by Eden O'Neill
Completely Knight Reed’s fault, I grumbled over my textbook, trying to Google some of these vocabulary terms to get some clarity. If I didn’t start understanding some of this shit, I couldn’t use any of this shit for the term paper that was coming due. It was worth half my grade in combination with my final exam, so I really needed to start getting my crap together. I was finally kinda starting to get some of it when some giggling behind me caused me to stop. It drifted out of one of the girl’s closed bedrooms, a deeper laugh right behind, and I closed my eyes.
A squeak of the bed, and my stomach’s contents basically filled my throat, my fists curled over laptop keys. I was shaking as the door creaked open and a landmass filled Haley’s door frame, Knight coming out of her room with tousled hair and his muscles stretching a T-shirt to the brink of its seams. It pulled taut over his massive chest, especially when he stretched, working his shoulders and back like he’d been laying down. He noticed me right away, of course, smirking before closing Haley’s door. I didn’t see her, but that must have been her inside, giggling…
Ignoring the fact that I cared something about that, I eased back behind my laptop monitor, Knight casually cutting past me. He’d taken it upon himself to make himself at home over the past few days. I mean, he’d basically solidified himself as a fifth roommate outside of paying rent. Heading over to the fridge in the kitchen across from me, he opened the door. “Working hard, Greer?”
No thanks to him. I said nothing, scrolling through my screens. Peeking above my monitor, I watched as Knight opened a carton of milk and downed the whole thing, his Adam’s apple working the whole thing down, and rolling my eyes, I forced myself to concentrate on my work. There was no going to my room now that he was here. He’d might say something about that, poke at me more than he already did, and I was so damn tired of him getting the upper hand when it came to my life. In fact, it freakin’ maddened me, more of his psychological warfare he was clearly playing here. He was winning this game between us, but hell if I’d ever let him know how much it was bothering me.
“Going over vocabulary terms,” I said causally. I clicked around. “You know, since that’s what people do in college? Go to classes and actually work?”
A chuckle as he closed the fridge. He crushed the carton with a hand, tossing it in the trash, and when he came over, I shook my head.
“Hope you’ll be buying another one of those.” He’d been eating us out of house and home too, like seriously a vacuum. He and his friends consumed food like locusts, but the difference between us and them was that they could afford to do shit like that. My tuition may be taken care of by Ben and Mom, but my food budget wasn’t. He and his friends were bleeding us dry, and as far as I knew, my other roommates hadn’t fared better on scholarships and grants themselves.
“I’m good for it.” Knight hugged his heat up against my side, tilting my screen back to read it. “Psych, huh? Sounds fun.”
“Don’t you have stuff to do?” I pulled the screen back, another goddamn chuckle rolling its gravelly tones into my ear. I shook my head. “Other people to bother? Sounds like you and Haley were having fun.”
Annoyance pricked at me when I heard an octave raise my voice, and even more when Knight’s arms pulled around me. My heart leaped. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing. Just trying to hear it, your jealousy…” he said, his nose running along the shell of my ear. His biceps hugged my shoulders. “I mean, if you want me all to yourself, Greer. You just gotta ask.”
“I don’t want you.” I simmered, my body heat rising like three hundred. More of his games, more of his evil. I pulsed. “I hate you.”
“Do you?” His teeth tugged at my earlobe this time, his breath wintry and cool. He hugged my body with his big arms and hands. “Wish I actually believed that.”
But I did, so much it made me blind. Made me crazy, and even more that no matter how much I wanted to push him away, I wanted to tug him right back to me, his heat and his draw making me just as mad as he clearly was. This was nothing but a game to him, but for whatever reason, my own heart couldn’t get the reality check. I shoved at his hold, laughter in my ear when he let go of my earlobe. My jaw worked. “Get off me. I need to study.”
“Sure.”
“I do.” I elbowed him for emphasis, and though he did back off, he smiled. My nostrils flared. “I’m on the cusp of failing half my classes thanks to you and your nightly parties.”
“Well, that sounds like personal responsibility if I’ve ever heard it.” Dark eyebrows dashing up, he tugged at my laptop screen. “What are you studying vocab for? A test or something?”
“A paper. Why?”
He shrugged. “Just figured I might be able to help. You know, since it’s my fault?”
Well, that was rich. The big, dumb rich boy trying to help me. “And what would you know about psychology terms?”
Over my shoulder, he tugged up my failed psych quiz from under my computer, smiling again. “A lot more than you. Yikes—”
I ripped the quiz away. “I don’t need your help, and I’m sure Haley’s missing you.”
His smile left as he stared at me, his big arms folding over his chest. “I was actually helping Haley with one of her computer classes. Was pretty into that stuff in high school.”
“Yeah?” I turned, staring right at him. “Was that before or after you fucked her?”
Eyes darkened right away, a pulse shooting straight into my chest when he reached around me and grabbed my computer.
“Hey!”
He snapped it shut, forcing it into my computer bag before shoving my books and papers inside along with it. “Put some shoes on. We’re going somewhere.”
