27. Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-six:
Amelia
Amelia blinked awake as a tender hand roused her from her sleep. She’d gone unconscious like the dead. Her hands were necessary to rub the sleep from her eyes, it was too thick and crusty otherwise. Denver leaned over her with a kind smile. “Morning, miss, it’s time to rise and shine.”
“Morning,” she mumbled, struggling to sit up. Denver handed her a large glass of water and set a place beside her. “Where’s Knox?”
She worked the water down her throat and happily chomped down the hearty breakfast while Denver picked up around the room and waltz brazenly into the closet.
“He is in a work meeting, but shortly you two will be going to the casino.” He sat out a matching pair of panties and bra before diving back into the closet. “Shall you be dressing dangerously today, or safe?”
Amelia snickered, choking on the cinnamon streusel muffin he’d given her.
Denver smirked, holding up a royal purple dress and a pair of ankle strapped heels, “Dangerous then.”
“You trying to get me bent over a desk?” Amelia blurted out before her face broke out in a blush. “Oh, sorry, that was wildly inappropriate.”
“Not to worry, Ms. Armstrong,” Denver snorted, taking the dress over to the desk where he’d sat out the other items. “I am capable of taking a joke. And to answer your question, how do the kids say it these days? ‘Bitch, I might be’?”
Amelia choked on her muffin to the point the centaur slapped the center of her back. She roared with laughter as the butler winked at her. He continued about his work of righting the room and choosing her and Knox an outfit. After her laughter sobered, she stuffed the rest of the muffin down her gullet. Denver ushered her into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash off the grime of sleep. When she stepped out into the bathroom, her outfit was set out on the bed for her and the centaur was nowhere to be seen.
She took her time drying off, dressing, and waiting to see if Knox would come to retrieve her. Last night had been a rather out of body experience for her. Though, he’d taken the reigns and brought her back to life. Thank him? She wanted more than to thank him…unsure what it was exactly she wanted, but she wanted it all the same.
Amelia spent years of her life fighting the red, fighting the rage within her soul. The fury came out without hesitation…proving all those years, that she truly was still just an angry little girl. Punching that driver felt good. Breaking his bones till he was nothing but goo. It felt so relieving.
Her father would be disappointed. Penny would be sad but understanding. Amelia stared down at the heels on her feet, trying to decipher her own feelings. It was hard enough trying to wrangle them herself…but she knew one way she always got the feelings out of her chest. Slipping to her feet, the conflicting emotions waging war in her skull, and headed for the office upstairs. Where she should have gone yesterday.
No idea, no thoughts, just emotions. A massive leather back chair sat behind the desk in the room, a laptop on top. Plugged in and ready for use. She cracked it open and immediately opened a document to just spew all over it. The glee from destroying the driver. The disgust from giving into her rage, in letting the red wash over her. The panic from facing death over and over…and the confusion in loving Knox.
She loved him. Loved his whirlwind life. And it hit her like a freight train as she stopped mid-sentence. Staring over the top of the laptop screen at the couch he’d sat at last night—the same couch he’d made her crawl to… She loved him.
Well…good, you ought to after basically selling yourself to him for the rest of your life.
“Ms. Armstrong, you ready?” Denver poked his head into the office, smiling down at her as she closed the laptop. “Got a new idea?”
“You could say I’ve been inspired,” she winked up at him, climbing to her feet. Straightening her dress at her sides, she gave Denver a quick spin.
“Very stunning, as per usual Ms. Armstrong.” He stepped aside in the doorway, motioning for her to follow him out into the hallway.
“Don’t lie, Denver.” She rolled her eyes. As per usual? Absolutely not… Last night she’d been covered in blood and bone dust. And the first time he’d met her, she was in just Knox’s trench coat and flip-flops. She’d been in worse condition.
“I should warn you, that you and Mr. Zrazduel are making a small stop on the way to the casino today.”
“Oh?” Amelia glanced up at the butler beside her.
“And you are not to leave the car,” Knox warned, snatching her attention away from Denver. Her gaze ripped down the hall to find her fiend walking up the last few steps. His golden orbs traveled down her body before glaring at Denver.
“Don’t like my outfit?” Amelia sneered.
“Was this your idea or hers?” Knox kept his gaze leveled on Denver.
“Why? Trying to decide who to spank?” Amelia spat back.
His lips curled into a wicked smirk as he returned to her. Denver said nothing as the purple fiend closed the distance between her and the staircase. “Pet, your mouth is going to get you in trouble.”
