by Eden O'Neill
“What kind of problems?”
Too much fucking talk. My hand squeezed her throat, another incentive, and it worked. She stiffened immediately, her face scrunched in fear. I didn’t want to scare her. Honestly didn’t, but if it kept her quiet…
I pressed a finger to her lips. “I’m going to let you go so you can wash up. And after, we’ll talk more about this.”
I had no idea how much we’d actually talk about, what I’d give her, but it’d be enough to keep her quiet. I didn’t need her asking any more questions, giving me more of that lip and mouth. It really could get her hurt. I knew the people I came from well.
I’d do the same to protect my grandfather, rid the world of any loose ends if I had to for him. He was pretty much all I had in the world, at least in every way that mattered.
Though Greer said nothing, I did let her off the bed. She lay there like a scared little animal, shrunk to size, and really, a little dove. I jerked my chin toward the bathroom. “Wash up.”
She didn’t need any more incentive and when she got up, I gave her a warning, a look not to test me and run. I’d get her again.
I think she saw that in my eyes.
Little footfalls and she was easing into the bathroom, starting to close the door but I came over and stopped her for a second.
I peered around, making sure there were no windows for her to try and do something foolish. “Get to it.”
The water ran as I eased the door shut, but not completely closed. She didn’t need that much privacy, but she would need a change of clothes. Thinking about the only person I knew close by who’d have some, I dialed my friend Royal. He recently started at Pembroke, working before so he came in as freshmen. His fiancée December was a recent transfer student, a junior like me, and they’d gotten engaged at the beginning of term.
“Bro, you do know what fucking time it is?” Sleep in his voice, he huffed. “The fuck you want?”
Mary Sunshine and how responsible to be going to bed before midnight. That’d have been his girl December’s doing, no doubt. I smirked. “I need a favor.”
“What kind?”
“A big one. December with you?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I need to borrow some of her clothes.” They’d hang on Greer a little since she was smaller, more petite and didn’t have December’s height but they’d do.
Silence for a second. “The fuck? You going to wear them or something?”
I rolled my eyes. “No, asshole. I need them for a friend, hers got ruined.”
Water slowed in the distance, still running but definitely not at full power. Perhaps, Greer was getting done in there.
“Do I want to know?” Royal asked in my ear, but it sounded like he was getting up.
“Just bring them.” I ended the call before heading toward the bathroom. If the water slowed, Greer just might be done.
Looks like it might be time to talk.
The Present
Greer
I’d turned down the water to hear what was going on outside the door, voices on the other side. It’d sounded like Knight was speaking to someone, but the moment he ended his call, I blasted that water right back up, scrubbing my hands and the water painting in red. Currently, Knight stood behind me, watching me while I scrubbed.
Until, well, he didn’t.
His touch on me had caused me to tremble, his fingers tugging up my sleeves. But the moment he made eye contact with me through the bathroom mirror, I found I couldn’t keep it. My face was coated in fucking blood, and I felt myself grow faint again, woozy. I’d never been good with blood, but with Knight behind me, I forced myself to nut the hell up and bring water to my face. He’d yelled at me tonight, tackled me and kidnapped me.
What the fuck?
I scrubbed at the spots in quick time, my hair also dotted in bright crimson splatter. Noticing my labor, Knight cursed and backed up off me. I’d been able to breathe for only a little bit before he started to work his shirt off.
A naked torso with perfectly chiseled abs pooled heat between my legs, a reminder of him between my legs. He’d touched me with his knee, the brunt of his hard weight pinning me to the bed. It’d gotten me excited in confusing ways, fear that he’d been pinning me down but also excitement because he’d touched me. The whole thing was as hella fucking confusing as watching him and his nakedness, the big guy sauntering his way over to me and dabbing his T-shirt on my face. He wet it, then dabbed again, and I flinched when he brushed it near my lips.
He frowned. “Relax. I won’t hurt you.”