Like hell. I reached for my bag, but with his size, he easily dashed it beyond my grab. He tucked the bag over his shoulder, then with a fist full of my hair, he made me look up at him. “I’m going to show you I know a fuck of a lot more about all this shit than you. Now, put your damn shoes on. I’m going to help you with your psych shit whether you want it or not.”
He let go, completely serious, and the only reason I slipped my shoes on and followed behind him was because I was afraid he’d pick me up and throw me over his shoulder if I didn’t. I closed the dorm, locking it behind us. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said, texting Haley in the hall. I saw her name across the screen and again, tried to ignore how I felt about the fact that he was obviously letting her know what he was doing. That she maybe meant something to him. I backed up when he looked at me. His eyes narrowed. “I’m parked outside. We’re going for a drive, and I hope you don’t have anything else to do today. It’ll take us a while to get where we’re going. About two hours or so.”
What the fuck?
I kept up, but couldn’t mask my fear. This guy had been known for his crazy before, and here I was going along with it. I didn’t know what that made me, but probably just as obsessed with him as Haley and the rest of my roomies. What else could explain that I was doing exactly what he wanted me to do?
I just hoped I didn’t regret it.
Chapter Eleven
Greer
“I didn’t fuck Haley by the way.” Knight lounged in his seat, his hand roving the Escalade steering wheel. His eyes glanced over. “You know, in case you were wondering?”
Since I wasn’t, I adjusted in my seat, clamped the hell up with my book bag in my arms. I hadn’t even put it on the floor, my stuff and purse still on my lap.
“You can relax.” For emphasis, he took my stuff, shoving it in the back, and it took all I had not to punch him right in his face. He was so aggressive, all that completely unnecessary.
I shoved my arms over my chest. “Where are we going?” We’d been driving for over an hour of his two-hour drive, silence between us besides the hip hop he had playing in the car. This was instrumental, unlike the last he’d played, smooth and easy listening beats.
“Maywood Heights,” he said, and when I shot bac
k in my chair, he rolled his eyes. “The place I’m taking you to is there.”
“What place?”
He shot me a look. “Just relax. We’re going to be there soon enough, and then you’ll see.”
Then I’d see, the place and town he’d run my mom and me out of the first time. His grandpa had been furious about that whole dog thing, thought, even at nine years old, I could create problems for Knight and his family if I told someone. The whole thing had been ridiculous. I’d been more scared if anything, more scared of Knight. The last thing I’d been thinking about was running my mouth and ruining whatever reputation his grandpa wanted to upkeep about his crazy grandson. That was the Reeds, though, maintaining the status quo nothing if not important.
I could see that now, probably the reason Knight wanted me to keep my mouth shut about that night with Bryce in the first place. He didn’t want me making noise about whatever happened that night, tarnishing who he was.
I simmered inside next to him, trying not to look at him as he navigated the road and especially in the moments when our gazes actually clashed and mine wanted to hold on, look deep into those brown-black eyes and see his secrets. They were secrets that definitely didn’t serve me, but I couldn’t help but want to know more. There was so much mystery about him, so much darkness and sin. I wanted to know where it came from, how someone at the age of eleven could have even been capable of doing what he had. He was seriously screwed up and a lot of that translated now.
I mean, he’d taken me captive again.
I swallowed staring at the road when eventually, we did pull up to that Maywood Heights’ welcome sign. A seemingly happy town, the small city was nothing but modern age with a rural fare. There was something small and quaint about the Midwestern city, but it was expansive enough to show quite a few people lived their lives there. Since it was Saturday, the roads were busier than normal with shoppers and traffic, but Knight easily worked his way through. His Escalade was an eyesore amongst the hatchbacks and minivans, but there were quite a few luxury cars definitely peppered in there too, the elite amongst the common folks.
That’s how I felt in this car with Knight, his arm out the window as he drove. Eventually, we cut away from the main part of town and to some of the back roads, and that’s when Knight told me to prepare for where we were coming up to.
Maywood Heights Communities, the sign said, and Knight pulled up to a gated entry. After speaking with the guard, they let him in, and Knight took the path down to a large brick building that looked like a hospital, people being assisted as they crossed the roads in wheelchairs. I didn’t understand why he brought me here, nor why we were here.
Knight’s Escalade took up a parking spot and a half and shutting off the truck, he reached for my things, returning them to me.
“Can I be let in on what’s going on now?” I asked, getting my bag on my arm. I’d shoved my purse inside, getting out when he did.
Knight came around, his hands in his pockets. “We’re here to help you with your psych stuff.”
“And here would be?”
“A nursing home,” he said, his voice serious as he backed up. “And try to keep up?”
A… nursing home? Well, that made sense now with all the people in wheelchairs and stuff. There were also people in scrubs helping to mill them around, and I picked up my feet, not keeping up easily with Knight and his long strides. He took one for like my three, and I nearly fell into him when he stopped at the door.
He secured me with firm hands, righting me. “You good?”
