Chapter 39

Lakeland

One month later…

Since arriving back here four weeks ago, Knox has been doing damage control. I had to give a statement to the police and make it known that my father lied and Knox never kidnapped me. The police are still hunting for Gio and Percy but they won't find them, they're still chained up in Knox's basement. He and Tay refuse to kill them, saying death is too easy and they need to suffer. I choose to not think about what happens down there and turn a blind eye to the times Knox saunters into our room covered in blood.

The one time I didn't mind being present for the brutality that this life displays was when Tristan, the dirty fucking traitor that sold us out to Gio and my father, was forced to walk the line of the families of the men and two maids who lost their lives while every other member of Knox's crew was present to dish out their beating. I watched them slice, hit, spit, throw things and scream at the scum. That motherfucker was responsible for my sister being beaten to death. I wanted to take part in it but Knox wouldn't allow it, saying that the guilt would eat me alive at night. Watching Tristan die filled me with a sense of justice knowing that my sister can finally rest easy now that she has been avenged. We got River's ashes back a week after we got here and I know I need to take her to where our mother is buried but I can't, not yet. I'm not ready to let go of my hero just yet.

Chaos Murdoch agreed to help us take down the app Percy created to sell women and children. When Taylan showed me the app and how it worked, I threw up at the sight of the young girls on there. Chaos shut it down so no one could bid or buy from there but he didn't close it because they want to track the IP addresses of the people who purchased off the app and free the women and children who have been sold. Not sure how else I could help them with the rescues, I pledged all the properties my father owned as safe houses for the men to take them to. Knox and the Murdoch's as well as the Memento Mori have agreed to allow each other to cross into each other"s territory at any time if it is for a rescue. Knox said the Russian leader has agreed to this as well but the Greek, Irish and English have not been let in on what we are all doing.

All the money Percy made from the app I have donated to Koby and Anya Murdoch's shelters they run for women. There is no way I could have kept that money or spent it knowing where it came from so it only seemed right that I give it back to the women. I wish I could do more but I don't know how! Knox has been so supportive of my wish to go to nursing school. I told him about it last week, saying I wanted to do something meaningful with my life and when I pitched him the idea he thought it was great. He said Chaos's cousin, Amelia, is a doctor and might be able to help me with some of the studies or just be there to answer any questions or concerns I may have.

I toy with the heart pendant around my neck as I stare down at Amelia's contact details in my phone. Knox gave me back the necklace I found at the bridge. He said he had gotten it for me before the accident but never got a chance to give it to me so he had it cleaned. Ever since he gave it to me I haven't taken it off because it's a reminder that no matter what he will always choose to love me.

I hit dial and wait with bated breath, feeling nervous. After the sixth ring, I lose hope and move to end the call but she answers.

"Hello?"

"H-hi." I'm met with silence, I clear my throat and push on. "My name is Lakeland Deveraux and Chaos gave me your number." I chew on my bottom lip nervously.

"Yeah?"

A woosh of air escapes me and I deflate. "I'm sorry, I'm totally blowing this. I'm calling because he said you might be able to help point me in the right direction of a good nursing school."

"You want to be a nurse?" I bristle at the disbelief in her voice.

"Yes," I snap. "Is that a problem?"

"Not at all. It's just a shock because anyone who knows my cousins usually don't really take too well with saving people." I can't help the snort that bursts out of me.

"Sorry. I understand that. When I told my boyfriend, he looked shocked but he supports me. The rest of the guys think I'm crazy." Amelia laughs.

"Get used to it. Given the fact you know my real name I"m gonna take a wild guess here and assume you know who my father is?"

"Yeah, I do."

"My father thought having a daughter as a doctor would benefit the family, if you catch my drift, but I didn't train for years to patch men up long enough for them to torture others. I became a doctor to save innocent people and restore some balance to the world since my family constantly tips the scale." I can't explain how much I resonate with her.

"I want to do this because my father drugged me after my accident." I spent the next forty minutes filling Amelia in on what happened to me and how my father drugged me. She was sympathetic and kind. She offered to send me through some information about nursing schools she knows of that are really great and offer online classes, but I would need to complete the practical parts of the assessments in a hospital.

I flop down on the bed and sigh, I never thought I would find my calling in life. I always thought I was destined to spend my life holed up in my father's house, alone and always wondering what was missing from my life.

