Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (34 page)

“Yes they do but I was
asleep the first few times and then I was..” I trail off
closing my eyes.

“Then
you were what?” he asks through a clenched jaw.

“Then
I was discussing stuff with my dad.”

He
snorts out a humorless laugh, “Yeah, and your phone still
didn’t work.”

I
pull my phone out of my pocket and throw it at him. I watch it sail
past his head and bounce off the wall.

“Now it doesn’t!”
I yell at him and walk into the bedroom.

Lying
on the bed, I try to calm down because my ribs ache and I can taste
blood from my lip where I split it again. Knox walks into the room
and sits beside me.

“You
broke your phone.” He puts it on the nightstand.

“I
don’t care,” I whisper covering my eyes with my arm. He
pulls it down and looks at me.

“Your
lip.” He nods.

“I
know,” I sigh. “I can taste the blood.” He leaves
me alone while I stew in my own misery.

A
while later I walk into the sitting room to find him watching TV.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

Sitting
down beside, him I watch as he avoids looking at me. When he speaks
his voice is thick with unshed tears. “I don’t like this
version of you and I am doing everything I know how to do to make it
better for you, but this” he waves his hand at me, looking at
my face and I can see the hurt in his eyes, “I don’t like
this mean version of you.”

My
eyes tear up again but he turns away. “I’m sorry,”
I say again.

“You
said that already.” We sit in silence for a while then I leave
to take my pain medication. Sitting in the kitchen, I just stare at
the wall in the dark. I know I need him but I also don’t want
to depend on him or anyone else. Closing my eyes against the wave of
pain and misery that floods me I can hear Knox turning off the TV.

“Why
are you sitting in the dark?”

“Because
it’s where I belong.”

Taking
my hands, he pulls me up into his arms. “No you belong here. If
you want to tell me what’s going on, I am here.”

My
arms wrap around his waist. “I’m afraid, Knox. I have
turned into a scared little girl and I don’t like it.”

I
can feel the silent chuckle from him. “No way darlin’. I
don’t believe it for a minute. You have more fight in your
little finger than most people I know.” I can’t help the
laugh that escapes me. “Darlin’, what am I going to do
with you?” Knox kisses my head then flips on the light, looking
down at me shaking his head. “Don’t do that to me again
please. You frightened the crap out of me.”

I
nod at him then rest my head against his solid chest. “I’m
sorry, I was being a moody bitch and my dad got the worst of it.”

He
laughs again. “Glad it wasn’t me.”

We
spend most of the night up, talking and figuring out what to do but I
think it’s something I have to do alone.

The
following morning, Max arrives early.

“Come on Knox, you
promised.” He throws Knox his helmet.

“Go
babe, I will be fine. I won’t even leave,” I joke making
him frown.

“Okay,
call me if you need anything, darlin’, and I will come back.”

Max
snorts. “No we won’t, so don’t call,” he
jokes, hugging me.

Knox
pulls him away from me. “Dude, get off my girl.” Sweeping
me into a hug, he kisses me. “I’ll be back soon. Love
you.”

I
have to push him out the door, which he stands on the other side of
until I lock it. “Bye babe,” I call out to him and hear
them run down the stairs. Walking into the bedroom, I watch them out
of the window climb on their Harley’s and take off.

I
clean the apartment the best I can with one hand and call my dad.

“Hello.”

“Dad,
you up for lunch?”

He
agrees to meet me in town in thirty minutes. I walk over to the pizza
parlor and wait for him.

“Hi
dad.”

He
smiles at me. “You look batter today.”

I
nod and laugh. “Yeah, Knox gave me a talking to somewhat
similar to yours.”

Reading
his menu, he laughs at me. “Now I knew I liked him for a
reason.”

I
snort a laugh at him. “Yeah, only after I threw my phone at
him.” I wave my phone with its cracked screen and chipped edge
and my dad rolls his eyes at me. After lunch we walk down to the
computer store, which sells phones too. I browse around while my dad
looks at the software.

The
employee who was helping us calls me back over. “All done.
Contacts and photos have been transferred.”

Smiling,
I take it from him and pay for my cover. Walking to my dad, I wave it
at him. “Thanks dad.”

He
looks at me from the side of his eyes. “Don’t break this
one because I will not buy you another.”

