Chapter 16

" I need your car," Knox says as he walks into my bedroom.

"What, no!" I sit up taller.

"What? Do you think I won't come back?" he says.

I shake my head, but that's exactly what I think. If I were him, I'd leave and never look back. I nailed his nut sack to the floor, for fuck's sake, and now he can't go home. I'm stuck with him and Sam's ghost because of my rabid need for vengeance.

Knox swivels his head, looking around the room for something. His eyes land on the rabbit, and he scoops Petey into his arms. He walks over and plops the massive rabbit onto my lap. I stroke his fur and rub his cheek.

Knox cocks his head and studies us. "Weird. He usually bites everyone but me."

My hands move away from the rabbit's face. "You put a giant-ass rabbit on my lap who routinely fucking bites?"

"He seems to like you. Or maybe he knows you'll bite back," he says with a smirk. "Anyway, I won't go anywhere without him, so can I please borrow your car?"

He makes a really good point. He adores this rabbit, and as long as I hold on to him, he's guaranteed to return.

"Fine." I lean over, straining beneath the weight of this dog-sized rabbit, and grab my key off the nightstand.

Knox leaves, and I drop my hand to Petey's back. I've never seen such a rugged man with a rabbit as a pet. I could see a man like him eating one of these, not cuddling it. Killing it instead of killing for it.

For him and ?—

Well, me.

It's comforting to run my hand through his thick, soft coat. I've never wanted kids, nor did I want to bring one into the fucked-up little relationship I shared with Sam. Even so, I felt an urge to take care of something, so I brought a kitten home once. Sam told me I couldn't have a pet, and then he took the kitten and left with it. I never saw it again. Not wanting that fate to befall another animal, I didn't bring anything home after that.

I idly pet Petey, thinking about how lost I suddenly feel. The drive for revenge has fueled my entire adult life, though I'll likely never know who killed my father. Or have any way to avenge his death. It feels like my efforts have all been for nothing.

The worst part is that the only silver lining in this is that Sam is dead and I'm free from his control and abuse. My freedom is now in my hands, and I'm choosing to use it very unwisely by shacking up with someone from the infamous group that murdered my dad. Letting Knox live means letting my father's vengeance die.

I considered telling him to take my car and the rabbit and get the hell out of here. Part of me worries he'll kill me and dump my body somewhere after everything I did to him, but something about the way he gingerly placed this rabbit into my lap made me certain he was coming back. For both of us.

I lift Petey and look into his eyes. "I'd have to compete with you if I dated your dad, huh?"

His nose twitches.

Yeah, I would.

"You probably should bite me. I did terrible things to your father."

I'm not sure how much time passes as I sit with Petey, but the rumble of tires eventually grates over the gravel driveway. Considering I kidnapped a man who buried my dead boyfriend in the backyard, I can't be certain if it's the police or the man I kidnapped. I peek through the blinds and heave a sigh of relief when I see my red sedan parked in the driveway.

I can't see the front of the vehicle. After straining for a moment, I back away and sit on the couch. I think of Sam in this room, pulling me onto his lap and squeezing a bruise he left on my thigh. His shouts echo between my ears—a reminder of all the ways I was never good enough.

The sound of the front door silences the intrusive memories. I take a breath, trying to slow my racing heart. I don't want to look weak. I don't want to be weak anymore.

I stand up and walk toward him as he enters the doorway to the living room, but he pushes his palm toward me, telling me to stop. He's covered in sweat, his entire form taking up the doorway, and he's straining to hold something off to the side, just behind the wall where I can't see it.

"Knox, what is this?" I ask.

Before I can step closer, he pushes a man toward me. The man's arms are bound behind his back with tape, but when Knox spins him around, I gasp. He's wearing a gold mask.

A gold giraffe mask.

I'm frozen in place when I see it staring back at me, the subject of my vengeance finally in front of me. He's not an adjacent person like Knox. He's the epicenter of my childhood nightmares. The man who is single-handedly responsible for ruining my life and dictating every shitty thing I've done since that fateful night.

Including dating Sam and kidnapping Knox.

"You—" I stare at the man before turning my attention back to Knox. "How?"

"Don't worry about how," he says, pulling his jacket closer to his side. "You deserve your karma."

