I decide to ignore his presence as I head to the dresser that holds my minimal belongings. I grab out a crop top and pair of sleep shorts. I pull the shorts on under my towel then keep my back to him as I drop the towel and pull the crop top on. I grab my brush off the dresser and gently try to comb out the knots without aggravating the cut any further. A head knock fucking sucks, that’s for sure. A hiss escapes me when I snag a large knot. Before I can move an inch, I’m spun around hitting my back against the dresser with Knight caging me in with his body. Done with his manly display I scowl up at him and snap.
“What the fuck is your problem? I haven’t done anything to you and yet here you are trying to make a problem when there isn’t one.”
“You’re hurt!” His statement shocks me silent for a moment.
“And?” I query. He ignores my question as he grips my hand and leads me back into the bathroom. He grips my hips, then lifts me so I’m sitting on the vanity. My body tenses as he grips the back of my neck and pushes my head down to inspect the damage. I bite my cheek to keep from lashing out at him, my fists clenched at my sides ready to fight if I need to. He pushes my hair out of his way, surprisingly gentle as he gets closer to the cut.
“You need stitches.” I push his hands away and straighten. He moves between my spread legs closing the space between us. He is still a few inches taller than me.
“I’m not getting stitches.”
His eyes narrow. “You can either get them willingly or I’ll have the doc knock you out and do it anyway.”
“What? You’re not gonna do the honors and knock me out yourself?” He grinds his teeth in annoyance.
“I would never lay a hand on you, Koby. I may not like you or even be able to stomach the sight of you but that still doesn’t mean I would ever lay a hand on you.” I can hear the truth in his words… It’s so strange to hear a male vow to never lay hands on a woman.
“All I’ve known since the day I was born is that the male race is superior to the female. Where I come from men can do as they like to women and never be held accountable.” His eyes darken at my admission.
“That’s not how shit works around here!” he growls. Call me stupid but I believe that Knight would never physically harm me. I try to push him back so I can climb off the counter but he shoots his arms out and leans forward, forcing me to lean back against the mirror. We’re eye to eye—I can see the demons that haunt him in his gaze, they speak to the ones inside me.
“What happened to you?” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. He immediately pulls back. I find I am able to breathe easier with the space he has put between us.
“None of your fucking business. Let’s go.”
“Where?”
His eyes narrow. “I told you the doc is going to stitch up that mess.” He turns and leaves while I glare at the bastard. If he thinks I’ll follow after him he has another thing coming!
Knight
“Put me down now before I gut you like a fucking pig!” She punches my back and tries to wiggle free of my hold. I grit my teeth. The little shit packs a good hit. She refused to come willingly so I was forced to take action. She’s now over my shoulder and spewing threats at me as I take her back to the main house where the doc waits. I tire of her hits and fucking insults so I smack her ass hard enough leaving my palm stinging, making her yelp in surprise. “Did you just fucking smack me?” The disbelief in her voice is comical.
“Yeah, I fucking did. Keep wriggling and talking shit, I’ll do it again!” I feel her tense but she does as instructed and remains still but not silent!
“My head is pounding, can I walk?”Fuck!I stop in the middle of the lawn near the main house. I forgot all about her head when I threw her over my shoulder kicking and screaming––literally.
“What’s the magic word?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she shouts. I bite my bottom lip to stop my smile from breaking free.
“I never joke around,” I say in a flat tone.
“Well maybe you should!” She remains silent for a second before her body goes slack. “Knight, can you put me down…please?” I slowly pull her from my shoulder and place her on her feet, gripping her waist as she sways slightly. She’s flush against my front. Her eyes slowly lift to mine and I see the darkness in her gaze that she tries to hide.
Unlike the others I live and bathe in darkness, my black soul calls to hers.
“Was that so hard?” She narrows her eyes and lifts her upper lip in a snarl.
“Yes, yes it fucking was!” she snaps before yanking free of my hold and storming toward the house.
* * *
I lay in my bed staring up at the ceiling. After the doc stitched Koby, Allison walked her back to the guest house. It’s been hours and still I can’t sleep. Every fucking time I close my eyes, all I see is the anguish and betrayal in King’s eyes. I never knew Mela was King’s the night I met Christine. If I had known, I would never have let her leave. That fucked-up bitch used me. She fucked with my head so bad, making me believe that we were in love. I was just a fucking kid and didn’t know any better, all I knew was she could make me hard and then make me feel good.
King won’t even look at me the same now and I don’t blame him. I stabbed my brother in the back, all for some psycho bitch who made me think I was in love. I vowed to myself the night Christine drove away from me that I would never love again. I would never let another female hold any power over me. My guilt eats at me daily and it’s why I pour so much time in Amelia. I want to right my wrongs but I don’t fucking know how! I’ve always been the quiet reserved twin. Rook is outgoing and the life of any party. Sometimes… I wish I could be more like him. People take one look at me and back away. It’s like they can see the devil in my eyes and know I’m pure darkness.
Koby is the first person to look at me with something other than fear, she isn’t scared of me or worried I might hurt her. She baits me and taunts me to unleash on her, I don’t know if she does it consciously or not. Each time I’m around her and I feel gravity trying to pull me to her, I tell myself it’s because she is Russian scum. Truthfully, if she’s scum, then I’m trash. I need to earn my brother’s respect back. If I have to take down the first girl to make me feel something other than disgust since Christine, I’ll do it. Bishop took King’s hate when he thought Bish was the one to kill his ex. He did it for me. Bishop pieced it all together that night when I got home and he saw how broken I was. I never confirmed his suspicion, but that’s the thing with Bishop, he takes one look at you and he just knows. I guess that’s his superpower and mine is fucking everything up.