Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
“You’re moving in with me.”
Everleigh blinked up at Knox. “What?”
He scooped her plate off the table and set it in the sink. “You heard me.”
What had happened over the past twenty-four hours to elicit this kind of reaction? Yesterday he’d sworn to give her space; today he demanded she jump at the snap of his fingers. “Isn't that a little presumptuous?”
“Not when it comes to your safety.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned one hip against the table as he regarded her.
Resentment bubbled up within her. She was trying to escape her parents and didn’t want to be under someone else's thumb, not even Knox’s, despite his good intentions. “I'm sure I can find a safe place to stay in the meantime. I could sublet something or—”
“Not a chance.” He gave an abbreviated shake of his head. “Your butt is staying right here where I know you're okay.”
She gritted her teeth as she stood to face him head on. “I'll be fine.”
His dark eyes bore into hers. “Did you or did you not hire my firm to find the person stalking you?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then consider this protocol.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Would you do this for all of your clients?”
He snorted. “Happens more than you'd think.”
She recoiled at his statement, and he pulled her close. “Not me personally.” His hands skimmed up and down her arms. “The other guys. You're a different case entirely.”
His words soothed her, but she wasn’t quite ready to give in just yet. “I really don't think it's necessary.”
“And I do.”
“So your opinion is worth more than mine?”
“It’s not an opinion,” he corrected. “It’s a statistical probability. And when it comes to your safety, I will always err on the side of caution. I want you here, in my house and in my bed. Where else do you have to be?”
“I have a life, you know,” she snapped, a little stung that he thought so little of her.
“That's not what I meant.” He ran the tips of his fingers over her jaw. “But I just got you back. I'm not losing you again, not even for a second. I have years to make up for, and I'm going to spend every spare minute spoiling you.”
She was still angry enough to be petulant, so she turned a glare on him. “What if I don't want to be spoiled?”
“Too bad. Making you happy makes me happy.”
“Knox...”
“Stay with me,” he murmured. He kissed her neck, and she melted into him. “Please. Let me take care of you.”
“I can take care of myself.” Her words held no heat, and she felt him smile against her throat.
“You like the way I do it better.”
She shook her head, determined not to let him steamroll her. “No.”
The infuriating man just chuckled. Before she could process what was happening, he bent low and drove his shoulder into her midsection, then tossed her over his shoulder.
Knox moved through the house, then flung her onto the bed.
She didn't even have a chance to draw in a breath before he was on her, his mouth slanting over hers.
The fight left her, replaced instead by the fierce need to have him.
“We’re not done talking about this,” she managed to say as she pulled her shirt over her head and wiggled out of her jeans.
Knox moved over her and kissed her hard. “Yeah, baby, we are.”
He was right; they were done talking.
“I've got some recon to do tonight,” Knox said. “I don't want you to be alone here, so I asked Vivi if she was free. Will you go to her place until I'm done?”
His request surprised her. Vivi had been more than a little unreceptive to her, and she wasn't quite sure how to answer. “I wouldn't want to put her out...”
“You won't be,” Knox said when she trailed off, sliding his hands up the outside of her arms until he cupped her elbows. “I thought you two could catch up a little. You were so close once.”
Oh, God. That was exactly what she dreaded. Vivi seemed to hate her, and she didn't want to make things worse between them. “I'm not sure,” she said slowly. “I think she might need a little time to… process everything.”
“Please?” Knox kissed her forehead. “I want my girls to get along.”
He knew she couldn’t say no to him when he asked like that. “If you're sure she won't mind.”
“She won't,” he promised. “And thank you.”
“You're welcome.” She looped her arms around his neck as he dipped his head for a kiss. “How long will you be?”
“No more than a couple hours,” he said between kisses.
“Hurry back to me,” she said.
“You know I will.” He brushed his lips over hers again. “You know I wouldn’t leave you unless I absolutely had to.”
“Fine.” She let her fingers trail over his chest as she reluctantly pulled away. “Let me go change and we can go.”
Less than a half hour later, they piled into the car and headed toward Vivi's place that she had inherited from her guardian, Violet. It was a long drive from Knox’s place since he lived so far out in the country, and it took nearly an hour to get there.
She had no idea how he made the drive to work every day, and she voiced her question.
He lifted one shoulder with a smile. “It's worth it. I love the peace and quiet. And besides…” He reached over and took her hand in his, gently squeezing her fingers. “I’m closer to you. That place was always home for me. Now it’s even better since you’re back.”
Her nervousness increased with each mile, and she found herself crossing and recrossing her legs restlessly.