Holding
my three fingers up, I say, “Scouts honor” to which he
rolls his eyes. “Wow, dad teenage girl much?” I laugh as
we walk out of the store and down the street back to his car.

“Dad,
I’m sorry for acting out yesterday and I just wanted to tell
you that I love you, old man.” I hug him tight.

“I
know sweetheart, and I love you too.” I don’t want to go
home so I ask my dad to come for a drink he just laughs at me.
“Bailey, who are you and where is my good daughter?” he
jokes with me.

I
pull him over to George’s, finding Chase behind the bar. We
order a drink each, only mine is soda because of my medication.

“Where
is Knox?” dad asks looking around.

“He
and Max went for a ride.” He nods as he looks around the other
side of the bar, taking in the décor. We talk about me
starting work for him in July now that I have to do summer school in
June, but Max is still starting in June.

“You
both need to come in and get your ID’s and fingerprinted.”

I
nod feeling a little excited. “Dad, can I work with you too?”

He
smiles at me. “If you like I can teach you what I know.”
I agree to that because I am interested in what he does and what
takes him all the way to DC away from me all of the time. After a few
hours of talking and drinking soda he walks me home.

“Want
to come and see?”

“I
thought you’d never ask.”

Just
as we reach the door, we hear the roar of both motorcycles and watch
as Knox and Max pull in both covered in mud and laughing.

“Looks
like they had fun,” my dad says to me and I smile.

“Yeah.”

Knox
smiles when he sees me standing at the door. “Hey darlin’.
Hello Frank.” I shake my head at his clothes and he laughs.
“Yeah we had a bit of a race through the mountains.” He
smiles at me as I open the apartment door.

I
give my dad a tour while Knox showers for work. “Do you like it
here?” my dad asks and I nod.

“Yes
and no. Yes because it’s close to school and no because it’s
not the lake house.”

He
laughs. “Yeah, I know the feeling. I miss the lake when I am
not there.” Knox emerges from the bathroom in a towel and my
dad looks at his tattoos. “Okay, I am off home, sweetheart. Bye
Knox,” he calls. I watch him walk down the stairs before
returning to the bedroom.

“Hey
darlin’, I thought you were staying in all day?” he asks
smiling at me.

“I
did stay in all day; in pizza Mia and in the computer store and in
the bar.”

His
eyebrow rises as his hands find my waist. “Sounds like you were
a busy girl.”

Nodding,
I brush his hair off of his forehead. “I was but I am here
now.”

Pulling
me onto his knee he kisses my neck. “I miss kissing you,
darlin,” he says against my skin causing goose bumps from his
breath.

“Yeah,
me too.” He kisses up my neck and across my jaw before settling
on my lips placing soft kisses on them.

“Are you singing tonight?”

He
nods at me. “Yeah. Sorry darlin’, I can’t miss any
more hours.”

“Okay,
wait for me. I’m coming too.”

He
frowns at first then smiles at me. “Okay beautiful.” I
get ready while he eats dinner.

Makeup
is the worst. All I can manage is some bronzer and it still stings
when I accidentally get it in my eye. I wear jeans and my gypsy top.
Walking into the kitchen, I smile at Knox.

“Can
you do my hair?”

He
helps me put it into a ponytail and smiles at me. “You look
beautiful, darlin’.” Sitting down, I scribble on my cast.
Knox grabs a marker from the drawer and writes ‘Knox loves
Bailey’ on the top of it in a big love heart.

“You’re
such a sap.” I smile at him and he grins back at me.

“Yep,”
he says popping the P, then stands up stretching. I pull the towel
off of his waist. Crossing his arms, he just looks at me and I laugh.

“Just
helping you out,” I say standing draping the towel over his
shoulder.

“Well
if you wanna really help me out,” he growls into my neck as his
hands wrap my waist making me squeal.

We
leave the apartment and walk over to the bar finding Max and Paige
already there. Knox kisses me before walking to the stage.

“Hey
stranger.” I sit beside Paige.

“Hey
partner.” She smiles at me. “I think we need a mall day.”
I agree and order a soda. “No jack in there?” Paige
questions.

“No my pain meds are
strong.” She makes an ‘O’ with her mouth as Knox
starts to sing.

