My heart stutters. Is that good? Or bad?

“What do you mean?” I ask cautiously.

“I mean…” His gaze burns into mine. “I know the timing isn’t the best. And the last thing I want is to rush you.”

“Rush me into what?”

An earnest expression comes to his eyes. “I care about you, Ruby. As more than just a friend. And this whole idea of staying single? It doesn’t hold the same appeal anymore. Not when it comes to you.”

A spark of joy bursts to life inside me.

Maybe some things in my life are bad right now. But not all of them.

Framing Micah’s face with my hands, I lean in to kiss him. “You’re not rushing me, Micah.”

“Ruby.” His voice goes rough. “You don’t have to say that just because⁠—”

“I’m not.” I kiss him harder this time, nipping at his lip the way I’ve found that he likes and lightly scraping my nails across the back of his neck. “I thought I wanted to stay single, too. But now…”

“But now?” Micah adjusts me on his lap. I can feel his erection prodding between my thighs.

“But now,” I tell him, “I’ve changed my mind.”

Micah stares at me for a moment, emotions working in his eyes. Then his mouth crashes down on mine.

He kisses me hungrily.

Desperately.

He kisses me like he can’t get enough of me.

Just as my lungs are straining for air, he pulls back to look at me. His eyes are almost black with desire. “Good,” he says with a hint of a growl. “Because I want this, too.”