Chapter Four
The door shuts in my face, and it takes everything in me not to pound on it, or hell kicking the bitch in. There’s no fucking way I’m letting her go to that party, at least not alone. Not after what happened to her last weekend.
Scratching my hands through my hair, I take three steps back and look up at the house. The red bricks with white trim give it absolutely no uniqueness compared to the rest of the street. We all have the same fucking houses, just different colors inside.
I start walking towards my house, but turn between the two houses. Walking the same path she walked that night. The night I watched her fall. Although, I wasn’t out there to watch her fall. Well, not exactly. When I reach my favorite standing spot, I lean against the tree and look up, right into her room. I’m technically in my own yard, and legally, I have the right to look where I want. And it’s not like I can actually see her naked. From here.
From my bedroom, I can see everything. Especially at night, when she has the light on and curtains open. I used to hate this room, because the sun blinded me in the morning. But as I got older, I loved this room more and more.
A scream echoes from her room and I hit the ground running, right up the stupid lattice, onto her little roof, and right through her always unlocked window. My feet hit the ground a little harder than I meant to. Moving towards her bathroom door I reach to open it, but the door opens and my heart drops.
Katherine stands there with a pair of scissors and screams, complete terror written on her face. When I say she scared the fuck out of me, I literally mean it. I cover her mouth with my hand and shove her into the bathroom, kicking the door shut.
My other hand wraps around her back and thats when I realize. Shes naked. Its straight skin to skin contact as I move my hand up, feeling her silky smooth skin.
Theres a warmth on my palm, as I feel her lick me. “Why are you screaming?” I ask, pulling my hand away, wiping it on my pants.
“Maybe because you snuck into my room and scared me?” She drops the scissors, the metal clanking as it hits the side of the tub and then the floor.
It smells like berries in here. Where Im standing, in her bathroom, while shes naked. My eyes remain on her face, but I can see my fair share of her body. Clearing my throat, I try to concentrate on anything but her naked body, but I cant. “I heard you scream a few minutes ago, I thought you were in trouble.”
She rolls her eyes and shoulders past me, flinging her bathroom door open, letting it hit me on the side. I relax a little and let my eyes wander through her bathroom. The pink towels, the roses and ivy decorations and a pile of shredded black clothes on the floor.
Furrowing my brows I stare at them, did she cut them off her body or after taking them off. “Katherine.” I exit the bathroom, joining her in her very girlie bedroom. Theres so much pink in here, which is nothing like she is now. She’s all darkness wrapped in anger. Where the room screams light and happiness. Shes lost this part of her, and I still dont fully understand why.
“You should leave.” She says, opening the bedroom door to her hall. Shes still naked, standing there in nothing but her boots. “And stop acting like you care.”
She faces away from me, not even bothering to cover herself up. Shes on full display and completely shameless about it. I step closer, not leaving and put my hand on the door. “Im not going anywhere.” I reply, yanking the wood out of her hand to slam it shut.
Her round eyes look up at me, the makeup streaking down her cheeks and I cant help myself. Ive been in love with her for as long as I can remember. So, I reach up and place my palm to her cheek and she leans in, making my heart skip.
“I asked you to leave.” She steps back, moving towards her closet, swinging the door open. Watching her, she throws a black sweater on, one that nearly goes to her knees and then turns to look at me, “Why are you still here West? We both know you have better things to do.”
“What exactly do I have to do besides helping you so Knox-” I cut myself of, digging my nails into my palms so I dont out myself. I want her to remember on her own.
Hey eyes go wide, “Help me so Knox, what?”
Closing the gap between us, I watch her face shift from anger to confusion. When Im within an inch of her, our noses nearly touch as I look down at her beautiful blue round eyes, “How did you get home last weekend?” I ask, not losing my focus.
She swallows and her lips part as I feel her breath on my lips. “I dont remember. I remember certain things, but not much.”
My hand moves to her throat, I feel my nerves dancing on the edge, but I keep myself calm, needing her to understand one very important thing. But I need to know what she remembers first. “Where does your memory fade?”
“Knox. He did something to me. I felt heavy, but then I felt light, like I was flying.” She blinks up at me, my thumb moving up her jaw until it reaches her lips, touching the round metal. My heart is racing and I know that I wont get this chance again.
“Who tucked you into bed?” I ask as my will power begins to falter.
“I dont know,” she whispers.
“Why dont you know?” I want her to admit what happened, I need her to see the path shes chosen.
She shoves at my chest, separating us. “Why are you doing this?”
Grabbing her shoulders, I move her until shes backed against the closet door. “Why dont you remember?” My words arent nice, they are laced with venom. Pushing her harder than I want to, but I just want her to see.
“I was drugged!” She screams in my face. “Is that what you want to hear? Adding ammo to your never ending arsenal against me.”
“Who drugged you?” I cant stop now, I have to keep pushing.
“Knox.”
“What did he do to you?”
“He-” her mouth slams shut, her body begins to shake and I can see the tears swelling in her eyes.
“He tried to rape you, Katherine.” Theres a darkness to my tone, one that I dont use often. The one I keep hidden from the world. Because if I let that beast out, Im not sure I could cage him back in.
She shoves at my chest again, and again. Hitting her palms against me over and over. “Why do you care, West? Why?” And just like that she drops to the floor, yanking my heart down with her as she sobs.
I lift her off the floor, holding her bridal style, just as I did that night. She doesnt fight me off as I move towards her bed. Carefully, I lean over, putting a knee on the mattress as I lay her down. The second shes out of my arms, she pulls her knees up and continues to cry. Just like that night, I unzip her boots and drop them to the floor. When I reach over her body to grab the blanket, she flinches. “Im not him.” I tell her softly, tucking a loose strand of her hair thats fallen into her face.
She blinks up at me, “I know.” She replies, just like she did last weekend when I told her the same thing. “I cant help but flinch.” Its like shes reliving that night, whispering the exact same words.
“Then maybe you should find a different guy to hang out with.” I say, just as I did that night, hoping this leads to the same outcome. I want to hear those words from her again. Only this time while shes sober.
“Guys only want one thing from me.” She says it. Fuck, I take a deep breath as I cover her up and squat down next to her.
“Have you ever considered that not all guys want just sex?” I run a finger down her jaw until I reach her chin, tilting her head up to look at me, “Maybe some of us just want you.” Please say it. I just want to hear those words.
“Yeah right.” She rolls her eyes and moves her head out of my grasp. Well, she didnt say it. So at least I know that it was just the drugs, and not her.
“Im serious, Katherine. Not all guys just want sex, sometimes we just want a connection.” I push up off the floor and make my way to her window. “Dont go to the party tonight. Hes not worth it.”
Climbing out of the window, my feet hit the roof, and I hear her let out a sigh, “Maybe if guys wanted a connection, theyd treat me better.”
Its like a hot poker sears right through me, because I know that jab was directed towards me. I dont bother to say anything back as I climb down and make my way back to my house. Tonight Ill be watching her.