Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (10 page)

My
heart is pounding and I can hear the rush of blood in my ears, making
me slightly dizzy. Closing all of the blinds on the windows, I
finally turn on the lights in the kitchen and make myself a pizza. I
really want to call Knox and have him come over and keep me safe but
me and my stupid pride wrecked that. By eight o’clock, I am
done feeling pissed off and scared so I decide on a bubble bath,
lowering myself into the bubbles; I allow my muscles to relax. I
usually talk to Summer or my Nan but tonight I am enjoying the
silence and the warm water surrounding me. I stay in the tub until
the water gets cold then crawl into bed trying not to dream of Knox.
But my heart rules my head so when I am asleep, his green eyes swim
in my subconscious.

Arriving
at campus the next morning I catch up with Paige on the walkway. “Hey
Paige,” I call from behind her and when she turns I see she is
on the phone so I just wave and follow a few feet behind her.

Reaching
our classroom she sighs. “Hey Bailey, sorry about that.”

I
shrug. “No biggie.”

I
pull out my laptop and open a new document, waiting for class to
start. Paige opens an IM Chat and keeps sending me smiley faces and
kisses, hearts. I try not to laugh but I can’t help it. Just
before class ends, I see Knox is available for a chat and I am
tempted but I don’t. I can’t keep running to him anymore.
I let him go so it was my own fault.

“Hey,
you joining me for lunch today?” I ask, picking up my computer.

“Yeah
I need to hit the café first.”

I
nod and make my way to the quad to wait for her. A few minutes later
a shadow falls across me.

“Hey
Paige, what you buy?” I say without looking up but she doesn’t
answer, so I raise my head to see Lindsey standing there with her
arms crossed. “What do you want?” I groan and she takes
it upon herself to sit down.

“I
just came to say thanks,” she chirps and I roll my eyes at her.
She pulls a chain from under her sweater and shows me an engagement
ring. “Thanks because Knox came straight back into my arms and
we began where we left off,” she smiles.

“Yeah
congrats, now piss off,” I tell her and reach for my
headphones. Plugging them into my phone, I listen to my music loudly
while ignoring her. After a few minutes she pulls out one of my
headphones.

“I
told you I would get him back,” she snaps then leaves. I really
want to throw my water bottle at her head but I restrain myself.

“Hey
why was that thing here?” Paige asks taking the bench Lindsey
vacated.

“She wanted to inform me
that her and Knox are now engaged.”

Paige
bursts out laughing. “Yeah right, she is messed up in the
head.”

I
nod in agreement. Paige sends a quick text then hands me a candy bar.
“Thanks,” I smile and open it.

“So
any plans for Wednesday?” Paige asks after ten minutes.

I
frown. “No why?”

She
shrugs. “No reason. I am going to hang with Max.”

I
smile. “That’s great, Paige. I know he misses you loads.”

She
watches me for a few minutes before making me choke on my chocolate.
“Are you sorry you picked Knox over Max?”

My
eyes go wide and I cough for a few minutes. “No Max is cool,
like a brother. That’s it.”

She
shrugs and continues eating. I really don’t know where that
came from or where she was hoping to go with it but I don’t
like it. Opening my computer, I check my school emails and find four
invites for dinner on Wednesday night from different guys that I
don’t even know.

I
delete them all, thinking Sean has something to do with it because
after what he said yesterday, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Paige
stands up. “Okay, I’ll see you later. I have to meet a
friend before my next class.”

Nodding
I check my watch. “Yeah I need to get going too.”

We
part ways and I enter the Science building and walk up the stairs to
my next class. A girl named Marie catches up to me. “Hi
Bailey.”

I
smile although I don’t know her too well, she is in two of my
classes. “Hi.”

“I
heard about you and Knox Porter, are you okay?” Frowning I nod.
“You know there is a pool going on who he will date next?”

I
nearly drop my computer and have to clutch it tighter.

“No
I didn’t know that,” I tell her as she rattles on about
the top ten names on the list.

“And
number one is Lindsey Pratt then some senior Kerry something who has
been trying to get with him since last year,” she continues. My
head hurts listening to her but she is quickly drowned out when the
bell rings and students flood the walkway.

