Page 14 of Fright Night (Twisted Holidays #3)
THIRTEEN
KNOX
Very amused with myself, I force myself away from Oakley and towards the exit for a much-needed smoke. Fuck, stalking Trickster through the crowds of chaos and Halloween shit is annoying as hell because she’s entirely too far away at any given time for my liking.
It’s impossible to deny the admiration I have for her and her job, which makes me hate Dad even more.
There’s been a few instances of families praising the organization of the event and how fun the activities are.
Soon, I’m going to start recording these comments so I can have them blasted on the speakers connected to Dad’s office to make my point very fucking clear.
She’s done at this job. It’ll be the last fight I’ll ever have with Dad.
I’m two puffs into my smoke, staying well away from the event’s entrance and by the designated area that keeps the tobacco away from kids—another part of Oakley’s forward-thinking—when my phone vibrates, a text in my group chat popping up.
Blaze
Knox, you might wanna get back in here
Me
what’s she doing?
Blaze
not her exactly...
Me
wtf does that mean??
Cody
gimme a sec, I’m closer. I’ll see if I can overhear
Me
Overhear what?!
Annoyed at the lack of comprehensible messages, I throw the perfectly good smoke away and return inside, heading for the last place Oakley was. Unfortunately, she moves around so fucking much, it’s impossible to keep tabs on her.
So I stalk the park, looking much like the creepy monster statues Oakley decorated the place with and growling at anyone that blocks my path from getting to her.
Me
what the fuck is going on?
Cody
House of mirrors. Some dick is bothering her. Need us to step in?
Me
I’ll handle it
Pocketing the phone, I twist on my heel to head for the giant tent set up well behind the food vendors and close to the hay barrel maze.
I’m hit by two foam swords and a witch’s hat in my dash, hating I can’t really get mad at them because they’re kids having fun.
Oakley would actually kill me if I ruined her event by starting a fight with children.
Skirting past the mini-humans as quickly as I can and all but pushing the teenagers and college kids out of my way, my nerves are frayed when I eventually reach the House of Mirrors. Cody’s standing nearby, a mask identical to mine covering his face, and he gestures behind the tent.
The closer I get, the louder the shouts.
“Julian, I’m busy. Don’t know if you’ve looked around, but I have shit to do that isn’t dealing with your ass.”
Julian? Her fucking ex? Didn’t I pay my dues and deal with him being around during school? Blaze confirmed only days after my arrest that she broke up with him, so what the fuck is he doing around my girl, interrupting her event?
“You ignored me the other day.”
“Again, look around. I’ve been busy.”
And I’ve heard enough. Rounding the tent, I don’t check who’s watching, who’s around. My gaze focuses on my little fairy, my Trickster, being backed into the tent walls by the same asshole who groped her for years. Then, I was forced to watch because it’s what she wanted. Now’s another story.
Launching myself between them, I grab his collar and yank him away, knowing full well my court documents demand me to play nice and not be violent following the completion of my charges.
There will be no second chances, and if this is reported, I’m fucked.
But prison feels like the least of my worries if it means dealing with this dick.
Julian stumbles, catching himself before realizing who’s standing between him and Oakley.
“Knox,” she whispers, her tone edged with a sharp warning. “Leave it. It’s fine.”
“ Fine? He was fuckin’ harassing you, Oakley.” Whirling halfway, I get them both in view. “Do you want him here?”
There’s only one correct answer, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt, the belief of choice.
“No.”
The single word drives me forward, fisting his collar to bring him closer. There’s only one person allowed to freak out Oakley. One person to make her heart race before getting to sink into her heat.
And that’s fucking me .
“Listen, motherfucker. Go away before I find you a nice grave to spend the holiday buried inside.”
“Fuck off. Go back to prison or something. I have business with Oak.”
My grip tightens and Oak repeats my name in a warning tone. In my peripheral vision, I notice Blaze and Cody approaching.
When I don’t listen to her, she pulls on my arm. “Knox, stop. You can’t get in trouble again; it won’t end well for you. Let him go.”
Despite our shared joke earlier about returning to prison, it’s her concern that breaks through the haze of red and has my fingers loosening from his collar.
She cares enough to not want me to get in trouble with the law again.
Exactly like when we played our games and both disliked having one another as a stepsibling, but regardless, she was there for me when Dad got too rough.
“Get the fuck out of here and don’t even fuckin’ breathe near her again. You hear me?”
I shove him farther away, jerking my chin towards Blaze and Cody, asking them to ensure he fucks off.
This whole thing’s put a damper on an otherwise perfect plan.
Not that it won’t still happen, and we’re hours away from showtime, but now I need to make sure she’ll be okay for the rest of the evening.
While Julian escapes out the far side of the park, I whirl on her, stalking forward until she brings her phone between us, a pointless barrier.
“Why the fuck is he still hanging around? Is he still bothering you?”
Her nod ensures Julian and I are about to have a little chat.
“What does he want?”
“Doesn’t matter.” She goes to duck beneath my arm, but I’m faster, stopping her with a hand to her throat because I’m getting the sense, strangling her is the only way to gain a damn answer these days.
“Tell me what’s going on.”
Her tongue dips out to her bottom lip, and fuck, I get hard and crave chasing it with my own.
Soon. I didn’t kiss her last night, though desperately wanting to. But right now, her fear needs to be taken care of. It’s not a good kind of fear, since it wasn’t created by me.
“It’s nothing important.”
“It is if it’s making you skittish.” Keeping a light but firm grip on her neck, I arch her face up. “No one but me is allowed to frighten you.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She chops her hand into the bend in my arm, impressively breaking my hold. “Thanks for your help, but it was unnecessary. Go home, Knox.” She grips her phone tighter and starts walking around the tent. Her skin’s a bit paler than earlier, her eyes a bit more shadowed.
There’s a story and I will get it.
My phone vibrates.
Blaze
He’s gone. Plan still on?
Me
Yes.
Nothing shy of the world blowing up will change my plans for her.