I ended up pulling into a motel lot only minutes later, and after jerking a hoodie out the back and slipping it on, I went to check in. I hadn’t gotten any blood on me until I picked up Greer so I had to at least hide that with the hoodie. The guy inside hadn’t asked too many questions, and after I got the room key, I went back to my Escalade. I drove Greer and me toward the back of the lot, the guy at the desk giving me a room far away as requested. We pulled up there, and I shut off my car.
“Greer?” Another touch to her cheek, a soft one to wake her up. Her white lashes fluttered, nothing more, and I knew waking her up wasn’t happening, at least not right now.
Shooting a curse, I hopped outside, coming around for her. I opened the door, and her tiny body basically fell out into my arms again. I might think about that more, the way she smelled like frickin’ candy, had I not been trying to get her out of public view.
Between her and the keys, I did manage to get the door open, another mumbled moan against the shell of my ear, as I got her into the room. A double queen, I let Greer lay on one. She curled up into herself, still fucking out of it and she was covered in so much blood it’d been ridiculous. She looked like she’d killed Bryce herself.
Since at the present we both appeared to be in the clear now, I took out my phone to call my grandpa. He’d need to do some damage control for me. I mean, I’d been into some fucked up shit but never had I had a dead body on my hands. That was even a new one for me.
My finger hovered over his name before a groan to my right darted my gaze in that that direction. Greer had her hand on her head, but the moment she looked at her fingers, she shook. Her mouth parted, a scream clearly on her lips, and I rushed over to her.
“Greer?”
A jump and she was scurrying across the bed, true and utter terror in her eyes like one of those final days she’d last seen me. It was literally the same look she’d given me after I’d killed Old Man Peabody’s dog, like she was scared of me.
She should be.
I’d had no regrets that day like I didn’t now; no, not for trying to get her out of my frat. She would have been worse off left behind, and at the mercy of my grandfather, worse like she would have been had that dog been allowed to live. I’d saved her from that like I did now.
But try convincing her of that.
“Knight? What the fuck?”
I edged closer, and she moved back on the bed, another step and she was off it. She ran like a fucking prized pony out the gate, and though I had size, I had sped too. I grabbed her by her little wrist and jerked her back so hard she did scream.
Snapping a hand across her mouth, I gathered her up by her hips, the girl biting at me. She got a mouth full of my Court ring, my flesh next but I didn’t even flinch. I tossed her on the bed, and she scurried again, but this time, I’d been prepared. I lunged at her, pulling her immediately beneath me.
“What are you doing!”
My hand covered her mouth again, a muted scream behind. She jabbed at me with her knees, but using my weight, I pinned her down. She bit me again, and unexpected, I cursed this time, slamming her head against the pillow to stop fighting me.
“Shut the fuck up,” I growled, and almost instantly, she froze beneath me, a harsh fear she should probably have. I outweighed her by a lot, and she wouldn’t leave this room unless I saw fit.
Trembling now, good. My priority was keeping her safe, and if I hurt her in the process, so be it. I honed in. “You’ll stay quiet. Silent, you hear me?”
She did, her nod incessant, but even still I gave her an incentive. My hand formed around her delicate throat, the jump beneath my hand.
“You scream and I squeeze,” I warned. “You understand?”
Again, a nod and another swallow. My thumb dragged along her throat, and she shivered, gripping my arms. She could probably scratch me this way but was smart enough not to.
Letting go of her mouth, I got one of her hands, letting her know not to try anything when I shifted more of my body weight on her. My cock surged between us, something I was sure she definitely felt. I couldn’t help it with all her delightful heat beneath me, that softness between her thighs.
I shifted a knee between them, brushing her mound, and she pulled in a breath. Her chin tipped up. “What are you doing?”
I honestly didn’t know, starting this all just to keep her quiet. Putting knees on either side of her body, I hovered over her. “You’re going to listen to me. Listen to what I have to say. What you saw tonight could cause problems for you.”
“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.