"Kitten, why are you smiling?" I lull my head to the side and smile at my snack of a man. The black shirt he wears clings to him like a second skin, those jeans hug his thick thighs perfectly. "Keep making fuck me eyes and we won't make it to dinner with Roberto," he scolds me playfully. I groan and pout but the pout quickly disappears when he crawls up my body and nestles his way between my legs. He rests his elbows on either side of my head and stares down at me with nothing but love in his green eyes. Knox has been working hard to heal from the loss of his sister. He and I share a random memory of Wave each day, this helps us think that she is still with us and eases some of the pain her loss has left inside us. I know Knox has been hurting over Xander's betrayal, I can't begin to imagine how he feels.

"Are you still tracking Xander?" I ask. He releases a loud exhale and shakes his head.

"No, he slipped the men I sent after him. He's gone." I cup his cheek trying to comfort him.

"I know it hurts but I try to think that our baby is with your sister and she is looking after him or her until we get there." He smiles sadly and nods.

"One day I may be able to think about it like that but right now, I can't. Xander knew the truth about what happened that night. He let me hate you for something you didn't do." My face softens.

"I'm right here, baby. I'm not going anywhere." Knox constantly checks in on me daily and if I'm not in my usual spots he panics until he finds me. He's trying to get over his fear of losing me but I secretly hope he never does. I love that he needs me close always.

"Well, if you didn't agree to this stupid fucking dinner with Roberto then you wouldn't be leaving this bed but since you did, you need to get your ass up and change."

"I don't want to!" I whine.

An evil glint enters his eyes. "I'll let you sit on my face before I fuck you tonight." Heat pools low in my belly and my eyes become hooded. I feel myself growing wet at the thought of his wicked tongue plunging inside my pussy as I?—.

"Can I watch you fuck his face?" Knox leaps off me and I scramble to sit up at the sound of Taylan's voice.

"Don't you ever fucking knock?" Knox snarls. Taylan screws his face up and shakes his head.

"I would have knocked but your door was wide open and I was honestly enjoying the show." Knox takes a single step toward him but Tay takes off laughing. I can"t stop the giggle from coming out of me, earning a scowl from Knox.

"You fucking encourage him!"

"I do not! You were the one who let him sit in the corner and watch us fuck the other night." He opens his mouth and then clamps it shut, Knox knows I like being watched when he fucks me so we have allowed Taylan in a few times to watch and let me tell you, looking into the eyes of another man while you're being fucked by your boyfriend is so fucking sexy. Try it and thank me later.

"Fine. From now on he isn't allowed in until he fucking learns boundaries." I snort.

"Boundaries? I think you need to learn what those are as well since you let him eat my pussy as your cum dripped out of me." A smug look crosses his face.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. How about a raincheck on dinner and we get Tay back in here so he can eat your greedy little cunt while I fuck your ass to teach you a lesson?"

I swallow and lick my lips as I try to act unaffected by his offer. "Your dad is going to be upset." My voice is breathy to my own ears, my argument weak at best. When Knox yanks his shirt off and pops the button on his jeans, I clench my thighs together to try to alleviate the ache he has caused.

"Please, my mom thinks I don't know that after each of Roberto's visits, when he pretends to leave, that he parks his car around the side of the house and sneaks back in through the kitchen door so he can take the back stairwell to my mom's room, where they bump uglies." I gape up at him.

"Oh my God!" I squeak out. "Your mom and dad are fucking?" Knox recoils in disgust and shakes his head.

"Don't say that shit out loud again. He's fucking lucky I haven't shot him yet." I roll my lips over my teeth to keep from smiling. Clara gave Roberto a chance to explain everything when we got back and she forgave him. Knox is still warming up to the idea and agreed not to kill him for his mother's benefit but two weeks ago at dinner, Roberto made the mistake of sitting next to Knox and calling him Son. That ended with Roberto having a fork impaled into the top of his hand. I think they are bonding in their own way, kind of, well I'm hoping they will. Deciding not to push him, I open my legs. His eyes drink in the sight. I'm wearing a denim skirt sans panties with a knitted off the shoulder sweater. "Fuck, we're not going to dinner." I bite my bottom lip and lift my skirt, teasing him. He groans at the sight of my bare pussy. I feel my arousal coating the inside of my thighs.

"Fuck, I need you inside me," I moan.

His eyes narrow slightly. "Fuck, you're perfect, Lay."

Warmth explodes inside me at his words. "I choose you, Knox."

"I choose you always, baby."