I
watch him move to the beat and the way the muscles constrict when he
strums the guitar. His hair falls onto his forehead and the veins in
his neck strain as he belts out a rock tune.

“Hey
do you want to dance with me?” Paige asks and I nod. We both
head to the dance floor.

“Just
don’t let anyone hit my ribs.” She nods and we dance just
off to the side of the stage.

My
body hurts every time I move but I keep going. I don’t want to
be crippled by these injuries; I want to have fun and get my life
back. Knox and Max swap guitars. I watch as Knox strums the electric
guitar and starts singing Green Day’s ‘Basket case’.
Looking over, I raise an eyebrow at him and he winks as a few girls
go crazy on the dance floor. Laughing, Paige and I dance anyway.
After a few more songs, they finish their first set. I wait for Knox
at the edge of the dance floor. As soon as he steps down, he is
grabbed by one of the girls who, proceeds to kiss him. He pushes her
away turning his head; His eyes are huge as I stand there watching
him.

“I
have a girlfriend,” he tells her, trying to get away but she
pulls him back, her lips seeking out his. I shake my head at him as
his frustration grows. He pulls her hands away from his neck. “Okay,
that’s enough,” he tells her, breaking free.

I
walk to bar laughing but school my face when he arrives. Max grabs
their drinks handing one to Knox.

“You’re
in trouble now, bro,” I hear him say. Knox chews his lip as he
waits for my reaction.

“So
Green Day, huh? That’s not on that set.”

He
runs a hand through his hair blowing out a breath. “Yeah, one
of the girls in my class asked me to sing it for her birthday.”
I nod as Max shakes his head.

“Keep
digging, Knox,” he mumbles before Knox scowls at him. I say no
more on the issue and watch him squirm as he stands beside me,
putting his hand in his pocket then on the back of my chair, back in
his pocket. As soon as they finish their drinks, Knox bangs his
bottle down on the bar.

“Let’s finish this,”
he tells Max, heading to the stage.

Max
laughs at me. “You’re mean sis, really, really mean.”
I just smile as he walks backwards away from me.

Paige
and I laugh as soon as he is gone.

“Oh Bailey he is so
pissed.”

I
nod. “I know, but don’t make me laugh. It hurts my face.”

I
lift up my glass and press the cold against my bruised cheek to cool
it down and ease the pain. We go back to dancing, this time right in
front of the stage in our usual place. Knox watches me as he sings
then dedicates Bruno Mars ‘Just the Way You Are’ to me,
making the crowd of crazy. Chicks turn and stare at me, and my
battered body. Paige grabs my cast and laughs when she sees what he
wrote. Rolling her eyes, Knox frowns at her reaction and continues to
sing.

Amber
stops beside me, hugging me. “I’m so glad you’re
okay.”

I
nod. “Thanks.” She rubs my face and I pull back. “Ouch.”
She apologizes and moves on.

“I
think Knox has competition,” Paige whispers, laughing at me.

Man,
this whole night is freaking weird. When the band stops I wait at the
stage for Knox for his protection only. After they lock away the
guitars, he steps down wrapping an arm around my shoulder. Walking to
the bar, he leans into me.

“I’m
sorry, darlin’. I didn’t know she would do that. Are you
still mad?” He sits on the stool, pulling me between his legs.

“I’m
not mad, babe.” I lean back against his chest while his hand
rests on my stomach, using his thumb he flicks at my belly ring.

Paige
and I agree to spend tomorrow at the mall while they clean their
motorcycles. I watch as Knox and Max clear out the bar.

“Man,
I’m tired,” Max, announces resting his head on Paige’s
shoulder.

“Me
too.” I yawn, sliding off my stool following Knox into the
back. “Babe?”

“In
here,” he calls from the storeroom. I stop at the door to wait
while he turns off the pumps.

“Hurry
babe, we are all tired.”

He
grabs my hand pulling me into his chest kissing my neck. “I’m
not tired.”

I
laugh at him. “I know what you are. Now let’s go home or
you will be dragging my unconscious body across campus.”

He
pulls back frowning. “Not funny.” We leave the bar and
walk home all quiet and yawning.

“Knox,”
I moan as we reach the car park. Turning he rolls his eyes and picks
me up. “Best boyfriend ever,” I mumble against his neck
and close my eyes.