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?”