Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Everleigh stared at her father, who watched Knox retreat into the house, a dark expression on his face.
Finally, her father turned his gaze to her, disappointment glimmering in the silvery depths.
She stiffened and lifted her chin under his intense scrutiny.
She had nothing to be ashamed of. She loved Knox, and she would no longer pretend otherwise.
“Your mother has been worried sick about you,” he said.
Guilt flared around Everleigh's heart for a moment before she realized what he was trying to do.
He thought he could guilt trip her into doing what he wanted.
She steeled her spine. Years ago, she had been young and helpless, but that was no longer the case.
She was a grown woman capable of making her own choices with the freedom to come and go as she pleased.
“I’ll call her and apologize, let her know what happened,” she replied.
Her father’s lips pressed into a firm line as he regarded her, clearly unimpressed with her response. “You should come home.”
Her parents still didn’t know that she was looking into buying a place of her own.
There was nothing forcing her to stay with them.
If they wanted her around, they would have to respect her wishes.
She shook her head. “I'm not a little girl anymore.
You can't bully me into doing what you think is best.”
It wasn’t lost on her that she had left the house without a single thing.
No purse, no cell phone, and with only the clothes on her back.
She was currently wearing one of Knox’s dress shirts and a pair of his boxers she had snagged from his dresser, but she didn’t care.
For once in her life, she was going to do what she wanted.
After what felt like an eternity, her father spoke. “All I ever wanted was to protect you.”
She absorbed his words for a moment. Part of her understood, though she still resented the fact that he had so blatantly disregarded her opinion and blackmailed her into doing his bidding. “I know,” she said softly.
“Are you happy?”
“I wouldn't be here if I wasn't,” she countered. She knew it was hard for him to accept, but he needed to respect her boundaries. He needed to know that she would no longer jump when he snapped his fingers.
He nodded slowly. “If this is what you want, I won't stand in your way.”
Warmth spread through Everleigh's chest. It felt like she had waited forever to hear those words. “It is.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist but didn't move from her spot at the top of the stairs. “I'll come by the house soon.”
Something flickered in her father’s eyes. “I'll see you then.”
It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders as she watched him back out of the driveway and head home. But the hardest part lay in front of her yet.
She turned and headed back into the house, scanning the living room for Knox.
Her pulse kicked up when she found it empty.
She cut through the kitchen, and a sigh of relief caught in her lungs when she spied him through the screen door, leaning against the rail of the back porch.
She gently pushed the door open and moved to stand beside him.
For several seconds, they were both silent, both staring out at the woods. “Your dad try to talk you into going home?” he asked.
“He did,” she admitted.
Knox stiffened but didn’t look at her. “I can take you back.”
“No.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to.”
His gaze dropped to her hand before meeting her eyes. “I think you know the answer to that.”
“I want to talk to you.” She swallowed hard. “There are some things I need you to hear. I need to tell you everything, and after that… you can decide if you want me to stay or go.”
Knox’s expression shuttered, and he stepped slightly away, breaking the connection between them.
He opened the screen door and gestured for her to precede him inside.
She moved to the couch and sank onto the middle cushion.
Knox took a seat in the corner, angling his body so he faced her.
Tension was evident in every line of his rigid muscles, and a tic moved through his jaw as he studied her.
She knew it was going to be hard, but she had to get this off her chest once and for all.
Though she had rehearsed what she planned to tell him a thousand times, every word flew out of her head at the sight of him waiting, watching her intently.
His eyes were dark and haunted, like he was just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Her heart twisted, and the words fell from her mouth before she could stop them.
“That day at the country club… I didn’t tell you the whole truth.”
His brows drew slightly together, almost surprised at her admission. Steeling herself, she launched into the story. “I hadn't been feeling well, and I was going to ask Mama to take me to the hospital. I had the worst cramps…”
A hot blush raced over her cheeks. Though she had once talked to Knox about anything and everything, time and distrust had driven a wedge between them, making her feel insecure and embarrassed.
“I went downstairs to tell her, but by then it was too late. I passed out, and when I came to, I woke up in the hospital room.”
His hands clenched into tight fists, his expression positively murderous. “Did they...?”
Following his train of thought, she shook her head. “No. I miscarried.”
She explained about the ectopic pregnancy and how the muscle contractions were a sign that her body was terminating the pregnancy.
After she had returned home, she had spent hours researching all the details, needing to understand exactly what had happened.
It didn’t change the circumstances, but it had given her a sense of closure.
A harsh exhalation left his lips. “Why didn't you tell me?”
“I couldn't.” Tears stung her eyes. “When Daddy found out I was pregnant and that you...”
Emotion threatened to choke her, and she cleared her throat before continuing. “When he found out about us, he threatened to have you arrested. He said he'd have Vivi taken away and put into foster care. And I...” Her voice broke. “I couldn't do that to you.”
Knox swiped a hand down his face, but she couldn't read his expression. Guilt and sadness tore at her heart. She hated seeing this look on his face, so similar to the one he had worn fourteen years ago, right before leaving her with her heart bleeding out all over the steps of the country club.
She remembered that day so vividly, like it had happened just yesterday. “I…” Her breath hitched, but she pushed onward. “I wanted to tell you.”
She closed her eyes, and all of a sudden, she was back there, Knox’s eyes pleading with her to tell him he was wrong, that she hadn’t ruined everything. “When you came up to me that day… I almost broke down and told you the truth.”
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye and slid down her cheek, but she ignored it. “I hated myself for lying to you. And I was going to tell you, but then…” She swallowed down the burn of tears. “I saw my father standing behind you, and… I froze. I just couldn’t.”
Another tear broke free, and she brushed them away with hasty swipes of her hands.
Standing there on the steps of the country club, she had wanted to spill everything to Con—tell him it was all a mistake, that she would never hurt him.
But then her gaze had slid over his shoulder.
Her father stood not twenty feet away, a cold expression on his face.
And she knew that what he had said that day at the hospital wasn’t just an idle threat.
So she had done what she had to do. She had hurt them both, driving away the one person who truly loved her.
She only hoped that the progress they had made over the past twenty-four hours would be enough to help them both heal and move on.
Because she couldn’t stand the thought of him walking away from her again.