Mr. Knightly is standing outside my door when I open it again. I would be worried if i didn’t know all the rooms were sound proof, but it doesn’t stop the way my stomach drops and falls out of my ass. I’d say he might look a little worried about me. Might. He gives me a nod, and I make my way down, unable to get anything out.
Knightly is waiting for me at what’s been our spot since this whole thing started. When I’m close enough, Knight stands and turns around to face me. His nostrils flare when
he sees me.
“Hey,” I say stupidly.
I flinch when he comes at me, and he pauses before pulling me into his arms.
“Why didn’t you call me?” he demands. “I could have been here sooner.”
“It was a little thing. The kids didn’t see anything, and your dad took care of it.”
“Where the fuck were you?” he growls. I look back to see Mr. Knightly standing at the
bottom of the stairs.
“Knight, this wasn’t his fault.”
“You promised me,” he growls.
“Knight, it wasn’t his fault,” I shout. He looks back at me, his eyes blazing red. “I am
exhausted. Between the shit with the school, trying to find a headquarters for City of Phoebes, and fucking werewolf training. It was so stupid. All I had to do was put their shoes on, but they were so excited about their video. Your dad was literally gone for ten minutes. Fifteen at the most.”
“Why did you leave?”
“I put in an order, and the delivery guy said he wasn’t allowed to drive here.” Oh, my god, that was terrible. We were on a fucking roll with the twins, but I forget that Knight is an adult, Midnight. And that he’s seen me lie before. I shake my wet hair out, and I turn around to sit on the steps. “He killed all of my guards. What are we going to tell their families? He came here to take them from me. He knew,”
“Baby, what are you talking about?” he forgets all about his father and comes around to kneel in front of me. I glance back at his dad to see him give me a look. One that seems to imply he’s impressed.
“The guards,” I turn back to Knight. “He sniped all of them. Arnold had to hunt them or whatever he did,”
“Who is he?” he asks gently. I wipe away my fake ass crocodile tears as his dad comes closer. We make a good team, all things considered.
“He said his name was Garret Rizen. I know him. I did. My dad sometimes took me on hunting trips up north when I was little. Near the sequoias. There’s this old truck stop
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near the entrance that makes the best barbeque ever. They also have a gift shop and homemade snacks.”
“Phoebe, focus,” he smiles.
“Sometimes we would run into his old marine buddies, and he was one of them. That man would give him money. Like crates full. Two, sometimes three. He told me that he sent the cat to kill me and my mom. He said he wasn’t my real dad.”
“That’s it? What did he want?” Mr. Knightly asks.
“Oh, yeah. He said something about wanting to be alpha and taking the twins. He said he knew they existed and was waiting for them to shift before he took them. Oh, and that the King sent him. Something about the royal guard just following orders.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Knight steps back. “Garret Rizen is a royal guard, second–class alpha. That’s above alpha.”
“But the position isn’t hereditary. He has three pups.” How did Mr. Knightly know that?
“What?” I blurt out.
“Dad,” Knight snaps at him.
“Why the fuck would he do that?” I stand. “Why the fuck would he come in like that?”
“Arrogance?” Mr. Knightly supplies. “Suicide by Knightly? That’s an actual thing.”
“Yeah, it’s Royal enforcement code KT–187. They usually just send in a team to get a statement and a clean–up crew.” Knight adds.
“How have you all not been arrested?” I scoff.
“No one has ever been able to make a cage that can hold us,” Mr. Knightly smiles.
“Unbelievable. This fucking family,” I cover my face instantly regretting how hard I smacked my face.
“Careful,” Knight pulls my hands away.
“I know you heard,” I say. Knight looks back at his father. “I never hung up,”
“You design luxury dresses. Do you ever stop to think about the kind of people wearing them?”
“Of course not.‘
“Then don’t start now. I’m a lot of things, but I would never sell my son the way he said I would. That’s not something I wish to pass on to my children. It’s rather unpleasant.” I look back at him to see him look away. “I’ll leave you two to finish whatever this is. I broke our agreement. I’ll leave in the morning if you don’t mind.”
“No,” I stand up to look between the two of them.
“Phoebe, there’s a contract,” Knight says.
“No, what? Knight, he save my life. He has been so helpful.”
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“Phoebe-”
“No,” I growl at him. He flinches, taking a step back.
“Phoebe,” he says sternly.
“Fuck. You’re on your own there, kid,” Mr. Knightly says and bails.
“Phoebe, he left you unguarded with the twins in the house,” Knight says tightly. “I didn‘
t want him to be here anyway. We’re going back to Perry’s. The four of us. It’s better this way.”
“Knight, I don’t want to go to Perry’s. Lycans are scary.”
“It’s just for a little while, Angel. I can’t be coming back and forth like this. I’ll lose ground in the council.”
“Okay, you’re right. But this isn’t a reason to get rid of your dad. I’ve learned so much from him these past couple of weeks. I don’t know what he does when he’s not training me or playing with the twins, but he’s awesome to have around. He’s teaching the kids about cool werewolf stuff, so they’re not scared next year. I don’t know that stuff, and you’re going to be busy for a while.”
“Angel, he’s not doing this out of the kindness of his heart.”
“Oh, my god. Listen to yourself. Neither are we, okay? Expecting someone to love you the way you want to be loved is insane. I know because I badly wanted people who weren’t my family to love me the way they did my siblings.
“She was supposed to kill me and she fucking knew who and what I was and she never killed me or told anyone. My dad was always working and I’m a fucking little piece of shit. Do you know who picked me up when I got suspended from school? That psycho murdering cat. She would fuck me up after, but she was there knowing that if anyone discovered who I was her entire family would be in jeopardy,”
“Phoebe,”
“Let me finish,” I growl. “My uncle had my mother killed and just tried to take our kids. Your father has been here from the moment he found out who I was. He’s been the only person ecstatic to be here. I am going to sleep two hundred times better knowing that you both are here with us tonight. I would give anything to have had a father who gave a single fuck about me/ Knight.
“I am so happy that the thing that made me the ‘fucking asshole that I am now gave enough fucks not to kill me and put her entire family in danger like this. That’s how pathetic I am.” I wipe my eyes and motion the house. “Your dad wants you to be a fucking king so you don’t live a life like his. That’s what love looks like from an emotionally stunted man who doesn’t know anything other than violence. So, please, don’t make him go away for something so stupid.”
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