Knight
Anya Gage hasn't had an easy life so far. After her parents were killed when she was 7, she went to live with her negligent, constantly drunk aunt. She was on her own the moment she turned 18. Since then she worked hard trying to make her dream of opening a spa come true.
And then, one night, at a party she met Knight. While he was scary, something about him attracted like a moth to flame. The man was furious there were people in his apartment, and that fury made him even more dangerous.
But there's something sweet about him, as proven when he drives her home, and is actually concerned with the lack of security in her building.
When KA said anti-hero, I have to admit I honestly didn't expect Knight. First of all, he's the most alpha KA hero, forget about Tate, Ty or any of the guys, Knight has them beat. He's a shady character, with Dom tendencies. His language is much worse than even Ty's. Even his compliments are damn weird:
Babe, your clothes. Shit. But you work ‘em and you do because you’ve got one serious fantastic body, your hair is even better and your face is a face that launches a thousand hard-ons. Trust me, any man you’ve looked at probably since you were thirteen has jacked off thinkin’ of you. All this is a recipe for disaster if you live alone in an unsecured building with a lock like the one you got. Someone had to step up.
For those who are curious, the BDSM is pretty light, no hardcore stuff. The thing that bothered me the most is that Anya called him Daddy - just not to my taste.
But he was still sweet (but still a bit vulgar), he cared about Anya, and wasn't afraid to show it.
You start takin’ what I don’t offer, babe, or askin’ for the moon, we got a problem. But I’m tellin’ you right now, and mark it, Anya, I’m fuckin’ thankful your cell phone was jacked. Because if it wasn’t, you wouldn’t have wandered into my bedroom that night and I wouldn’t go to bed at night with the scent of your hair all I can smell and the taste of your pussy still in my mouth and your sweet body close to me and know I’ll sleep easy and wake up happy. And I wake up happy, baby, because I possess beauty and I own that beauty in all the forms it can take and the least important of those are physical.
And I liked this scene:
“Decided what I want for my birthday,” he stated and I blinked.
“Your birthday was over a week ago, Knight,”
I told him something he already knew and his neck twisted so his pure, vibrant blue eyes were on me.
I’d never get used to those eyes, ever. And I hoped I had eternity to prove that true.
“You kicked my birthday’s ass so good, baby, I’ve decided to celebrate all month.”
As for Anya, she was OK, but anyone would fade a bit to the background when Knight was around. Mostly I liked her, but sometimes I'd wish for her to show just a bit more backbone. But still she loves Knight and it shows. He totally deserves that.
I felt his body, his warmth and smelled his cologne.
I closed my eyes.
His lips came to my ear. “You find the right path?”
He knew I was awake.
I was right. He came home early worried about me. Where I was. With him.
I had to decide.
Right now.
Walk out of his world and never look back.
Or stay.
My mouth decided for me.
I opened my eyes and whispered, “Yes.”
But I was proud of her when she actually listened to Knight and waited for his explanation instead of just running away when she heard some pretty damning things.
You might hear fucked up shit about me from a variety of sources. But you talk to me before you react. I will confirm or deny, I will be honest and last, I will explain. If it’s shit I don’t want you to know yet, I’ll explain that too and you’ll wait until I’m ready. You feel you can’t, then, babe, you still fuckin’ talk… to… me before you leave me.
Her words after the explanation:
His eyes holding mine captive, he whispered, “You cool with this shit?”
“It’s a shock, I will admit. But you told me if I hear shit, I should come to you and you’d explain. You explained and you did it thoroughly. But bottom line, I’m the woman for you, Knight, I was made for you, just as I am. What you don’t get is, you’re the man for me just as you are. I get that, honey. And I got it a while ago.”
*****
"Our first, very long, very weird, very intense date. I fell asleep and woke up and you put a blanket on me. Not since my parents died has anyone cared if I might get a chill. Until you. A man who would think about that and do something about it, I knew deep down in a place that made me smile, was the man for me. I didn’t get it until, well… just now. But, you know… you should know."
All in all, I liked the book a lot. There are some things that weren't perfect, but I'll go with my first instinctual rating:
4.5 stars