Unless I gave him a reason, right? I talked? I folded my arms. “Can I speak?”
A sigh passed his lips, and when he shook his head, he dabbed my face again. “Depends on what you’ll say.”
That arrogant fuck. I wanted to scream at him, lunge and kick my feet, but something told me he’d have me out of this room and right on my back again. Something told me he’d make me burn, and as much as that confused me, I definitely hadn’t wanted that.
Instead, I decided to remain silent, allowing him to touch my face and chest with his damp shirt while trying not to reveal I felt anything about it. I tried to mask my fear, but each brush of my skin with rough fingertips worked a deep chill through me. My throat jumped when he touched it, and cursing again, he stepped back.
“You’re going to need a shower,” he concluded, and my stomach instantly turned. Would he make me shower? Force himself on me like he had before? I’d been confused, but not enough to want that. He threw fingers through brown-black hair. “I got a buddy bringing you clothes.”
“A buddy?”
He nodded before tossing his shirt in the sink. He ran the faucet, drenching it before wringing it out and hanging it off the towel rack. “His fiancee is a little taller than you, but it should work.”
Why was he helping me? Why were we here and not back at the frat house? Bryce had killed himself. We needed to call the fucking cops, not flee the scene. I closed my eyes, forcing a shuddered breath. “Can I speak?”
“You didn’t the first time.”
“Well, I want to now,” I snipped, my eyes flashing at the dark haze that cast over Knight’s normally brown eyes. They went brown-black, just like his hair, and taking a boot, he propped it back against the closed door.
“Shoot,” he said, irony in what he said, but I had a feeling there wouldn’t be any candidness here. Not if he didn’t want it. He was definitely in charge here, and because he was, I forced myself to check how I actually wanted to act.
“I don’t understand why we’re here.”
Apparently an easy one for him, he smirked. He put a hand out. “You’re obviously a little messy. Here to clean yourself up?”
That wasn’t what I meant and he knew that. My nostrils flared. “I mean, why are we here and not back at the frat? Why aren’t we calling the cops?”
“The situation is being handled.” Too cool like he normally dealt with dead bodies every day. Maybe he did, so relaxed about it.
And then there’d been that dog.
He’d been cool then too, almost angry at eleven years old with a damn bloodied rock in his hand. Knight Reed was obviously into some crazy fucking shit, a screw or two loose himself. Since I didn’t know what I was dealing with here, I tabled my temper, forcing myself to calm down. “It’s being handled?”
“Yes.”
“You do know Bryce killed himself.”
“Yes, obviously.” His fingers worked a chrome ring, his thumb flicking at it with some kind of animal mouth on the finish. “Like I said, it’s being handled.”
“By whom? Knight, shouldn’t we call the cops—”
His thumb left the ring, and his hand covered my mouth, gripping it like he had on the bed. He tasted like blood, metallic and heat. The warmth, that fire had obviously been him and the rest someone else.
I choked down sickness as his fingers dug into my cheeks, his eyes terribly cold.
“The cops wi
ll be called when it’s time,” he said, dark gaze roving over my face. “But that’s something you won’t have to deal with. That’s why you’re here. You’re here so you don’t have to deal with it.”
But deal with what? A suicide? What could I possibly have to deal with? The cops would only just question me, none it my or his fault.
But maybe something different was going on here, something I obviously didn’t understand. A knock hit and Knight turned, gazing through the room and to the other door. He pressed a finger to his mouth. “You say nothing.”
Understanding, I stood there and frozen, I didn’t think I could do anything anyway. I was locked where I stood, Knight’s back muscles roving under tanned skin as he made his way to the door. He opened it, and another guy stood there with a duffel bag, and though there was some distance between us, he was basically just as hot as Knight was. Blond, he took one look at Knight and sneered.