“Hey.” Knox released her fingers and settled his hand on her thigh. She met his gaze for a brief moment before he turned to stare out the windshield again. “Everything's going to be fine.”
She doubted that. “Did you...” She licked her lips and fought the urge to squirm beneath his touch. “Did you tell her? About… before?”
“No.” He shook his head. “That's your story to tell.”
Knox slowed the SUV, then turned into a long driveway and parked in front of Vivi's house.
She had been there only a couple of weeks ago, but so much had happened since then.
As she opened the car door, a curtain moved in the window, and she bit her lip.
Before she could say a word, Knox was beside her, his hand settled on her lower back as he guided her toward the front door.
It opened before they’d even stepped under the portico, and Vivi stood outlined in the space, a tight smile on her face. “Hi.”
“Hey.” She offered her a smile too, though it felt as tense as Vivi's looked.
Knox glanced over at his sister. “I'll be back in just a few hours. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call.” He turned to her. “Same goes for you. Call if you need anything.”
His dark eyes stared into hers for a second, and she nodded. Wrapping one hand around the back of her head, he pulled her in for a quick, hard kiss. Next to her ear, he whispered, “Give her some time. Everything will be fine.”
She nodded and lifted her hand in a little wave as he made his way back to the SUV. She watched as he backed the whole way down the driveway, then disappeared onto the main road.
“Want to come in?” Vivi's voice floated over her shoulder, and she turned to her.
Her words sounded reluctant, like she didn't really mean them, and she rolled her lips together. “Yeah, thanks.”
Vivi closed up behind her, then gestured around the living room. “Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks.” She took a seat on the couch and placed her hands in her lap. Vivi settled in a chair adjacent to her, and an awkward silence fell for several seconds before she finally spoke.
“How are you feeling?”
Her eyes settled on Everleigh's knees, and she waved one hand. “Much better, thank you.”
“Good.”
Everleigh allowed her gaze to rove the living room. “Your house is beautiful.”
“Thank you. There was a fire in the kitchen a couple of months ago, and we just now got the flooring finished up.”
“I'm sorry to hear that,” Everleigh said. Vivi nodded a little but didn't elaborate or offer anything else. Everleigh decided to bite the bullet. “I'm sure you're wondering what's going on between your brother and me.”
Vivi studied her warily. “You could say that.”
“I…” Everleigh didn't even know where to start. Drawing in a deep breath, she decided to just follow her heart and go with it. “I know Knox hasn't told you anything, and I feel like I owe you an explanation.”
Vivi tucked her feet under her as she regarded Everleigh, a troubled expression on her face. “I'm honestly not sure what to think. He seemed so devastated I'm kind of surprised he's even talking to you.”
“I wouldn't blame him if he didn't,” Everleigh said softly. “But a lot of things happened that I never told anyone about.”
Fixing her gaze on the coffee table, Everleigh told Vivi everything.
She told her about the pregnancy, the miscarriage, her father's threats. She relayed how she’d found Knox again in the woods and explained what had transpired over the past few days.
By the time she was finished, tears slipped down her cheeks, and she brushed them away.
She risked a glance up at Vivi and found her wiping away tears of her own.
“I’m sorry,” Everleigh said, her voice breaking. “I…”
Vivi shook her head. “I can’t even imagine. All this time…”
Everleigh knew exactly what she was thinking.
“Crazy how that tree brought you two back together.”
“Well…” Everleigh said slowly and bit her lip. “I kind of left that part out. He, um... chopped it down.”
“What?” Vivi's eyes widened.
“He was mad at me,” Everleigh said in his defense. “I think in his mind he wanted to get rid of every reminder of us and our past together.”
“Idiot,” she seethed. “I can't believe he did that.”
It hurt Everleigh's heart a little, but she was determined not to show it. The symbol of her childhood was gone, but she had Knox instead, and she wouldn't trade a moment with him for anything.
“I was upset at first,” Everleigh said with a little shrug. “But we’re back together, so…”
“True.” Vivi popped up from her seat. “I’ll be right back.”
Less than two minutes later, she returned with a carton of Ben and Jerry’s and two spoons. She held one out to Everleigh, and she took it with a little smile.
She lifted a shoulder. “Ice cream makes everything better.”
Everleigh couldn’t deny that. Vivi’s ring flashed as she dug into the creamy goodness, and it sparked a memory. “By the way, I don’t think I officially congratulated you on your engagement. How did you and Mason meet?”
A wicked light entered Vivi's eyes as she grinned. “Now, that’s a heck of a story.”