Chapter 37

WILLOW

I seethe disappointment and annoyance in Knox’s eyes.

I get it.

It wasn’t just him playfully and seductively kissing my breasts…

The feeling of that?

Oh. Wow.

His hungry mouth. His curious tongue.

Believe me, it felt really good.

It also doesn’t help things that because of his kissing ability I am soaked down there. I’m talking to the point where my panties are literally twisted up and riding against me.

“I don’t get the problem,” Knox says, referring to the text from Ward.

“You don’t get the problem? Are you serious right now? Knox…”

“Your brother asked you a question. What are you going to do? Ignore him? Lie to him? Just show up with a baby in a year?”

“This isn’t a joke to me.”

“Who said I was joking?” Knox asks. He runs a hand through his sweaty hair. “How the hell did this thing turn so quickly against me?”

“What thing?” I ask.

“You know what I mean, baby.”

“No. I don’t.”

Knox closes in on me. He stares down at me. “I want you, Willow. I want to taste your body.”

I feel like I’m going to pass out.

“I didn’t mean to be mean, Knox,” I whisper.

“I know.”

The door behind Knox blasts open.

“Hand check!”

Great, just what we need.

The hockey team busting in, thinking they’re going to find something sexy happening.

Which, to be fair, if this was a minute ago…

They’d find Knox suckling on my breasts.

“Get the fuck out of here!” Knox bellows. “Are you all that fucking stupid?”

“Just curious,” Mac calls out. “Wanted to see what was happening.”

I can feel the tension pouring from Knox. I can definitely sense he’s looking for a fight to blow off some steam. I’ve got him turned on. I’ve teased him. He needs some sense of release.

Men… it’s either ejaculation or violence… nothing in between…

“It’s my brother,” I call out.

I figure why not tell the truth and turn this thing into something else…

“Ward?” Mila asks. “Is he okay?”

“He asked me if I was pregnant,” I say. “Might not be the biggest shock to you all, but it is to me. It just hit me hard…”

“More pregnancy talk,” Villi says. “Boring. I’m going to grab a shower and drive up to Vera’s.”

“Tell my sister I said hello,” Violet says.

“Once I’m done having my way with her,” Villi says with a wink. “Or maybe in the middle of going down on her… I’ll bring up your name… spice things up…”

“You’re disgusting,” Violet says.

“No offense, Willow, but who cares about your brother?” Ruby asks.

“Who cares what you have to say?” Knox asks Ruby.

That instantly makes Gabriel puff out his chest.

Fuck.

Gabriel and Knox are now eyeing each other down, ready to fight.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Jax says. “Look, we struck out on this one. Take the loss and move on. We thought we’d find something naughty happening. We didn’t.”

Of all people, Jax is the levelheaded one who clears out the office.

Knox starts to walk and I grab his hand. “Not you. We’re not done here.”

He looks at me and curls his lip.

“Sorry,” I say. “That sounded flirty. I’m worried about this, Knox.”

He faces me and touches my face, stroking my cheeks.

“Listen to me, baby,” he whispers. “I’m not stupid enough to tell a woman to calm down. But… I’m not sure this should be surprising. Your brother went here. I know he’s getting clean right now. Did you really think someone wasn’t going to text him?”

My heart sinks.

No, Knox. No. That thought never went through my head. I’ve been too worried about myself. You know… the baby inside my womb? Remember that? The baby you put there!

“You never thought it,” Knox says. “That’s okay. There’s a lot happening around us right now, Willow.”

“It just shocked me. I’m still shocked. I think I’m scared, Knox. Really scared.”

“What is there to be scared about?”

“Everything off this campus. I just got settled here, Knox. After what your ex did.”

“Wait a second, baby. Don’t you ever think for a second of lumping me into your basket of issues right now. I won’t allow it.”

I gasp. Heat floods my cheeks.

I feel like I can’t be a bitch to Knox even if I try.

He just stands up to me. He calls me out.

He does things that warrant a slap to the face or a knee to the balls.

I should walk away from him and never talk to him again.

Yet… he’s right…

He could be the one storming away from me but he’s not.

“I have to talk to my brother,” I say. “I have to text him back. I know he’s just sitting there, smiling, hoping I’m the mess up now instead of him.”

“You’re not a mess up. This isn’t a mess up.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“No, listen to me, Willow. Is this bad timing? Yes. Is this frustrating and hard right now? Yes. But a mess up? No. It’s not a mess up.”

“You’re missing the point…”

“I don’t think I am, baby. You’re scared. You’re defensive. You want to live in a bubble and not face any hardship. I respect that. But I want you to know that through all this stuff, you’re not alone.”

I swallow hard and nod.

My emotions are a mess as it is.

My hormones are like little evil creatures fucking with me.

I’m about ready to burst into tears.

I’m scared. Knox is being sweet.

And, yes, for the record, I’m still turned on from what had been happening…

“Look, Willow, I think we both have to face reality here,” Knox says. “You need to talk to your brother. And then you need to talk to your family.”

“I don’t have any family, Knox. Just my father.”

“Well…?”

My mouth goes dry.

“I’m in the same boat,” Knox says. “I have to talk to my father too.”

“It goes the same way with me, Knox. You’re not alone.”

“So this is where we’re at? We’re going to be there for one another?”

“I guess so,” I say.

Part of me wants to ask Knox what that makes us.

Are we a couple? Or are we just two people having a baby?

I bite my bottom lip for a second and chase the questions away.

I guess we’re done talking too.

Knox kisses me - effectively shutting me up without making me mad.