Hollow (Hollow Point #1) (4 page)

I couldn’t help but laugh after Tatum’s little friend left my room. She was definitely trouble. I just wasn’t sure for who.

One thing was for certain, I’d have to handle my issues with Topher soon. His anger toward me was getting out of hand, and the last thing I needed was for him to bring it to the attention of the guys at the club.

I’d been trying to distance myself from everything outside of the home, but no matter how much I pushed back against them, the more I was sucked into it.

I grabbed my phone, dialing Liam.

“What’s looking good tonight?” I asked when the call connected.

“We were talking about heading to the Old Mill. Want us to swing by?”

“Nah. I’ll meet you there. I have something I need to handle first.”

I finished getting ready and took a ride out to the high school. The stadium was packed with people there to see the game. I was glad Tatum wasn’t one of them. She hated sports, and I’d rather have her at home where I know Bryce isn’t trying to mess with her. He never pressed her to attend, and I assumed it was because he had some side action from a cheerleader, but I couldn’t prove anything.

Slipping inside of the locker room. I nodded to two other players, and they got up, leaving as they grumbled something under their breath.

“Time’s up, asshole,” I called out to Bryce from behind him as I grabbed the collar of his shirt, slamming his chest against the row of lockers before letting him drop to the ground.

He groaned, rolling over as he pushed himself up on his knees. “I’ll get you the money. I swear. It’s not that easy,” He pleaded. I swung my leg, connected my sneaker with his gut. He fell back on his side, his hands wrapped around his middle.

Sinking down on my haunches, I gripped the thin gold chain that dangled from his neck. “This cross looks like it cost a few bucks.” With one swift tug, it broke free, and I shoved it into my pocket. “You just bought yourself another night.” I stood up. Looking down at the pathetic piece of shit. “Go win us this game. The town is counting on you.”

FOUR

“Greta is going to freak the hell out.” Tatum was ringing her hands together as I slipped into the car, still lost in the daydream of Knox’s nearly naked body. It was infuriating that he didn’t look at me like the guys at school, but it made me want to get his attention even more. There was something so
wrong
about him, but he looked
oh so right
.

“Oh, relax. Everyone sneaks out. You have to live a little. Trust me, you won’t regret it.” I pulled out into traffic and headed to my temporary home. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel to the beat of the song on the radio.

“Knox is going to find out. I know he will.”

Rolling my eyes, I turned down the music. “So what if he does? What’s he going to do? Ground you?”

“I just don’t like to disappoint him. He feels like it’s his job to protect me.”

“And that doesn’t seem weird to you?”

“He has his reasons.”

“What, is it like community service or something? Look, I’m sure Knox has done his fair share of breaking the rules. He’d be a hypocrite to be mad at you for something
everyone
does.”

I smiled when I pulled into my driveway, and My father’s car was parked out front.

“Have you seen that movie
Triggered
?” I asked as I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Tatum did the same, wobbling in her heels on the cobblestones.

“I freaking love that movie. I’ve seen it like twenty times. The scene where they are in his office… wow. Want to watch it?”

I beamed as she joined me on my side of the car, looping my arm in hers and guiding her up the front steps. “Maybe.” She was going to lose her mind when she met my father.

I pulled open the front door and could hear Piper’s big mouth before I saw her, and I didn’t miss that my name was being spat out like it was a curse word.

“I’m home,” I called out, and her yelling ceased. As we turned the corner into the kitchen, Tatum gasped when she saw my father leaning against the island as Piper stood on the other side, hands on her hips. I knew she was berating my father because I wasn’t warming up to her.

“Dad, this is my friend Tatum. Tatum, this is my dad, Nick Vaughn.”

My father turned, plastering on an enormous fake smile to greet my friend as he hadn’t just been screaming with his whore of a girlfriend. “Hi, Tatum. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand, and my gaze flicked to Piper, who was eyeing Tatum like she was encroaching on her territory. I smiled smugly and nudged Tatum.

“Pleasure to meet you, sir.” Tatum took his hand, her face bright red.

“Call me Nick,” he replied before he let her hand go. The look on his face made me want to barf, but it was worth it if it made Piper jealous. She needed reminded that she was nothing more than a distraction and could easily be replaced by the next young thing that catches his eye.

“I love your movies. I can’t wait for the next season of
Barracuda
,” Tatum rambled, and I felt embarrassed for her. You couldn’t talk to movie stars that way, it only fed their oversized egos.

“Maybe Riley can bring you to set one of these days. I could show you around, introduce you to some of my costars.”

“Oh, my God. Really?”

“Sure. It’ll be fun. You love coming to set, right Riley?” My father looked at me expectantly. I struggled not to groan out loud. I barely spent any time with my dad anymore. Not since my mom was locked away and he started publicly seeing that tramp.

“It’ll be fun,” I conceded, and Piper huffed, storming out of the room with her wine glass in hand once she’d been ignored long enough.

“Come on, Tatum. Let me show you my room.” I linked my arm back with Tatum’s and pulled her toward the oversized staircase.

“This place is incredible,” she whispered like it might all disappear if she spoke too loudly.

“This is nothing. You should see our place in LA. It’s breathtaking.”

When I opened the double doors into my room, she gasped.

“It’s like an apartment!”

“It’s okay. I’m having it painted blue,” I sighed, dropping my bag on the floor and taking the back off my earring so I could put them in my jewelry box.

“I knew you were rich, but this is really crazy, Riley. You live like a princess.”

