He snapped it shut, forcing it into my computer bag before shoving my books and papers inside along with it. “Put some shoes on. We’re going somewhere.”
Like hell. I reached for my bag, but with his size, he easily dashed it beyond my grab. He tucked the bag over his shoulder, then with a fist full of my hair, he made me look up at him. “I’m going to show you I know a fuck of a lot more about all this shit than you. Now, put your damn shoes on. I’m going to help you with your psych shit whether you want it or not.”
He let go, completely serious, and the only reason I slipped my shoes on and followed behind him was because I was afraid he’d pick me up and throw me over his shoulder if I didn’t. I closed the dorm, locking it behind us. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said, texting Haley in the hall. I saw her name across the screen and again, tried to ignore how I felt about the fact that he was obviously letting her know what he was doing. That she maybe meant something to him. I backed up when he looked at me. His eyes narrowed. “I’m parked outside. We’re going for a drive, and I hope you don’t have anything else to do today. It’ll take us a while to get where we’re going. About two hours or so.”
What the fuck?
I kept up, but couldn’t mask my fear. This guy had been known for his crazy before, and here I was going along with it. I didn’t know what that made me, but probably just as obsessed with him as Haley and the rest of my roomies. What else could explain that I was doing exactly what he wanted me to do?
I just hoped I didn’t regret it.
Chapter Eleven
Greer
“I didn’t fuck Haley by the way.” Knight lounged in his seat, his hand roving the Escalade steering wheel. His eyes glanced over. “You know, in case you were wondering?”
Since I wasn’t, I adjusted in my seat, clamped the hell up with my book bag in my arms. I hadn’t even put it on the floor, my stuff and purse still on my lap.
“You can relax.” For emphasis, he took my stuff, shoving it in the back, and it took all I had not to punch him right in his face. He was so aggressive, all that completely unnecessary.
I shoved my arms over my chest. “Where are we going?” We’d been driving for over an hour of his two-hour drive, silence between us besides the hip hop he had playing in the car. This was instrumental, unlike the last he’d played, smooth and easy listening beats.
“Maywood Heights,” he said, and when I shot bac
k in my chair, he rolled his eyes. “The place I’m taking you to is there.”
“What place?”
He shot me a look. “Just relax. We’re going to be there soon enough, and then you’ll see.”
Then I’d see, the place and town he’d run my mom and me out of the first time. His grandpa had been furious about that whole dog thing, thought, even at nine years old, I could create problems for Knight and his family if I told someone. The whole thing had been ridiculous. I’d been more scared if anything, more scared of Knight. The last thing I’d been thinking about was running my mouth and ruining whatever reputation his grandpa wanted to upkeep about his crazy grandson. That was the Reeds, though, maintaining the status quo nothing if not important.
I could see that now, probably the reason Knight wanted me to keep my mouth shut about that night with Bryce in the first place. He didn’t want me making noise about whatever happened that night, tarnishing who he was.
I simmered inside next to him, trying not to look at him as he navigated the road and especially in the moments when our gazes actually clashed and mine wanted to hold on, look deep into those brown-black eyes and see his secrets. They were secrets that definitely didn’t serve me, but I couldn’t help but want to know more. There was so much mystery about him, so much darkness and sin. I wanted to know where it came from, how someone at the age of eleven could have even been capable of doing what he had. He was seriously screwed up and a lot of that translated now.
I mean, he’d taken me captive again.
I swallowed staring at the road when eventually, we did pull up to that Maywood Heights’ welcome sign. A seemingly happy town, the small city was nothing but modern age with a rural fare. There was something small and quaint about the Midwestern city, but it was expansive enough to show quite a few people lived their lives there. Since it was Saturday, the roads were busier than normal with shoppers and traffic, but Knight easily worked his way through. His Escalade was an eyesore amongst the hatchbacks and minivans, but there were quite a few luxury cars definitely peppered in there too, the elite amongst the common folks.
That’s how I felt in this car with Knight, his arm out the window as he drove. Eventually, we cut away from the main part of town and to some of the back roads, and that’s when Knight told me to prepare for where we were coming up to.
Maywood Heights Communities, the sign said, and Knight pulled up to a gated entry. After speaking with the guard, they let him in, and Knight took the path down to a large brick building that looked like a hospital, people being assisted as they crossed the roads in wheelchairs. I didn’t understand why he brought me here, nor why we were here.
Knight’s Escalade took up a parking spot and a half and shutting off the truck, he reached for my things, returning them to me.
“Can I be let in on what’s going on now?” I asked, getting my bag on my arm. I’d shoved my purse inside, getting out when he did.
Knight came around, his hands in his pockets. “We’re here to help you with your psych stuff.”
“And here would be?”
“A nursing home,” he said, his voice serious as he backed up. “And try to keep up?”
A… nursing home? Well, that made sense now with all the people in wheelchairs and stuff. There were also people in scrubs helping to mill them around, and I picked up my feet, not keeping up easily with Knight and his long strides. He took one for like my three, and I nearly fell into him when he stopped at the door.