My eyes frantically search the dark room until they land on a silhouette sitting in the windowsill. The tip of his cigarette burns a bright red as he inhales, and I watch the smoke drift up as he lets it out.
Just like every other time I’ve met him, I’m entranced by him. The moonlight rests softly against his skin, showcasing the perfect shape of his face. He’s beautiful, and not in the way that models are beautiful.
No.
He’s beautiful in the way that makes you stop and think.
The way that demands your attention and doesn’t let you look away.
The way that’s heartbreaking, and pained, and real.
“Okay, now I know you’re lost,” he comments.
I’m snapped out of my trance, and I blindly scramble to find the doorknob. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know someone was in here.”
Just as I’m about to leave, he speaks again. “Tell me something, Bambi. What’s a girl like you doing at a party like this? It hardly seems like your scene.”
“What do you know about my scene?” I question, feeling slightly offended even though he’s entirely accurate.
“I know it isn’t this. It’s probably some swanky soiree with champagne. Or even more likely, sitting in your room reading your romance novels and dreaming of your happily ever after.” I’m stunned into silence as he tosses his cigarette out the window and stalks toward me. By the time he stops, he’s so close that I can feel the heat radiating off him—or maybe that’s me. He bends down and places his lips against the shell of my ear. “Spoiler alert: none of it’s real.”
Just like that, he pulls away and slips past me, leaving the room and taking the warmth I felt with him.
I LIE IN MY bed, staring at the ceiling. No matter how hard I try to fall asleep, I’m unsuccessful. It took another forty-five minutes before I found Tessa, and by then I was completely justified in wanting to go home. She decided to stay, but gave me her keys and told me she’d get a ride home from Easton in the morning.
If I thought Knox invaded my mind before, it doesn’t even compare to what it’s like now. I try my best to focus on something else to distract me, but nothing works. It always goes back to him.
The smell of his cologne.
The toned grid of his abs.
The feeling I got when his body was only inches from mine.
There’s more to him than meets the eye—I know it. I just never thought I’d be so compelled to figure him out. I want to get under his armor. To put the pieces of him together like a puzzle, and memorize every detail like my favorite book. Getting close to him is dangerous. He’s the kind of guy who could wreck me with the snap of his fingers. Still, I don’t care. For some reason, I’m not scared.
Maybe I’m not as smart as everyone thinks.
5
KNOX
The sunlight comes through the window and lands on my face, sending a piercing headache through my skull. It takes me a minute before I’m able to keep my eyes open without the room spinning, but when I do I realize I’m not alone. A naked blonde is face down on the bed, snoring quietly. Maybe a junior? Who the fuck knows. Judging by the lack of clothes and the used condom on the floor, I’m guessing I screwed her last night, but I don’t remember it at all.
I inch out of bed, careful not to wake her. I do not want to have to deal with some clingy bitch who thinks that because we fucked it makes us a thing now. Once I’m free, I grab my pants off the floor and slip them on, then head downstairs.
The place is a disaster, like it always is after one of our parties. Plastic cups and empty liquor bottles cover every possible surface. The couch is flipped onto its back. Glass from what used to be a vase is scattered across the floor. It’s a total shitshow, which is exactly the criteria for a good night.
Going into the garage, I open the second fridge and grab a beer. There’s no better cure for a hangover than hair of the dog, though I’m half convinced this is more of a comedown from the line of coke I did when I got here. I kick the door shut and head back inside, finding Easton and Stone fixing the couch while Tessa stands back and watches.
“You look like a hot mess,” I tell her with a snort.
She rolls her eyes and flips me off. Meanwhile, Easton turns around and checks her out. Her hair is piled on top of her head, and there’s a stain on her shirt that looks suspiciously like cum. The makeup that was perfectly done last night is smeared across her face. Still, he pulls her close.
“I think she looks good,” he compliments. “Nice and fucked, just the way I like her.”
Stone and I laugh while Tess smacks his arm and pushes him away. Zayn groans as he comes down the stairs, walking over to me and taking the beer from my hands.
“Aye!” I protest, but he doesn’t pause as he brings it to his lips.
“I need food,” he declares. “Diner?”
“I’m down,” Easton agrees. “Babe, you coming?”
Tessa shrugs. “Bring me home so I can shower and change, and then I’ll meet you there.”
As I go into the guest room to grab my shirt, the girl from last night wakes and gives me her best fuck-me smile. Nope. Not happening. I pick her clothes up off the floor and toss them onto the bed.
“You should get dressed. We’re all heading out, so you have to leave,” I say firmly before walking back out the door.
Downstairs, everyone looks exactly how I feel—tired, hungover, and beat to shit. Tessa rests her head against Easton’s shoulder with her eyes drooped almost closed. Gage and Stone are muttering something to each other, but I don’t think either of them are paying any attention. Zayn, however, perks up when he sees me.
“Ready to go? I’m fucking starved.”
“Yeah.”
I grab my jacket from the closet and pull it on as we all head for the door. Just as we step out onto the porch and Zayn goes to lock up, we hear someone running down the stairs. The girl I woke up next to slips out then turns to me and presses a kiss to my cheek.