The man tries to make a run for the door, but Knox draws his arm back and punches him in the face. The man stumbles backward and lands on the floor.

Even with Knox dangling my revenge in front of me, I bypass the man and rush to Knox's side. During the scuffle, I noticed a flash of red beneath his jacket. I lift the material away and see that his entire left side is covered in blood.

"It's nothing," he says, pushing my hand away from him. "I've been through much worse."

"Knox—"

"Karma is a bitch, remember? Go."

"Wait, what?"

"He's for you to kill."

Despite my rabid need for vengeance, I can't think of anything more than stopping Knox's bleeding, but he seems like he won't let me help him until I've gotten what he thinks I need. I'll have to compromise.

I walk over to the stranger's body and grip his ankles, then start dragging him toward the spare bedroom, past the dried blood stain. I lock him up, just as I did with Knox.

Knowing he can't go anywhere, I head back to the living room and find Knox on the couch. I stare at him. He smirks as his eyes rise to meet mine.

"Can my dying wish be to see you crawl across this floor to me?" he asks.

"You aren't going to die," I say.

"Crawl to me, karma," he whispers.

"If I crawl to you, will you let me tend to your injuries?"

"I'll consider it."

This fucking guy.

He lifts his shirt, showing fresh blood. I roll my eyes before dropping to my knees. If I have to play his game to save his life, so be it. I crawl toward him.

Our eyes remain locked on each other's, and I've never felt such a fucking compulsion to be in front of someone as I do right now. It's as if he's lassoed me and is slowly dragging me toward him. My knees rub on the rough wood, but I can't feel it. I can't feel anything but a warm draw to him.

"That's a good girl," he growls, and I melt into a puddle at his feet. I haven't felt like a good girl to anyone in a long time.

"Let me stop the bleeding, Knox," I say, biting my lip.

He winces as he lifts his hips and unzips his slacks. He pulls his cock from the fabric. "Why do I feel like the only way I'll get you to suck my dick is if you think I'll die if you don't?"

"You think highly of yourself," I clip.

He lifts his shirt again and puts his hand over the gash in his side. Blood spreads around his fingers. "I don't value myself too much if I'd die to have your mouth on me."

God, that hit me right between my legs. Sam wouldn't even run to the store for me when I was sick, and yet this man is lying here willing to bleed to death just to get a little of my attention.

And I think that warrants putting my lips around him.

I position myself between his legs. My gaze travels up his length before I lean forward and ease him into my mouth. I don't bite him this time. I just swirl my tongue around his head. He wraps his blood-coated hand in my hair, smearing crimson into the strands. He pushes me down on his cock and makes me choke on it.

The metal balls clack against my top teeth, and I try to widen my jaw to slip past them. He fucks himself, using his hand to control the depth and the speed. He uses me. And I allow it. And he doesn't seem to give a fuck if my teeth are raking his skin.

"Fuck," he groans, pulsing his hips against my face.

I release his dick and pull off my shirt. It's not for his pleasure, though I'm sure he likes the view of my bare tits in front of him. I put his dick in my mouth again, and he fucks my face. While he chokes me with his cock, I ball up my shirt and press it to his wound. I can't watch him bleed out any longer. I lean pressure into my hand as I suck him off until his thighs tremble around me and his hips stutter against my mouth.

I want to gain some control—I don't like feeling this out of it—so I take some back.

"Let me," I tell him, leaning up on my knees.

I put his cock between my breasts and wrap my free arm around my chest to pull them together. His cock glistens with my drool, disappearing and reappearing between the soft mounds of flesh.

"Karma," he whispers as he drops his head back.

"Come on my chest," I groan, feeling an uncomfortable ache between my legs at the sight between us. I fuck him until silky white beads shoot from him and coat my skin. When I release my breasts and sit up, the beads spread and drip down the curves of my nipples.

"You look fucking sexy with your tits covered in my come." Knox releases a satisfied exhale as his cock springs back against his bare abdomen. He strips off his shirt and uses it to wipe me clean. He leans forward and captures my mouth with his. "Good fucking girl."

I inwardly preen under his praise, but I'm careful to keep a look of indifference on my face. My body may react to him, but I have to be smart here. He's still one of them, and I still don't know if I can trust him.