“Why the hell are you half naked?” he asked, then his brow jumped. “And is that blood—”
Knight shushed him before they both ended up outside the room, the door snapping shut behind them. Breathing, I instantly left the bathroom, thinking maybe there might be a way out. I came up with nothing but the front window, and since Knight was obviously behind that, I cursed.
I ended up peeking outside the blinds, Knight and the other hot guy a ways away from the door. They stood in front of an emerald-green ride, expensive looking and no doubt suped up. I didn’t know much about cars but the thing looked like something straight out of Fast and the Furious.
Honing in, I watched Knight and the guy, the blond just as familiar to me as Knight had been tonight. It’d obviously had been awhile, but I’d seen him before too, recognized his hair and bone structure.
I sucked in a breath at the recalled thought, the guy Knight’s friend, Royal. He used to hang out at Knight’s house all the time; when I saw him, Royal always with him. Knight often hung out with several boys, Jax and LJ the other two I recalled. There was a girl too back then. Paige, I thought her name was?
I gripped the curtains. Only one boy in particular had been with Knight that day he’d gone crazy, killed that dog. Royal had been the one holding it down and letting him do it. Did they both have plans for me tonight? Something as equally dark? Touching my throat, I watched as Royal smacked at Knight’s chest. Clearly annoyed with him about something, he raised and dropped his hands, and when he shoved at Knight again, I thought the guy had a death wish. Knight was like two of him.
For whatever reason, Knight took it, and though he too looked annoyed, he did bump Royal’s fist after he handed him the bag. I heard him mention something about thanks before Royal left and got into the running car. At that point, the front window went down but it wasn’t Royal to do it.
A girl sat in the front seat, one with dark hair and ridiculously pretty. She looked like an Instagram model, and after looking over at Royal, speaking to him for a second, she turned and frowned at Knight. I saw her mouth, “Really?” before shaking her head.
He did the same at her, but before anything else could be done I saw Knight stride back toward the door.
I let go of the blinds immediately, scurrying back to the bathroom. I stood there stiffly like I hadn’t moved, and Knight rolled his eyes, the moment he made eye contact with me.
“Enjoy the show?” he asked, angling his big body into the bathroom. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a tank and a pair of shorts, pointing at me. “You’re breathing like you just ran a mile.”
Christ.
I said nothing, letting him hand off the clothes to me. They were only a size or two too big, not bad. They were obviously that girl’s, Royal’s fiancee, Knight said.
“Was that Royal Prinze?” I asked, since I’d been caught. I shrugged. “It looked like him.”
Knight’s jaw moved a little before he propped the bag on his shoulder. “It was. Any more questions?”
Only like a million, but I kept them silent for now. My lips worked, but when Knight left the bathroom, I didn’t do anything. He faced me, frowning again. “Need help taking off your clothes?”
Because I didn’t, I closed the bathroom door, and before he could make good on the threat, I started the water in the shower. Pressing my ear to the door, I heard a distinct and deep chuckle on the other side, and I growled at how arrogant this guy was. He clearly thought he could do anything he wanted.
Not knowing what else to do, I quickly pulled open the shower, and after stripping off my clothes, I eased myself inside the heat. I think that was where it all hit me, what had happened tonight, what was still happening. The red fell from my hair and flesh like eerie paint, and I pressed my head to the shower tiles.
What the fuck is going on?
Terrified, I shivered, holding myself. I had no idea what Knight planned for tonight, and I didn’t even have my things, my purse and stuff. If I had to wager, I’d guess he took them from me. Maybe in the car he obviously got us here in? I didn’t know. I just knew I made that shower last, and by the time I got out, I couldn’t breathe and not just from the heat.
The door had been cracked when I opened the shower, a reminder that he was there and obviously needed control. I didn’t know if he’d watched me or just wanted me to know what was going on here, his heavy hand on all things Greer.