I
get bumped half a dozen times then feel an arm around my shoulders.
“Hey brawler, how’s it hanging?” Looking over I see
Eric and smile.

“Fine
and you were fighting too.”

He
grins at me. “Yep but how are you doin?”

Reaching
my class, I stop. “Good thanks.” Swinging out of his
grip, I wave and walk away smiling.

Knox

Paige
texts me while I am in my history class, telling me Lindsey is saying
we are engaged, and she told Bailey too. I am so pissed at that chick
I really want to smack her. I find Paige waiting outside the door
when I walk outside.

“Hey
Knox.”

I
nod at her. “Hey so what is going on now?”

She
frowns. “I know she doesn’t believe Lindsey but she
hasn’t mentioned you at all. Sorry.”

“It’s
cool, thanks.”

She
walks down the hall while I cut across the quad to my computer class,
which is three doors down from Bailey’s forensic class. I
usually meet her here and we walk together but she is gone when I
walk through.

Maybe
she really does want to be done with me but I don’t want it to
be over. Walking up the stairs I see Eric with his arm around her
shoulder and she slips into class. Catching up to him I punch him on
the arm.

“What
was that?” I ask and he laughs.

“Just
checking she was okay after the fight.”

We
take our seats beside each other and I glare at him.

“Dude
don’t fucking touch her again,” I warn and he just smiles
at me.

“Bro,
don’t be a hater. It’s not my fault she is on the
market.”

“Dude,
she is not on the market so back the fuck off.” Eric laughs at
me and IM’s me a betting sheet. Reading it my blood boils.
“What the fuck is this?” I ask staring at him.

“Well
the blue column is the guys who want to date her and the top runner
is some dude in her class, Billy, and the red column is the guys who
want to fuck her.” He shrugs. I want to punch his face and then
I see Sean’s name at the top of the list with a bet of two
hundred dollars that he will sleep with her by next Friday.

I
am going to murder that asshole. Eric sends me another message, “this
is about you. Looks like Lindsey is your winner.” Looking over
he is laughing behind his hand.

“Not
funny asshole,” I hiss at him but he laughs anyway.

My
mind is going in all directions. What if Bailey wants Sean or this
Billy kid, whoever he is? Pulling up the IM chat, I search for her
but she is not online so I send an invite and wait. About thirty
minutes later her face pops up in the little bubble and I smile.

Me:
We need to talk darlin.

Bailey:
yeah later I am in class.

Then
she signs off and it’s over. Just like that, this girl is
killing me and now there is a list of guys who want to get with her
for bragging rights. I can’t take it.

Bailey

Knox
sends me a message and I agree to meet with him only because I want
to know if he has found out about this bet the girls of the campus
have on him. All day it has been bugging me, and I am tired by the
time four o’clock rolls around. Walking to my car, my phone
beeps with a text from Paige asking where I am. I tell her I am on my
way to my car then going home to watch TV but she never responds.

Reaching
my car I see an angry Knox waiting for me. His backpack is by his
feet and his arms are crossed over his chest. His biceps bulge,
making me want to grip them, and hang on for dear life. As I get
closer his scowl softens a bit but doesn’t entirely leave.

“Knox,”
I say, standing in front of him.

He
relaxes his arms and puts his hands into his pockets. “Hey
darlin’, you okay?”

I
nod. “Have you heard about the bet against you?” he asks
and I frown.

“No,
but I see Lindsey is in first place for you. Oh and congrats on the
engagement,” I smile.

Rolling
his eyes he lets out a sigh. “She is crazy but I wanted to let
you know that Sean thinks you will be having sex with him by next
Friday so be careful around him.”

I
nod, wanting to tell him about Sean’s little visit last night
but I don’t. A group of girls walk by us and smile at him.

“I’ve
got twenty on you,” one of them says to him.

“Well
look at you Mr. Popular.”

He
smirks at me. “There is only one girl I want so when she is
ready, I’ll be waiting but she better not take too long or I
will have to chase her down.” Grabbing his bag off the ground
he kisses my head and strolls away. He knows all to well that I want
to go after him but I won’t.

