I told her that there was no going back, that she was mine.
I should have worded it differently.
***
Two Weeks Later
“Wake up, boy. Damn, wake up.” Someone was shaking my body.
My eyes flew open, and my knife was in my hand, pressed to someone’s throat.
I blinked rapidly to clear my vision, just in time to see Knox above me.
I sighed, then lowered the knife.
He moved away from me and jerked his chin, “Put on some clothes and follow me.”
I did as he said.
We sat on one of the picnic tables as I watched him roll a blunt.
Then, he took his lighter and lit the tip.
“Need to talk it out. Won’t be better till you do,” Knox said, taking a pull from the blunt.
I sighed, “How do you know?”
He lifted a brow, “My woman.”
He didn’t say anything more.
And neither did I.
Not for a long time.
I stared up at the stars in the sky. My star... was dull.
“It was that morning. Only I was bleeding out at his feet while he violated her,” I said.
“What else?” he asked.
“I held her hand as she gave birth to my nephew, who was also my little brother,” I said.
“What else?” he asked.
I closed my eyes, “It wasn’t my sister. It was Creedence.”
“Get it,” he said.
And then, over the next few days, when nothing was getting better—only getting worse—and I just blew Creedence off for no fucking reason at all, I knew something needed to change.
***
Therefore, I talked to Garret and Cotton.
***
And then... I proceeded to be a big fucking dumbass.