I bristled, recalling Knox calling me princess as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Maybe we could have a party when my dad goes to New York. We could invite some people from school,” I shrugged as I kicked off my shoes. “No losers, though. I don’t want any of my jewelry to come up missing or something.”

“Just because we don’t have money, doesn’t mean we don’t have morals.”

“I didn’t mean you-”

“I’m just messing with you. Some of these people I wouldn’t trust with a goldfish. I can bring over my yearbook, and we can make a list. The last party I’d been too was for my thirteenth birthday. It wasn’t really much of a party. Just pizza and ice cream.”

“Well, you are in for a treat. My parties are legendary. Maybe you can invite Knox and his friends?” I asked, trying to not look like I really cared. But it drove me crazy that he looked at me with such disdain. I wasn’t used to guys not falling all over me, and it pissed me off.

“Yeah, I guess.” She shrugged, struggling to take off her heels without falling over.

“What’s his deal, anyway? He seems like a bit of an ass.”

“Knox is a good guy. He is just really overprotective, you know? I’m sure you know guys like that.”

“Not really.” I rolled my eyes and sank down on the edge of my bed. We fell silent for a moment.

“So… you want to watch
Triggered
?” She stared at me with hope in her eyes.

“So you can perv out over my dad? Gross.”

“Yeah, I guess that would be kind of weird. It’s not my fault you have a hot dad.”

I grabbed one of the decorative throw pillows and tossed it at her face. She caught it with a laugh, shaking her head.

“Want to pick out our outfits for tomorrow?”

“Sure! I brought a couple of shirts and some jeans.”

“Oh, no.” I stood, pulling her over to my walk-in closet. “You are going to borrow something from here.” I pulled open the door and walked inside with Tatum. Her eyes danced over the rows and rows of clothing. Most of the items still had their tags because I didn’t want to bring my wardrobe from home. My father had a personal shopper fill it up before I arrived.

I ran my fingertips of the clothing, occasionally pulling out a dress or shirt to look it over. “Try this,” I pulled a hanger and held it out to her. “And this.” I grabbed another. “And anything from here to the wall.”

I smiled as I walked out of the closet, leaving her to try on some clothing. While I waited, I slinked down to the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine and some cheese.

“Drinking on a school night?” Piper called from behind me, and I cursed under my breath as I closed the fridge door, turning around to smile at her.

“You drink at breakfast,” I quipped.

“Those are mimosas. You’re supposed to drink them in the morning.” She folded her arms over her chest, and I snorted.

“Okay, Piper. Why don’t you go back to running errands and blowing my dad? The mom role doesn’t really suit you seeing as you’re basically my age.”

“We are not the same age.”

“Oh, you’re right.” I looked up, examining her face. “You have wrinkles. I know a good doctor who can fill those in for you and you don’t even need to screw him first.”

“How dare you talk to me like that you little bitch. Like it or not, I am with your father now, and you will show me respect.”

“You’re kidding, right? You think giving a married man a blowjob earns respect?” I grabbed my glasses and the wine bottle, shuffling the items in my hand before picking up the cheese platter. “I’m going to be upstairs with my company. Why don’t you go clean something pick up the dry cleaning? Whatever it is that
the help
does.” I walked out of the room before she could respond. It was time to get rid of Piper.

Tatum was ogling herself in front of my full-length mirror, spinning to the side and causing her skirt to fly up slightly. I sat the food and drinks on my dresser as I watched her.

“You like it?” I asked, startling her. She spun around, her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.

“It's so beautiful but it probably just looks weird on me.” She looked down at the clothing as I walked toward her.

“You look amazing, but this whole self-deprecating thing needs to go if you don’t want people to walk all over you.” I grabbed her shoulders and turned her back toward the mirror. “You look hot. Own it.”

She smiled as she looked at her reflection. “Is that why you act that way?”

I took a step back. Typically someone saying something like that to me would be bitchy, but Tatum didn’t smirk or roll her eyes. She was genuinely curious if my attitude was just a show to protect myself. “I don’t know, Tatum,” I replied with a sigh.

“I get it,” her eyes went back to herself in the mirror. “But you know you don’t need to be that way with me, right? I don’t care about any of this stuff.”

I nodded, swallowing hard.
Could I just be myself around her?

“You are such a dork. I brought drinks,” I announced, grabbing the cheese platter and wine from my dresser. Her eyes lit up, and we both giggled as I filled our glasses.

***

We talked until three in the morning about guys and school. The one topic I wanted to learn more about, Tatum avoided at all cost.
Knox
.

“Trust me, he hates everyone. Don’t take it personally.” Tatum flopped on her back, staring up the blank ceiling.

“I don’t think he
hates
me, he just isn’t used to a woman not being a weak pushover.” I looked over to Tatum, who was frowning. “Not you, I just meant women in general. Besides, you seem to be the
only
person he likes.”

“He feels obligated to like me.” She shook her head before stifling a yawn.

“Why
is
that?” I asked, rolling to my side and propping myself up on my elbow.

“Let’s save that story for later.”

What she was actually saying was she wasn’t sure if she could trust me with her secrets yet.

“Fine. I need some beauty sleep anyway.” I reached over to my stand and turned off the light, falling into a restless night. I dreamed of Tatum coming to my school back home. Everyone ignored her and laughed behind her back.

That’s how we treated anyone from the outside. She would have been begging her parents to homeschool by the end of her first week. But here, where the story was flipped, she was the only person I felt like I could talk to. I would miss having someone who didn’t expect me to be perfect all of the time when I finally went back to live with my mother.