“Call me,” she says as she steps back.
Everyone watches her leave with confused looks on their faces and once she’s gone, Stone turns to me. “Who the fuck was that?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”
The six of us split up. Easton and Tessa leave in E’s car, Gage hitches a ride with Stone, and I get in with Z. It only takes a minute, however, before he eyes me suspiciously.
“Everything all right?”
My brows furrow. “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know. You showed up late, and as soon as you got there you chugged three beers, took four shots, and did a line of coke. I just want to make sure there isn’t a reason for it.”
Thoughts of the meeting last night move to the forefront of my mind and dread fills my stomach. Maybe Grayson was right. Going that hard when we have to train tonight probably wasn’t the smartest decision I’ve ever made. Still, Zayn can’t know about this. Not any of it.
“You worry too much, dick. I’m fine.”
He may not believe me, but he drops the subject for now.
COMING TO THE DINER for breakfast after a wild night has become a sort of tradition for us. We’re here almost every weekend, to the point where they keep the largest corner booth they have open for us. The waitress, Harriet, is a sweet old woman. She reminds me of my grandmother, which is probably why she’s the only woman I’m respectful toward.
“Here you go, boys,” she says as she places the plates in front of us.
We all thank her in unison before digging in. It’s amazing how good food tastes when you’re hungover. It’s like your body craves it to the point where it becomes so much better than usual. It’s mouthwatering.
“So, what did you guys think of Tessa’s sister last night?” Gage questions.
Stone takes a sip of his drink and nods. “She’s fucking hot.”
“You guys met her?” I knew Tess was bringing her, but I was too out of my mind to notice if she did or not.
Zayn smirks. “Yeah. It’s a shame you didn’t.”
“Don’t speak too soon.” Easton nods toward the door. “Here she comes with Tess.”
I turn my head and my jaw ticks when I recognize the girl walking next to Tessa. Her brown hair is curled and rests gently against her chest. Her face lights up as her sister says something I assume was funny but couldn’t hear. She’s fucking gorgeous, and that’s an issue for me. Not only is she the girl who was standing with Grayson and Savannah last week, but I have foggy memories of talking to her last night. She’s innocent and pretentious, and was somewhere she definitely didn’t fucking belong.
Seeing her now with less drugs and alcohol in my system, the similarities between her and Tessa are obvious, and I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out last night. Still, there’s something about her. Something that makes my stomach churn, and it isn’t a welcome feeling.
“Hey douchebags,” Tess greets us. “Hope you don’t mind. I brought Laney along.”
I give her a knowing look. “Even if we did, you’d do it anyway.”
She smiles sweetly, grabbing one of Easton’s home fries and tossing it into her mouth. “Oh, right. You were off doing God knows what.” She waves her hand between her sister and I. “Delaney, Knox. Knox, Delaney.”
“We’ve met.” I turn my attention to Delaney. “Still showing up places you don’t belong, I see.”
Her eyes narrow, and I can tell I’m already testing her patience. “Like I told you before, you know nothing about me or where I belong.”
Hmm, so little Miss Perfect has a feisty side. Good. She’ll never make it in this world thinking everything is sprinkles and rainbows. I can still remember the look on her face when I lifted up my shirt, and the way she practically booked it from the room immediately after. She’s as pure as they come. If she knows what’s good for her, she’ll stay the fuck away from me.
“Now, now.” Tessa attempts to defuse the situation. “Knox, don’t be an ass. Laney, sit.”
I scoot further into the booth, and Delaney reluctantly takes the seat next to me. The scent of her perfume filters through my hangover fog. It’s light—flowery, but not cloying—and I swallow down the urge to breathe in so deeply that I choke on it.
When I notice how she hangs halfway of the bench in order to avoid being pressed up against me, I grip her belt loop and pull her in closer. “What are you so afraid of? I don’t bite…hard.”
She fidgets and seems uncomfortable, but stays put. It’s exactly how I want her—nervous, alert, on edge. She shouldn’t be at ease around guys like me. She’s too clean, too perfect.
“Knox, let me get a sip of that orange juice.”
Gage moves to grab my drink, but I pull it away. “Fuck no. I saw the girl you were with last night. I don’t want whatever you may have caught from her.”
He chuckles. “Like yours was any better? You don’t even remember her damn name.”
“Because names don’t matter. The way she sucks my dick does.”
“You were with someone last night?” Delaney whispers, and I can tell by the way her breath hitches that she didn’t mean to voice that question.
I raise one eyebrow as I look at her. “Why? You jealous?” She shakes her head and focuses down at her lap. “Sorry, babe. I don’t fuck virgins. Too much drama.”
“Good thing I’m not interested.”
A small grunt echoes in the back of my throat. “That’s not what it looked like last night.”
“What the hell happened last night?” Tessa practically shouts.
“Nothing,” her sister hisses, trying to quickly dismiss the topic.
Leaning back, I cross my arms over my chest. “It didn’t look like nothing to me.” I focus my attention on Tess. “I showed her my abs, and she looked like she was about to drool before she ran out of the room.”
Laney turns to glare at me. “That’s not true!”
