13. Chapter 12
Kodi – Two Weeks Later
“I’m sorry? I don’t understand. What do you mean you were notified that I turned down the role?” I ask as I hide behind the precinct, out of reach of my dad, who yet again put the contract on my desk for the deputy chief position.
I was halfway through my paperwork with a shoplifter offense when the Art of Boston called, and I quickly ducked out while Masters was in a deep conversation with my dad after he put that stupid contract on my desk and demanded I sign it.
I had no idea they were calling to express their sadness for the job I didn’t want.
“We received an email explaining that you had decided to look elsewhere,” the woman on the phone informs me and I blink.
I certainly did not.
“There must be a misunderstanding. I’ve already put my notice in for my current job. I never sent any emails,” I state, “I am extremely excited,” lies, “about teaching at your school.”
I’d rather work in an art gallery while painting and drawing on the side, but that will never happen, my dad ensured it years ago.
“Oh well, I’ll make sure to change it then. I’m sorry about the mix-up, and we’re looking forward to working with you, Miss Marshalls,” the woman says before hanging up, and I drop my hand with my phone and breathe heavy.
I put my resignation on Dad's desk last night, and I thought he hadn’t gotten to it yet, but now, maybe he did.
I shake my head. Him doing this just cements my decision to leave. It makes it easier, and even though I feel like I’m being torn in two leaving Knuckles, I know this is the right move for me, it has to be.
Putting my phone away, I straighten my shoulders when I hear, “Where in the fuck is Kodi?!” being shouted and I sigh.
Well, guess Dad is in a bad mood, and I wonder why...
It was either him or Masters that emailed the school, but by the sound of my father's voice, I’m going to take a guess and say it was Masters.
He’s probably been snooping in my computer again because my dad refuses to let anyone have passwords.
I briefly pause and think of Clark begging me not to go, and Trick comes to mind.
The same Trick that got the teachers to believe that the whole school grading system had failed, when in reality it was all him.
I frown before I shake my head.
No, she wouldn’t ask him to do this, and neither would Knuckles, because I haven’t told him yet, but Masters, however.
Taking a deep breath, I hear Dad shout my name again, and I walk inside and towards my desk, where he’s looking around the room, my letter of resignation clutched in his hand.
“You shouted?” I ask, and Dad's stormy face glares my way while Masters jaw is set, and Benny sighs.
“You resigned?” my brother asks carefully, and I nod once.
“Of course I did. Dad's been trying to force a position and a man on me that I don’t want. I leave in three weeks,” I state, and Dad growls as he takes a step forward, and I raise a brow at my father.
“Going to hit me?” I confirm, and Dad tenses as he freezes, realizing he took a step forward, and Benny sighs, “Kodi, don’t accuse Dad of shit like that, you know it will fuck with his job.”
I look at my big brother, and I ask, “Why not? He hit me a few weeks ago, cutting my lip and bruising my jaw. All because he found out I was in a relationship with Knuckles, so of course, my thoughts will go to that, considering he just took a step towards me.”
“You did what to –” My big brother's words cut off as he looks from Dad to me in shock and chokes, “You and Knuckles? The man who knocked me out in high school?”
I wince and remind Benny, “You were saying some nasty shit, Benny,” and he blinks, then blinks again, before he murmurs, “To be fair, with the way he was looking at you the night we saved the kids, I should have seen it coming.”
Dad sighs, “He’s a biker, son,” and I quickly interject, “That does more good in this town than you ever have with me since Mom was killed by her lover!”
Benny's eyes widen so much I’m afraid his eyeballs are going to fall out as he chokes, “Mom had an affair?”
I grunt, “Yeah,” just as dad says, “and your sister knew without telling me, instead I got a good video of that fucker Cans screwing your mom from behind then with photos next to her mutilated body a note stating my daughter knew.”
Okay, so Dad didn’t always know…crap.
“I walked in on them after I called you gloating about how my art actually won something and I told her she was dead to me,” I admit softly, “I locked my door before she could barge in and she threatened Benny’s job within the force,” Benny gasps in shock as I choke, “And Cans threatened to have me raped if I opened my mouth to you.”
Dad stumbles back, and I remind him, “I was sixteen and scared and didn’t know what to do, heck, you even saw me take a step back from Mom, and instead of questioning it, you decided to tear me away from my dream job after she got herself killed.”
Dad looks down with shame, and I shake my head before I grab my bag from my desk, and Benny asks, “Where are you going? We need to talk about this.”
“I’m going to see my boyfriend before he sends out a search party. He knows I was hit but doesn’t know it was Dad, and I’d prefer him not to be locked up,” I say as I turn and walk towards the door, ignoring Masters glaring at me and my thoughts freeze for a second.
Can I classify him as my boyfriend?
He calls me his girl, but…
I shake my head and open the main door just as Dad says loudly, “I’m not happy about you dating a biker, Kodi, even if he can keep you safe,” and I retort, “And I’m not happy that you tore my life away from me without actually telling me why and questioning why I didn’t tell you about Mom.”
“What about your job?” Benny calls, frustration clear in his voice, and as I walk out the door, I confess, “I’ve accepted a job in Boston,” ensuring Masters is aware his little plan backfired.
Dad shouts, “Over my dead body!” as Benny says loudly, “Hell fucking no!” but I ignore them and continue my trek to my jeep.
