Chapter 3
THREE
KNOX
I thought I was ready—thought I had prepared for every possible outcome that could've played out tonight. I was gonna finally give this fucker what he deserves. But nothing could've prepared me for her. She was not on the list. She was not supposed to be here.
My eyes are fixated on Candace, this beautiful creature sitting on a barstool next to me.
Hair as pink as cotton candy and eyes as blue as the Caribbean Sea.
There's a dullness to them, though. Like the light from within them has been robbed.
I've seen eyes like hers once before, once sparked full of life and joy, suffocated and stolen by the hands of another.
I shouldn't be so transfixed by her, but I can't help myself. Something about Candy draws me in, like there's a magnetic pull between us, and I know she can feel it too.
I've studied her boyfriend for months. Learning his routines, his habits and getting to know the people in his life behind a set of binoculars, always out of sight.
I've seen this Candy before, though she had no idea I even existed, until tonight.
I watched her go from a magnificent enigma to the shell of a human being that sits before me.
I swore to myself I wouldn't involve her. That I’d do the task I was set out to do and keep her out of it.
But when I saw her pull up in that parking lot tonight, shivering like a little Chihuahua, and throwing her sassy attitude my way, I knew she still had fight in her.
And I knew that I was so screwed—that there’s no way in hell I’ll be able to stay away.
CANDACE
Blowing hot air into my cupped hands, I try to warm them with myself up with my breath.
Knox sits on the barstool beside me and orders us a couple of shots.
I can feel his eyes on me, trailing the length of my body.
And when I dare steal a glance in his direction, his eyes never waver.
They meet mine as if catching him staring just amuses him even more. He’s shameless.
Kream by Iggy Azalea featuring Tyga thumps through the speakers, and from where I’m sitting, I have a direct view of Jason and his friends. He doesn’t see me since his face is buried between the dancer's ass cheeks. I scoff at him in disgust.
“Drink this,” Knox hands me a shot, and I pick it up, staring through the tiny shot glass at the amber liquid.
“Whiskey?” I ask, and he gives me a knowing wink.
“It’ll warm your insides. Bottoms up,” we clink glasses, tap them down on the bar and sling back our shots.
He was right. My insides are now on fire. I wave to the bartender and order two more shots. If I’m going to do what I came here to do tonight, I’ll need all of the liquid courage my body can take to get this over with.
“Sadie, this is Candy. Give this beauty whatever she wants tonight.” Sadie’s eyebrows raise, a smile forming on her perfect, pink lips.
“Sure thing, Mr. Knox.” She says his name with sass like she knows something I don’t. Knox doesn’t seem phased by her attitude, though; his eyes are still glued to me.
“Don’t you have to be at the door?” I ask him, slamming another shot back and tapping the glass down on the bar. He flashes that damn smirk again.
“Shift change. I’m right where I want to be.”
I peer at him from beneath my lashes, my eyelids already feeling heavy from the alcohol hitting my bloodstream.
He makes me nervous. Not in a creepy way that has me wanting to run, but in a way where I think he’s just so fucking hot I just know I’m going to say something stupid and make a fool of myself.
“Careful, Candy, you keep looking at me like that, and I might get the wrong idea.”
My breath hitches, and I squirm in my seat. His words send flutters straight to my pussy. Fuck.
Shaking my head, I clear the dirty thoughts of this man's tongue between my legs and refocus. I need to deal with Jason.
“You starting tonight, hon? I haven’t seen you here before.” Sadie asks, and I feel the heat rush to my cheeks.
“Me?” I point to myself. “N-no, I’m not a dancer,” I look back at the woman on stage, twerking her ass while doing a split.
Sadie gives me a once-over and shakes her head,
“That’s Destiny, she’s just showing off. You’d make a killing on that stage, babe. With those tits and that pink hair? These greedy men would be eating out of the palm of your hand.” She winks at me and leaves us with our shots.
Knox sighs, and his gaze seems to have intensified after Sadie’s comment.
“She’s not wrong, you know. Not wrong at all.” He shakes his head and throws back another shot.
I watch Destiny, mesmerized by how she demands attention from the people who watch her.
Her movements are like liquid, the way her body rolls and flows to the tempo of the music.
For a moment, I visualize myself up there, walking out onto the stage and locking eyes with Jason.
It would almost be worth it just to see the dumbfounded expression on his face.
I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but that idea sounds the most appealing to me.
I hear his obnoxious laugh from across the room.
Even through the loud music, the jack ass demands attention.
He’s waving bills at a dancer, trying to capture her eye.
Standing abruptly, I straighten myself out, not letting a little sway of the room keep me from this confrontation.
Knox watches me, but doesn't say a word. He eyes me curiously, like he’s intrigued by what I’m about to do.
“I want to go up there. Can you make that happen?” I nod to the stage. Knox’s brows almost hit his hairline.
He looks into my eyes, searching for any indication that I’m kidding, and when I return his stare with a deadpan expression, he knows I mean business. He looks from me and then to Jason, and a wide grin spreads across his face.
“For you, Candy, anything.”