I slipped the shorts on, then the top. My bra and underwear were black so at least, none of the blood could been seen on that. Not so much for my jeans and shirt, and I bunched them up, coming out of the bathroom. Knight sat on one of the beds when I came out, his thumb carelessly swiping over his phone. He was also in a new change of clothes, shorts and a hoodie with the sleeves ripped off them. They displayed the sight of biceps the size of most men’s thighs, his dark hair wet and obviously freshly washed.
“You showered?” I asked, quiet as I came completely out the bathroom. His head jerked up, but then, he shrugged, reaching his hand out for the clothes in my hands.
“Got an adjoining room,” he said, balling up my stuff and forcing it into the bag Royal had brought him. He stood. “I always keep clothes in the car for the gym.”
And that’s definitely what he looked ready for, muscled calves and thick legs. Wetting my lips, I panned away, taking a seat on the bed. I could have cursed myself for not checking to see if he’d gotten another room. There was a door there, and I hadn’t thought to look.
All of that pointless now, I settled on the bed. Knight dropped the bag at the door, then came back over to me. He took a seat on the opposite bed, and I froze as he reached a hand out and tugged me over to him.
“What are you doing?”
He eased me down next to him, smelling like cologne and peppermint. He chewed gum, his hard heat next to me when his shoulder touched my arm. “About to explain to you what’s about to happen here.”
Quiet, my mouth dried, his fingers coming to brush my chin. A pinch and he had me looking right at him, his eyes just as hard and cold as they’d been before. I swallowed. “What’s about to happen here?”
I watched, brave when I forced away any kind of fear to be visibly shone on me face, his thumb moving and encircling my mouth before bringing my ear to his lips. “You’re going to be a good, little dove. That’s what’s about to happen.”
My chest jumped. “Little dove?”
His fingers flicked my white blond hair, tugging at it. “A sweet, little innocent dove that does exactly what she’s told.”
“Which is?” I played his game but mostly out of fear, trying so hard not to tremble in his hands. I didn’t want to show him weakness, that I truly was terrified of him as much as that final day in the woods, a boy over a dead dog with a bloody rock in his hands.
Knight tugged my lips apart. He made me pout when he suddenly gripped my jaw and jerked my head up to look at him. His eyes narrowed. “You’re not fooling anyone, you know? I see what you’re doing. All those thoughts moving around in your head.” His fingers folded into my hair, gripping that
next. He tugged at the root. “But if you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut that shit down. You’re to forget what happened at the frat tonight. You’re to deny you were ever even there. As far as the world is concerned, Bryce Coventry blew his fucking brains out, and you were back on campus wherever the fuck you were, doing whatever the fuck you freshman do.”
I gasped, his grip in my hair hurting. “Why?”
“You don’t ask why.” He pointed a finger. “You just do what you’re told. You do that because you’re a good little dove who answers to me.”
Forcing the lump down my throat, tears burned my eyes. “I don’t understand.”
“And you won’t. Maybe not ever. Just know that after I leave you tonight, we weren’t together. You didn’t see me and you weren’t at my frat house.”
He was… letting me go? I trembled. “You’re not going to hurt me?”
He let go right away, getting up from the bed, and I nearly passed out when his weight left up. He grabbed the bag at the door, then after, grabbed me. “I won’t do anything unless I have to. I won’t do anything until you stop being a good little dove.”
Shaking, I nodded. His hand left, but I stayed there, holding my arms.
“You coming? Or am I going to have to carry you out?”
Not willing to give him a reason to, I quickly gathered my bearings. He wiped down the room, then I followed him out. Eventually, I trailed him over to a dark Escalade, and I realized that was how we’d gotten here tonight. I had been passed out.
The lights flashed when Knight unlocked it, and when I got inside, I found my purse right away. He’d left it there, and it had actually managed not to get slathered in Bryce’s blood.
I checked the thing as Knight got behind the wheel, well aware of his eyes on me as he started the car. I had just a couple text messages from my roommates. I had three, but nothing dire. They just wanted to know how things went with Bryce and me tonight. We’d all been at the club earlier when I met him.
