All Chained Up (Devil's Rock #1)(67)

Laurel smoothed her hands over her silky smooth Keratin-treated hair. “I’m going to go back out there and act like there isn’t some dangerous criminal in my home—”

“He’s not—”

“And then you!”—Laurel’s gaze cut her like a knife—“are going to promise me that you will never bring him around me or my family again. Go ahead. Ruin your life, Briar. I can’t stop you from being with him, but I don’t have to watch it or be around it.”

Briar nodded stiffly, frustration an aching mass in her chest. It hurt because she loved her sister and wanted her support. “I understand,” she said.

With a single stiff nod, Laurel swept out of the bedroom. Briar lingered a moment longer, blinking stinging eyes and telling herself that she wasn’t wrong in this. Last night . . . this morning, she knew what she was doing. She knew who Knox really was. Or at least she knew enough to know that he was no threat to her. No more than Beau or any other seemingly good man. He wasn’t her father and she wasn’t her mother.

Who they could be together . . . no matter what her sister thought, she wanted to find out.

SHE HAD TOLD her sister about Knox. He knew the minute Laurel emerged from the house and leveled bitter-cold eyes on him as he stood nursing the beer Briar’s brother-in-law foisted on him. That look said it all. She knew he’d done time and she thought he was scum for it.

He didn’t feel much like drinking, but he clasped his sweating bottle as he waited for Briar to return.

Laurel’s reaction didn’t surprise him, but he was surprised it still stung. He’d lived with the world’s low opinion of him for over eight years, and the only reason it didn’t destroy him was because he didn’t give a flying f*ck what others thought of him. Hell, he’d been driving a vandalized truck around with the word “killer” emblazoned on the side.

He only cared what his family and the few friends he had thought of him. And Briar. He cared what she thought. Hell, he wouldn’t be here feeling so out of place if he didn’t care what she thought. Admittedly, it would be nice if her sister didn’t hate the sight of him. It would make things harder for Briar.

Kids ran around the adults, screaming and hitting each other with foam balls. The men were discussing their jobs, while the wives were talking about the sports their kids played. Like these kids were headed for the Olympics or some shit. Caleb was a friendly enough guy and talked to him as he flipped burgers on the grill.

After delivering him that cutting glare, Laurel made a beeline for some guy grazing at the spread of food. He held a beer in one hand and his phone in the other, as if he couldn’t be apart from the device.

Laurel beamed at him. No flinty-eyed stare for him. She talked with her hands, her gaze flickering in Knox’s direction. The smile slipped off Phone Man’s face, and Knox guessed that she was explaining that Briar had showed up with a friend.

Briar arrived then, stepping out onto the crowded patio. She scanned the people milling around. Her amber gaze lit up when she spotted him and his chest loosened like he could breathe again.

And that’s why he was here. It was the only reminder he needed.

“How long you been dating Briar?” Caleb moved some burgers, lifting them to the upper rack, and then reached for the waiting package of cheese slices.

“We met a few months back.” Not a lie precisely.

Caleb began arranging cheese on top of the burgers. “She hasn’t mentioned you.”

It was said innocently enough but it felt like an accusation. Knox looked back, only to see that Laurel had snagged Briar and was tugging her toward the food table and Phone Man.

He watched with narrowed eyes as Briar’s sister introduced them to each other with great flourish. Phone Guy shook Briar’s hand, holding on longer than necessary.

“Who’s that?” he heard himself asking Caleb.

Caleb glanced up from the grill. “That would be my boss’s son, Martin Ford. He’s a CPA. Laurel’s been trying to set them up for a while.” He took a pull from his beer and considered Knox. “Guess that’s not happening today.” He shrugged and leaned in conspiratorially to add, “Fine by me. The guy’s a prick.”

Knox nodded noncommittally, not voicing agreement but already disliking the guy just from the way he looked Briar up and down, openly assessing her in her floral print sundress like she was some buffet spread out before him. It wasn’t a flashy dress. It ended just at her knees, but Phone Man looked at her like she wasn’t wearing anything at all.

“Everyone knows it,” Caleb grumbled. “Except for my wife.” He shrugged and shot Knox a grin. “Whad’ya going to do, though?”

He nodded, fighting the urge to stay where he was and not act like a guy straight out of prison—even if he was. This was a family barbecue. Briar’s family. He didn’t need to lose his shit and embarrass her.

“You like cheese on your burger?”

He dragged his attention away from Martin Ford, who stood with his hand on Briar’s shoulder, keeping it there longer than necessary. A CPA. He was wearing khaki slacks and an immaculately pressed plaid button-down. He looked like the kind of guy that would date a nice girl like Briar.

“Yeah, thanks,” he replied.

Caleb looked toward Briar and Martin and shook his head. “How about another beer, man?”