If Knox wants to avenge me, I’d never tell him no.
I’m too slow to turn back before a sickening crack rattles the basement.
When I finally manage to spin around, Jett’s already gone. His head hangs at a grotesque angle. His feet dangle, shoulders slumped.
Knox doesn’t linger, doesn’t mourn his brother.
His long strides eat up the distance between us as he comes for me.
He kneels in front of me, big palms cradling my face.
“Knox,” I whisper.
“I’m so sorry.” His eyes flare, growing wilder and more possessive with each passing second. “He touched you. He fucking touched you, and I was over there. Sleeping.”
“You’re here now.” I’m not nearly as brave as I thought. The comfort he gives me breaks the dam inside of me. My face crumples, chest tightening. “Don’t worry about what he did. It’s over. I’m fine.”
I’m not. But I won’t let Knox take the blame, won’t let him carry guilt for Jett’s crimes.
“Don’t lie to me. Don’t coddle me. He hurt you, and it’s my fault.” A brush of his lips to my forehead. My nose. Thenhis mouth claims mine in a long, searing kiss that melts every neuron I have. “His breaking in here shouldn’t have been a surprise. Our family has taught us how to be stealthy from the moment we were born. Gotta outsmart the living-hides. I’m so sorry. Fuck, I’msosorry.”
Knox threads his fingers through my hair, tugging on it. Forcing me to offer my neck for him to lick, suck, and bite.
“Really, it wasn’t your fault.” My panting fills the air between us along with Knox’s low, possessive grunts. “You were asleep. I couldn’t make a sound. It’s no one’s fault but Jett’s.”
“Yes, it is my goddamn fault.” He lifts his head, hazel eyes boring into my soul. “I should’ve barricaded the basement.”
“He had no reason to come down here,” I demand, scowling at him. “Stop blaming yourself. I won’t let you.”
“I was such an idiot for oiling the door hinges. I wasn’t thinking,” Knox groans, forehead pressing to mine as he unties my wrists from behind my back. “I was acting like prey. And worse, I turned you into one. You were assaulted because I. Failed. You.”
The rope is gone. He brings my hands forward, cradling my palms between his much larger ones.
Violence hums beneath his skin, a storm close to breaking. And yet he stays tender. The contradiction steals my breath.
“Please.” I choke on his affection as he feathers kisses over my reddened wrists. “It’s really okay. You came for me.”
“Don’t, Trouble. I know better. I was raised better. When one of the family fucks up, the others are in danger. Ma and Papa can’t fail at skinning, that’s how we make our living. Jett had to keep the website running and the hospitality act alive, or the money dries up. And if Reese or Grandpa don’t reel in the ones who manage to slip away like you did, we’re all at risk of being caught.” His jaw twitches, shoulders tight as he stares at me. “And you, you were my responsibility. The only one. And Ialmost lost you. I let someone hurt you, the most valuable thing out here. More than money, more than freedom. You.”
Knox kisses my knuckles one by one. Slowly. Reverently. Taking away my pain. Then I’m being swept into the air by the most powerful, most devoted man I’ve ever met.
A man with thundering eyes. With a body that was built to protect me. To love me. To worship me.
A man who’s drowning in guilt.
For no reason whatsoever.
They’re the ones who should be ashamed.
All of them.
Grooming their children into being murderers. Forcing them to stay in this shithole where there’s only death.
Once again, I realize what an idiot I’ve been. Taking my life for granted instead of appreciating it.
As we climb the stairs, I ache for him more than ever. I reach up, fingertips grazing the sharp line of his jaw. “Knox…”
“Don’t.” We’re out of the basement, and Knox flicks on a light in the hall. From there, he takes me into the bathroom with its blue tiles and oversized tub. “I fucked up. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Starting now.”