“It definitely is. You’re a prude. Just admit it.” My taunting is finally starting to get to her, I note with satisfaction.
“Go to hell,” she spits, hatred burning in her eyes.
I smirk. “Oh, Bambi, where do you think I came from?”
Exhaling a heated puff of air, she gets up from the table and starts walking away. Tessa groans and calls out after her.
“Where are you going?”
“Bathroom.”
Tess’s levels me with a look as she slips out of the booth and follows her sister. I can’t help but laugh. Fucking with Delaney may be my new favorite hobby. The way she gets all fired up and throws all her perfect manners to the fucking wind—it’s amusing, and sexy as hell.
“Do you always have to be such a prick?” Zayn chuckles.
A smug grin spreads across my face. “Don’t act like that’s not why you love me.”
“You have to admit,” Stone begins as he watches the two girls head toward the back of the restaurant, “the good-girl act suits her.”
“I don’t think it’s an act,” Gage counters.
Easton takes a sip of his water and nods. “He’s right. She’s like the Virgin Mary, I swear. Tessa said she doesn’t even curse unless she’s super pissed.”
I snort. Having seen the way she acted at the party last night, that bit of information doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. I’m just not sure if I find it ridiculous or endearing.
Stone gets a devious look on his face and leans forward with his elbows on the table. “What do you say, Knox? You up for the challenge?”
“What’d you have in mind?”
His brows raise. “Fifty bucks. Blow job. Picture for proof.”
I laugh, reaching my hand across the table to shake his. “You’re on, douchebag.”
Eason shakes his head. “Dude, you do know that if Tess finds out you’re making bets about her sister, she will literally kill you, right?”
“Well then, let’s make sure she doesn’t find out, okay, E?”
GRAYSON PULLS UP TO my house, looking nowhere near ready for what tonight entails. His button-down shirt and dress pants are definitely not training attire. I get into the car and eye him strangely.
“Okay, I know you may not be all there, but you know what we’re training for, correct?”
He rolls his eyes as he puts the car in drive. “Yes, asshole. We had our sports banquet tonight. I haven’t had time to change yet, so I’m stopping home on the way. Figured I’d pick you up first.”
Fucking lovely. I lay my head back against the seat and place my feet up on the dashboard, not giving a shit about his precious interior. “Next time, pick me up after you get ready.”
The drive to his house is quiet except for the low music coming from the speakers. I stare out the window and watch as he drives into the expensive side of town. Two story houses turn to McMansions, and when he pulls into the richest development within a twenty-mile radius, I can’t stop the humorless laugh from leaving my mouth.
Why am I not surprised?
Turning into his driveway, the house in front of us could fit about seven of mine. It’s fucking massive. Bigger than anything anyone actually needs, except for maybe a family of seventeen.
“I’ll be right back,” he tells me and hops out of the car.
I take out my phone and start to scroll through it, when movement in the rear-view mirror catches my eye. Someone is walking down the drive at a neighboring house. I squint as I try to figure out what’s so familiar about the girl until it finally clicks. Delaney. Of course, she lives here, too.
I watch her through the mirror. She looks naturally beautiful in a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie—wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm as she walks to her mailbox. A part of me considers staying put, but the urge to get out and talk to her is too strong to resist. So, I slip out of the car and head across the street.
“Hey.”
The surprise on her face is evident. “Knox? What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for Grayson. I saw you out here and f
igured I’d come say hi.”
“How nice of you,” she deadpans then turns around to go back inside.
I throw my head back, laughing. “So, that’s it then? No more playing nice? One little spat was all it took to break you?”
“No.” She stops and spins to face me again. “I just don’t feel like dealing with someone like you right now.”
“Someone like me?”
She crosses her arms. “Rude. Arrogant. A pain in the butt.”
Butt. I do my best to conceal my amusement. Easton was right, she really is the Virgin fucking Mary.
“Look at you, making assumptions like you know me.”
“Are you saying I’m wrong?”
My face splits into a wide grin. “No. You’re dead on. I’m all of those things.”
She looks me up and down before taking a step forward. “Yeah, I don’t think you are. I think it’s all a front. A mask you put on to look tough and hide whatever your real problem is.”
The air is practically sucked from my lungs. Her eyes bore into mine like she can see right through my hard exterior. All of my flaws. My fears. My insecurities. She can see them all. If that’s true, she’s so much more dangerous than I’ve given her credit for. I quickly rally and reconstruct my defensive walls.
“Now you’re way off.” I tell her, moving closer until there’s less than an inch between us. “I’m the devil reincarnated. Your living fucking nightmare. Made of stone, with no feelings for anyone or anything.”
I half expect for her to run like she did last night, but she stands her ground. “Yeah, I’m not so sure.”
“Knox!” Grayson calls from across the street, causing me to glance back at him. “Come on. We have to go.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Returning my attention to Delaney, I find she’s already halfway up her driveway. I watch as she makes her way inside, only stopping to look at me one last time before she disappears behind the door.
I’m not sure what the hell just happened, but one thing’s for sure—I didn’t fucking like it.
The Saint: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Haven Grace Prep Book 2) Page 4