By
Wednesday morning I have received a bunch of flowers from my dad who
is still in DC and a note telling me he is sorry for not being around
much lately. On my way to school I call him, leaving a voicemail
thanking him for the flowers. School is slow today; everyone is
talking about what they are wearing to dinner, and whom they are
going with but not me. I spend my lunch hour talking to my mom about
her new boyfriend Thomas, and I feel like crap because my mom has a
boyfriend and I – Bailey, a nineteen-year-old girl - can’t
even keep the one she had.

Paige
ditched me to hang out with Max so my last three classes were slow
and boring. Just before the last bell a knock on the door makes us
all look over. A young delivery guy walks in and looks scared at all
the expectant faces. I turn back to my work while he speaks with
Agent Daniels.

“Bailey.”
Looking up he points to the flowers on his desk and I frown. “Take
them on your way out.” I nod as the whispers start and I get
back to work.

At
four I take the flowers off of the desk and leave the classroom,
reaching my car I put them on the passenger side floor and pull out
the card hoping I won’t have to trash them because they are
beautiful. Opening the card there is only four words,
I
love you darlin
written in Knox’s script handwriting. I smile and climb behind
the wheel.

I
want to go see him but I’m not going anywhere near the bar so I
settle for a text.

Me:
Thank you for the flowers they are beautiful.

Knox:
you are welcome I set it up weeks ago darlin.

Me:
oh ok thanks.

My
heart sinks a bit because I thought he got them since the bar fight.
I guess I should have thought about it because Knox likes to be
prepared. Arriving home, I find a white box on the porch and I know
what it holds before I even open it. Bringing my flowers inside, I
put them in the sink until I dispose of the white box.

I
pull the card off the front and dump the box in the trashcan. Taking
the note inside, I reluctantly open it.
Always
alone always at night maybe I need to visit, I’m watching you,
RIP Bailey.
My blood
runs cold and I read it again and again grabbing my phone I dial.

“Hey
what’s up?” Knox sounds bored.

“I
was wondering if you could come by?” I ask, trying not to sound
like a whiner.

“Sorry
darlin’, but I am busy right now. If you want, you can come
down to me.”

I
agree and he tells me to park in the lot by Paige’s apartment.

I
arrive by six o’clock and I feel stupid for even calling him.
Parking in the spot, I get out and look around. Knox strolls up the
pavement wearing black slacks and a grey fitted sweater. My hormones
go wild just at the sight of him, looking down I see my black skinny
jeans and my pink sweater, but I don’t look half way decent to
be in his company. He reaches me and smiles.

“Thanks
for coming.” I nod,

“You
look nice. Hot date?” He shrugs his shoulders. “Not sure
yet.” My heart sags in my chest and he smirks at me.

“How
is that bet going?” he asks and I pull a disgusted face.

“I
am not a slut and I don’t do rebound guys.”

He
laughs at me, taking my hand. “I should hope not darlin’.”
He leads me into the building next to where Paige lives and up the
stairs stopping at apartment twenty-five A. He pulls out a key and
opens the door. “After you.” Stepping inside, I look
around. The walls are white and the place smells like carpet cleaner.
Knox closes the door behind me and flips on the light.

“Who
lives here?” I ask stupidly.

He
smiles and waves me forward. “Go explore.”

Walking
down the hallway, I look inside the first door on the left and find a
bedroom with a large bed and some boxes around the floor. I move to
the next door and it too is a bedroom, but it is empty and only a few
boxes are piled into the corner. The door across from me is a
bathroom, more white walls but it smells of Knox’s cologne and
I take a deep breath. He is watching me from the hall way as I
re-emerge, motioning for me to keep going. He has one hand inside the
pocket of his slacks and his sleeves are pulled up to the elbows
making him look even sexier than should be allowed.

My
heart summersaults in my chest as I slip by him and brush off of his
chest. Walking up further, I open the door on my right revealing a
kitchen with a small island and an old worn wooden table with two
rickety chairs. The next room is the sitting room and it is empty
except for three beer crates stacked on top of each other with a TV
resting on them.