“I’m already in trouble .” She stepped up to him eagerly, hands tucked sweetly behind her. “Good morning, Sir.”
“Don’t try to butter me up now, you wicked thing,” he chuckled, grabbing her by the nape of her neck and ripping her mouth into his. Amelia melted into him. Her hands wrapped around the front of his shirt, dragging herself closer till her belly pressed against his. He groaned against her mouth. After a glorious eternity, he pulled away from her lips. His fingers stayed wrapped around the nape of her neck. “And yes, you are in trouble.”
“Where are we stopping?” She wiggled her brows suggestively at him.
“You’ll find out. Now, if you can get to the car without getting in more trouble, we might actually get somethings done today.” He spared his other hand to swipe her backside. She yelped loudly as the thwack bounced off the walls around them. Then he thrust her around him and toward the stairs. Amelia eagerly stormed forward. His presence loomed behind her, keeping the handprint on her ass cheek burning. He whispered something to Denver that made the centaur chuckle, but she didn’t hear it. Instead, she clambered down the stairs toward the front door. The house was abuzz with energy, but their eyes avoided her. It would have been strange if they also didn’t avoid Knox.
Last night changed something…she wasn’t completely sure it was all for the better.
Once Declan’s gone, it’ll be fine . That’s what she kept telling herself. Amelia slid into the town car and let Knox tuck her into the seatbelt. He propped himself against her as the car lurched into drive.
“Knox?” She eyed him as she realized Zavros and a few others of his usual security also filled the back of the town car.
“Until Declan’s dust, you’ll have security within arm’s reach,” Knox breathed, glancing at Zavros. The ogre flashed his pretty, tusky smile at Amelia before directing his serious attention to Knox.
“We’re about five minutes out, the boys made sure he had car problems.”
“Good,” Knox twisted, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Amelia furrowed her brows, looking at all of them with confusion. Their faces were made of stone as they stared beyond her and the vehicle. Something had definitely changed. Maybe things would never go back to the way they were. Maybe this was her life now as the devil of King’s Falls lover.
You made your bed… No, she’d fought for that bed. She’d bled, and cried, and broke for that bed. She’d ripped apart sheets and ruined any escape. I’m your monster. Knox was Amelia’s monster now. Forever and always.
Amelia sat back and tried not to let the law-abiding citizen part of her brain spew out of her mouth as the town car slowed to a stop beside a different, more expensive car. A luxury, gold and cream colored four-door with a single driver. Dressed in all cream and peach, his suit glinting in the sun as the large man loomed over the engine. Thick black smoke plumed out the top of it. Well, that was a problem. Then she noticed the ripped tires. Oh, they meant car problems . She glanced at Knox as he slid out of the car like a well-oiled snake. Zavros slid up beside her as the other security guards stepped out into the night.
She was engrossed in the movie playing out in slow motion before her. Knox smiled, flashing those fox fangs over and over as he spoke. The burly man in the peach suit grunted and spoke in half sentences until Knox held up a photo. For a moment, she feared for Knox as the man swung. However, her fiend dodged the strike and knocked the man upside the head with his cane. Amelia’s eyes widened as Knox struck him…over…and over…and over again. That fox smile turned into a feral snarl as Knox broke through flesh and bone.
“If it is any solace, Mr. Hurley puts his hands on women and little girls. A friend of ours asked us to make sure he can’t throw his daughter through a wall again.”
Amelia snatched up Zavros’ arm, trying not to fly off the handle. “You know what?” She let out a long, shaky breath, “It does…it does bring me solace. Good for Knox.”
“You know, sometimes you just gotta bash someone’s brains in to calm the beast inside, you know? And it’s not every day the perfect bastard comes across your path, needing his fucking face bashed in.” Zavros flashed her those charming tusks again before flopping back into his seat. The door to the car ripped open and all of Knox’s guards slunk inside. They were all smirking to themselves but said nothing as Knox climbed inside. Amelia found Zavros left a napkin by her fingers, one she snatched up the second Knox sank back into the car. As the door slammed shut beside him and the car lurched back into motion, she slid up beside him and dabbed away the blood from his face.
He exhaled heavily with relief, smiling at her as she flicked a tooth off his cheekbones. With a proud smile, she stole a quick peck from his lips. “My vicious monster.”
Knox watched her hungrily as she sat back on the leather seat. One leg draped over the other, head laid back against the spine of the town car seat, she smiled to herself under his devilish stare.
The conflict was, strangely enough, gone from her guts as they traveled in relative silence back into the city. Zavros was right…sometimes you just gotta beat a motherfucker’s face in to feel better.