I just hoped I didn’t regret it.
Chapter Eleven
Greer
“I didn’t fuck Haley by the way.” Knight lounged in his seat, his hand roving the Escalade steering wheel. His eyes glanced over. “You know, in case you were wondering?”
Since I wasn’t, I adjusted in my seat, clamped the hell up with my book bag in my arms. I hadn’t even put it on the floor, my stuff and purse still on my lap.
“You can relax.” For emphasis, he took my stuff, shoving it in the back, and it took all I had not to punch him right in his face. He was so aggressive, all that completely unnecessary.
I shoved my arms over my chest. “Where are we going?” We’d been driving for over an hour of his two-hour drive, silence between us besides the hip hop he had playing in the car. This was instrumental, unlike the last he’d played, smooth and easy listening beats.
“Maywood Heights,” he said, and when I shot back in my chair, he rolled his eyes. “The place I’m taking you to is there.”
“What place?”
He shot me a look. “Just relax. We’re going to be there soon enough, and then you’ll see.”
Then I’d see, the place and town he’d run my mom and me out of the first time. His grandpa had been furious about that whole dog thing, thought, even at nine years old, I could create problems for Knight and his family if I told someone. The whole thing had been ridiculous. I’d been more scared if anything, more scared of Knight. The last thing I’d been thinking about was running my mouth and ruining whatever reputation his grandpa wanted to upkeep about his crazy grandson. That was the Reeds, though, maintaining the status quo nothing if not important.
I could see that now, probably the reason Knight wanted me to keep my mouth shut about that night with Bryce in the first place. He didn’t want me making noise about whatever happened that night, tarnishing who he was.
I simmered inside next to him, trying not to look at him as he navigated the road and especially in the moments when our gazes actually clashed and mine wanted to hold on, look deep into those brown-black eyes and see his secrets. They were secrets that definitely didn’t serve me, but I couldn’t help but want to know more. There was so much mystery about him, so much darkness and sin. I wanted to know where it came from, how someone at the age of eleven could have even been capable of doing what he had. He was seriously screwed up and a lot of that translated now.
I mean, he’d taken me captive again.
I swallowed staring at the road when eventually, we did pull up to that Maywood Heights’ welcome sign. A seemingly happy town, the small city was nothing but modern age with a rural fare. There was something small and quaint about the Midwestern city, but it was expansive enough to show quite a few people lived their lives there. Since it was Saturday, the roads were busier than normal with shoppers and traffic, but Knight easily worked his way through. His Escalade was an eyesore amongst the hatchbacks and minivans, but there were quite a few luxury cars definitely peppered in there too, the elite amongst the common folks.
That’s how I felt in this car with Knight, his arm out the window as he drove. Eventually, we cut away from the main part of town and to some of the back roads, and that’s when Knight told me to prepare for where we were coming up to.
Maywood Heights Communities, the sign said, and Knight pulled up to a gated entry. After speaking with the guard, they let him in, and Knight took the path down to a large brick building that looked like a hospital, people being assisted as they crossed the roads in wheelchairs. I didn’t understand why he brought me here, nor why we were here.
Knight’s Escalade took up a parking spot and a half and shutting off the truck, he reached for my things, returning them to me.
“Can I be let in on what’s going on now?” I asked, getting my bag on my arm. I’d shoved my purse inside, getting out when he did.
Knight came around, his hands in his pockets. “We’re here to help you with your psych stuff.”
“And here would be?”
“A nursing home,” he said, his voice serious as he backed up. “And try to keep up?”
A… nursing home? Well, that made sense now with all the people in wheelchairs and stuff. There were also people in scrubs helping to mill them around, and I picked up my feet, not keeping up easily with Knight and his long strides. He took one for like my three, and I nearly fell into him when he stopped at the door.
He secured me with firm hands, righting me. “You good?”
“Erm, yeah.” I backed away, backed off him. He dropped a hand to his side, and with a lift of the eyes, he was pulling open the door. I shoved my way quickly past, then let him take the lead as we walked up to a sign-in desk with a woman in scrubs behind it.
“Knight Reed. Is that you?” the woman behind the desk asked, a large grin on her face.
Knight had a bit of a smile as we walked up to the desk, his hands returned to his pockets. “Yeah, Janet. It’s been awhile. How are things?”
“Good, honey. Good. And yeah, it has been a while. Good to see you, though.” The nurse’s gaze moved around his mass to me. They lit up. “You bring a friend today?”
I didn’t know about all that, but Knight did nod before he was handed the sign-in sheet. He signed
