HARD KNOX(13)

“Jesus, Knox,” I said. “I had no idea. You guys are really good and popular.”

“I’m looking at the true star in all of this,” he whispered to me.

Just like that we were set back years, the two of us staring down at the beginning of a wild kiss. Our lips got so close, just barely touching, then Knox pulled away.

“Not this time,” he said.

“Knox…”

“Darlin’, I can’t hold back anymore with you. If I kiss you again I’m going to devour you. I’m going to tear you apart. You need to know that. I’m done with these f*cking games. You need to get the f*ck out of here, Ana. For good. There’s nothing left here for you.”

“What about you?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “You know what I’m doing here. What I’m trying to protect, save, create. It’s part of me. It will forever be a part of me. But you can go. I’m sorry to say this to you, darlin’, but there’s nothing here for you. It’s all dead and gone.”

I made a fist and punched at Knox’s chest. “I hate you!” I cried out. What I wanted to tell him was that I loved him. That I wanted him to take me away. That we could figure it out.

Knox grabbed my fist as I tried to hit him again. He brought my fist to his mouth and kissed my hand. He then reached for my face again and touched my cheek.

He walked to his motorcycle and just like always, he was gone.

I stood there, tears in my eyes.

That night came to an end, but what happened with me and Knox was far from being over. I was going to pay dearly for it.

Oh, and remember how Knox told me to stash the money because I’ll never know when I would need it?

I would use some of that money to buy a pregnancy test.





chapter eight


(knox)



THEN



Yeah, I had set the car on fire. It was a clear message to a rival crew to stay the f*ck away from me, my club, and my f*cking town. Yeah, I had ruined some merchandise in the trunk of the car. And, yeah, I may have beaten up the driver to the point where he wouldn’t talk for a good two months.

I wasn’t going to tell the cops that though.

Someone had ratted my ass out and within ten minutes of getting away from the fiery scene, a cop car was waiting for me. Right in the middle of the road. The prick hit me right in the eyes with his spotlight. I tried to dart around him and lost my edge, dropping my ride right on the road. I ripped up my right leg and the cop dragged me to the back of his car.

Now I was in a small interrogation room, facing down a detective who wanted to paint me as the guy who set the car on fire.

“I have no idea what happened,” I said. “I was coming back from the strip club.”

“Right, right,” he said. He said to call him Joey. “I’ll be contacting that club to confirm you were there.”

I leaned forward and smiled. “Why don’t you just check between Amber’s tits? That’s where I spent most of my night. Oh, and between her legs. She tastes great.”

“I thought strippers don’t like to be touched.”

“By guys like you, no,” I said. “But a guy like me…” I laughed.

Joey stood up and put his fists to the table. “I’m going to get you for this one, Knox. And since you’re representing your gang of friends, I’m going to roll on them too. Unless, of course, you want to help me out with that.”

“How’s that?”

“Tell me why they had you set that car on fire. What was really happening between everyone.”

I touched my chin. “Okay… let me think.”

Joey squinted his eyes. We were in silence for a minute. Finally, Joey asked, “Anything?”

“I can’t stop thinking about Amber’s *. See, those were the only lips I saw moving tonight.”

“Fuck you, Knox,” Joey spat at me. “I know what you f*cking guys are up to.”

“If you really did, you wouldn’t be so mad. But the truth? We have a common interest in motorcycles and strippers.”

“Run by your father,” Joey said. “You know what’s going to happen when I come down on you all?”

“No, I don’t. Tell me. Let’s talk about it. Sit down. Have a drink, Joey.”

The detective left the room.

I exhaled and wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.

I did not expect the Chief of Police to enter the room. I did not expect him to take out a gun and put it on the table in front of me. I figured he was there to break my balls some more.

Instead, he walked behind me and unlocked the cuffs.

“Stand up, son,” the rough voiced chief said.

I stood up.

Chief walked to the side of the table and put his hands on it. “What’d you tell Joey?”

“Nothing,” I said. “I was at a strip club. I had nothing to do with some car fire.”

Chief nodded to the gun. “What if I put that gun in your mouth. Would you still say the same thing?”

“Probably not,” I said.

“Why not?”

“If there’s a gun in my f*cking mouth, how could I talk?”

Chief let out a laugh. He grabbed the gun and tucked it away. “Get the hell out of here, kid.”