Bad to the Bones(37)

I need to knock this shit off. She’s a project, not a gash. And especially no one’s old lady. Not with the mental damage that had been wrought on her.

Knoxie made a beeline over, to beat Speed at his own game. “Bellamy. We’ve just finished setting up some digs for you. Let me show you.”

Luckily Maddy was distracting Speed. “Speed, June said you have Mom’s photo albums from the seventies. I want to scan some of those photos.”

“What photo album? I’ve got a box full of pictures of people in bell bottoms, puka shells, and moronic floppy hats, is that what you mean?”

“You didn’t need to help,” said Bellamy, as they headed for the inside staircase. “You’ve already done so much for me.”

“Screw it. You’re my responsibility now. Your new room has an awesome view out the valley away from Bihari.” He was instantly sorry he’d mentioned Bihari though, because she said,

“That’s one more favor I need from you. I want my Sporty back. How can we get my Sporty? And my other things, too, if that’s not too impossible.” Her voice became harder when she added, “If Shakti hasn’t had a public bonfire of all my things.”

Knoxie put an arm protectively around her once they reached the main hallway upstairs. Members came in and out of the kitchen and game room, and all without exception gave Bellamy the once-over. Knoxie shot them all daggers from his eyes, steering her directly to her new room. “I’ve thought about that. I’ve got a guy on the inside there. I think we can at least get your ride out of there.”

Bellamy’s mouth was tight as Knoxie opened her door. “Yes. If he took his spite out on my bike, I’m burying him.”

Knoxie had to smile. Already she was sounding like an old lady. He shut the door behind him as she marveled at her room. She put a hand to her chest. “All mine? At Bihari I had to share a bed with two other ashramites. Shakti had the space, all right. I think he just liked the idea of us sleeping together.”

“Who wouldn’t? Here, check out this view.”

Knoxie stood behind her as she looked out the window. Her smile threatened to split her face in two. He eased the bomber jacket from her shoulders, draping it over a chair with respect as though it were a cut. Then he lifted her hair from her neck and fingered the wooden beads of her locket necklace.

“This needs to come off.”

“What? Oh. Yeah. I sort of forgot I had it on. No, why am I lying? Just on the drive over Maddy asked me to take it off before coming in here. She said if I want to work down in the hangar, brothers aren’t going to like me wearing some dude’s picture around my neck.”

Turning her to face him, Knoxie took her chin into his fingers. “Then why is it still on?”

She looked down, to the side. “I…couldn’t bring myself to?”

“You’re asking me? Think. Be more self-aware, Bellamy. Examine your own motives instead of just accepting them. That’s something I had to work on, too, coming out of the Persian Gulf with PTSD. I just impulsively did shit on the spur of the moment without wondering why. I wound up in a lot of hard scrapes, in a lot of tough spots. Once I started slowing down and figuring out why I did things, good stuff started happening.” Now it was his turn to look into the distance. “Sort of. Anyway, let’s do it. Take this off.”

Bellamy closed her eyes when Knoxie first lifted the odious pendant. But as he drew it over her head, she opened them. She looked ahead with dead, steely eyes, as though it pained her to lose her precious locket.

“I know it’s not easy,” Knoxie said. He’d been told he had a syrupy voice, his Texas drawl wrapping around the minds of his listeners, and he used it strategically now. “But if you really want to be rid of this assmunching faker, you’ve got to walk the walk.”

Bellamy recited. “I’ve got to talk the talk.”

“Right. You hear me. If you’re truly determined to lose those dysfunctional leeches, you can’t have this symbol around your neck.” Knoxie lifted the wooden jewelry as quietly as possible, placing it on an ancient two-drawer file cabinet that served as her nightstand. He replaced the weight of the necklace with his hands lightly draped on her shoulders. She seemed to be struggling to bring her eyes up his throat to his face, to look him in the eyes, so he kept talking. “You’re making great progress, Bellamy. Look, already you’re here with real friends, real supporters. I’ll see about getting your Sporty—and your sister—out of there.”

A grin flitted across her lips. “You’ve done so much for me, Knoxie, and you barely know me.”

“I know you well enough by now.”

“Still. Parts of what I’ve learned the past seven years I still hold valuable. It’s not all garbage. One is the teaching of karma and debt. I owe you.” When she finally raised her eyes to Knoxie’s, she slid a palm down the plane of his stomach, grasping his cock that was already halfway plumped.

It surged to life fully in her hand. She was not an expert at cocksmanship, squeezing his prick callously, but Knoxie was so aroused by her delicious sprite-like reality, he was beyond ready to get up on her.

“I want to please you,” she stated. “That’s the only way I have to repay you.”

Knoxie gasped when she pressed her torso to his. His hand automatically went to her waist, squeezing the flesh and bones there. He was embroiled in a massive inner struggle. The last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of a vulnerable, powerless girl who had already been victimized. On the other hand, he would love nothing more than to lift her, spear her on his cock, and pound her up against that beautiful picture window.