I wanted to speak to Knuckles tonight, but with how my dad and brother just acted with me leaving and with Masters trying to mess with my job, I think I need to wait until I’m in my car driving away. I don’t want to keep stuff from him, but I just don’t think I have a choice.
Nearly five months and the man may not have kissed me yet but something deep down is telling me he’ll sabotage my new job for me.
Shaking my head, I round my jeep, but I pause when I see a figure leaning against the hood, and I raise a brow at the woman’s attire.
A skimpy skirt that barely covers her ass, stripper heels, and a see-through bralette without nipple pasties.
She looks like she’s nearing her late forties.
“Can I help you?” I ask as I throw my bag in the back but keep my piece in my holster as a precaution.
This woman smells of trouble.
She curls her bright red lips at me as her brown eyes look at me with disgust, and it’s only now that I recognize her.
She was the only club bunny allowed to stay for Clark's wedding because she was…
“Yeah, you can stay the hell away from my son or I will kill you!” she snaps as she pulls out a knife, and I tense, but not because of the knife, no, because I know exactly who this is.
Knuckles’ mother.
I frown as I gently trace over yet another raised bump beneath his tank, and I quickly eye him to see he’s still asleep.
His body is relaxed, and I slowly pull his tank down.
He never takes it off, even while we're having sex, and nothing but ink covers his skin, but it’s what the ink is trying to hide that has my focus.
Several long, raised scars.
What?
Knuckles breathes deeply, and I quickly put his tank back and continue tracing the flowers that link like a chain over his collarbone before his arm tightens around my waist, and he murmurs, “What are you still doing up, baby?” his voice is full of sleep.
I want to ask him about the scars, I want to question him, but instead I whisper, “I want you,” hoping he can distract me from finding out the reason he never takes his top off and never stays the night and possibly why he won’t kiss me.
Normally, Knuckles leaves, but last night he decided to stay, and even though I wanted to ask him, I didn’t because I knew his childhood was off-limits, and now I understand why.
This woman hurt him.
My breathing deepens as pure anger rushes through me, and, not giving a damn about the consequences, I grab my piece and hold it before me, causing the woman to take a step back as her eyes widen.
“You should never bring a knife to a gun fight,” I sneer, and she takes another step back, and I threaten, “If I find out the scars on my boyfriend's body are from you, never mind trying to threaten and intimidate me, I will bury you!”
She swallows thickly, seeing the danger she’s actually in. She quickly spins and runs down the street, and I put my gun back in its holster while eyeing the woman fleeing the scene.
Bitch is dead, I swear.
***
I gently trace the curve of Knuckles’ nose two hours later, keeping my focus on the paper, trying to ignore the pull in my stomach.
His mom made those marks, I just know she did, she wanted a brother’s cut but failed so why not punish the child who didn’t get what she wanted right?
He’s always quiet about his parents, never wants to be at the club, and he’s struggling to commit… everything is beginning to make sense.
I gently shade in his lips as I tilt my head to get it just right, as I hear the rumbles of a motorcycle, and everything in me settles knowing he’s finally here.
Knuckles was supposed to be here by the time I got here, but apparently a fight started at the gym, so I came back, took a shower, changed into his shirt, and curled up in the chair to draw.
I slowly close my notebook that he has yet to see inside of, just as he walks through the door, looking tired.
“Hi,” I whisper, and he looks my way before his eyes go to the pad, and he grins.
“You drawing, baby?” he confirms as he places his cut on the back of the door, and I hum as I watch him pull his shirt off, but leaving his tank on.
I wonder how he’d feel if he knew I got his legal name tattooed along the inside of my wedding ring finger last week?
“You owe me,” he reminds me as he walks towards me, and I smile as I stand just before his hands go to my bare ass, which makes him groan, and I say, “Then take me,” feeling completely ready to give him the rest of me.
He groans again and leans down as he takes my nipple into his mouth through his shirt just as he moves a finger into the crease of my ass and I gasp as I go onto my tiptoes as he pushes a finger through the tight ring and grunts, “Fuck,” feeling how tight it is.
Before I know it, he removes his finger, lifts me then throws me onto the bed and I squeal out a laugh as my legs open wide for him and he pounces, wrapping his arms around my thighs before he licks my forbidden hole then sucks.
I gasp with shock as I arch my back before his mouth finds my clit and he sucks hard sending a jolt throughout my body.
Jesus I love it when he does that.
“I hope you’re not tired. It’s going to be a long night,” he grunts as he kisses up my body while pulling his jeans down quickly like he needs me urgently.
I moan and press my lips against his collar bone knowing he won’t kiss me just as the head of his cock rubs over my entrance, dipping in a little then moves further down to my ass.
I don’t tense when I feel him push in, instead, I moan and relax as I bite harder into his skin, marking him, which makes him groan and push all the way into my ass, a foreign feeling washing over me.
It feels weird and oh so good.
“Fuck me,” I rasp against his skin and Knuckles grunts, “With fucking pleasure,” as he moves a hand between us and thrusts three fingers into my entrance and moves them hard and fast as he pulls out of my ass, only leaving the tip in then thrusting in, doing shallow thrusts until I begin to thrust back up, feeling full in both holes, sending me into a frenzy and he loses control where as he promised, he’ll spend the night inside me leaving me feeling him for days.
Leaving him will be hard, but maybe, if he isn’t happy in the club, he’ll come with me?
Or does that make me selfish to ask for something like that when he still hasn’t promised me the future?