“Erm, yeah.” I backed away, backed off him. He dropped a hand to his side, and with a lift of the eyes, he was pulling open the door. I shoved my way quickly past, then let him take the lead as we walked up to a sign-in desk with a woman in scrubs behind it.
“Knight Reed. Is that you?” the woman behind the desk asked, a large grin on her face.
Knight had a bit of a smile as we walked up to the desk, his hands returned to his pockets. “Yeah, Janet. It’s been awhile. How are things?”
“Good, honey. Good. And yeah, it has been a while. Good to see you, though.” The nurse’s gaze moved around his mass to me. They lit up. “You bring a friend today?”
I didn’t know about all that, but Knight did nod before he was handed the sign-in sheet. He signed his name, then handed it over to me.
“How is she today?” he asked while I signed, and looking up, I noticed the woman’s expression change, her eyes a little sad.
“Always the same, sweetie,” she said, folding her hands. “But you’re welcome to see her as always. I’m sure it’d help to hear your voice.”
His… voice.
Knight said nothing, nodding at her before stepping away from me. The woman smiled super wide at me after that, and so confused about everything, I just smiled back since she was being kind. I truly had no idea what was going on here, but Knight definitely seemed to know this place. A few people acknowledged him along the way, both hospital staff and not. Patients knew him too, ones playing chess and others being wheeled around. These people knew him, and though he wasn’t much for words he knew them too, always passing them a few words in greeting before going about his way.
I kept up. “Knight…”
He turned as he pressed an elevator button, the frown hard on his face. “For once, can you not with yourself today?” The elevator door pinged open, and we both stepped inside. He tapped a button with his fist, then scrubbed in his dark hair. “Just not here. Not today.”
His gaze parted from mine, and I was truly left without words, the elevator ride as quick as it started. It pinged open again, and I followed his heavy strides down a hall not as active as downstairs, medicinal tones in the air. Downstairs definitely felt more like a nursing home with all the patients, but up here, a hospital through and through. I kept up as best I could, and when we got outside of the door, Knight stopped.
His eyes narrowed. “I just ask that you don’t be rude, okay?”
Why would I be rude? And who did he know here? He opened a door, and the sunlight from the room flooded in, a huge bed with a woman in the center of it.
I came inside and I saw her, raven-black hair down to her shoulders and with her eyes shut. They had her hooked up to all kinds of IVs, machines that pinged and beeped like she was some kind of science experiment. I followed Knight over to her bedside, and completely in her space, I was awed.
She was strikingly beautiful, like something in catalogs or on the silver screen. Her skin pale and features soft, the light in the room only brought out more of her beauty, and when I truly looked at her, she looked so familiar to me it wasn’t even funny. I’d seen her before.
Or at least her face.
It was so similar to Knight’s, soft where he was hard edged. This was especially noticeable when he came around the bed, hovered above her. He touched her face, his knuckles brushing her cheek.
“Knight?” I questioned, watching him watch her. The woman didn’t even move at being touched, no shift or jump or anything. She merely lay there, and when Knight sat down at her beside, the same. His eyes came up to meet mine, his expression hard and completely cold.
“This is my mother,” he said, and the gasp left my throat. “And as you can see she’s in a coma.”
Chapter Twelve
Greer
A coma… no way, but not only was Knight serious, but dead serious. He stared upon the woman, his hand cupping her shoulder. His touch swallowed her whole shoulder, that’s how small she was and big he was in comparison.
I shrunk slowly to a seat beside the bed, not wanting to make too much noise. I thought, illogically, that any sudden movements might shatter something. I dampened my lips. “What happened?”
He had… a mom? I mean, of course he had a mom. We all had one, but I never knew of his. When my mom and me had been living at his grandpa’s, it’d been just him and Knight, no one else. I assumed, as a child, I’d guessed something had happened to them, but I’d b
een so young I never bothered asking.
Knight’s knuckles brushed his mom’s shoulder this time, the breath easing heavy from his lungs. “She was in a car accident.” He sat back, his eyebrows narrowing. “Happened when I was real young. Before you and your mom came to live with Grandfather and me.”
That was well over ten years ago. I lowered my bag to the floor. “How long has she been in a coma?”
Dark lashes shifted left. “Twelve years.”
Holy fuck.
That was like half his life. My God, and looking up, I swallowed. “You were nine?”
“Yeah, the whole thing was not long after my dad died. He was in a riding accident mere months before it happened. It was fucked.”
Jesus. I faced the woman, her appearance nothing but a pleasant sleep. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t know, and Knight, he didn’t even look sad, more so used to all this. And maybe he was.
Half his life….
“It was a traumatic brain injury that put her in the coma,” he said, looking over at me. “Sound familiar with your class stuff?”
It did, one of my psych terms because of its connection to mental impairments. I wet my lips. “Do they think she’ll ever come out of it?”
I felt stupid the moment I said it, like putting that reality out there might make things worse for him instead of helping, and now, I knew why he told me not to be rude outside the room. This was a sensitive issue here, all this very sensitive and extremely personal. For whatever reason, he shared that with me and I didn’t understand.