Page 2

Chapter Two

Peyton - January 2025

I stopped my mother’s rundown Honda Civic outside the doors of the airport. My brother’s plane should have landed about ten minutes ago, I thought as I glanced around, looking for him. I tapped the dash, trying to get the time to come back on the display, but it did little good.

“Stupid crap car,” I said to myself as the time flashed for a moment, then the radio cut out.

I glanced up just as Knox walked out of the double doors, a small bag thrown over his shoulder. Moving the car up, I rolled down the passenger-side window and waved.

We’d just seen Knox at Christmas, and while I hadn’t wanted to go all the way to Vancouver after what had happened the last time we were there, Mom made me. I’d cleaned up my act a lot since then, hadn’t shoplifted since, and thanks to Knox calling me after I’d returned and talking some sense into me, I’d returned to school. It had helped that he’d called and spoken with the administration as well—and had probably been forced to make some outlandish donations to the school for them to allow me back in. I’d been a trouble child, and I knew it.

“It’s about time you got here,” he said as he climbed into the front seat after throwing his bags in the back seat.

“Me! Hey, buddy, I’m the one on time. You are late.” I giggled as I put the car in drive and pulled away from the curb.

“So, things going well?” he asked as he reached behind him for the seat belt.

“Yeah,” I said, carefully merging onto the highway.

“School?”

“In class every day, on time, doing all assignments like I promised. I even got a passing mark on my last test.”

“That’s great. And what about Tor? You still seeing him?”

I knew he was going to ask me about Tor. I’d promised him I’d end things with him when I left the first time, but I hadn’t. Again, he asked me, and I’d promised once again I’d end it after Christmas. I still hadn’t ended things with him. I didn’t see the need. He wasn’t that much of a bad influence in my life, and I’d already made a lot of changes, so instead I’d kept it quiet and given Tor one last chance. I’d taken the things that were bugging me about our relationship and made him make a promise to me not to do them anymore, which he had in some roundabout way.

I knew Knox was going to be disappointed in my decision and, as I looked over at my brother, I told him what he wanted to hear.

“He’s gone,” I said, swallowing hard.

I glanced over at my brother to see him nod in my direction.

“Good. I’m glad. He was a bad influence.” He was quiet for a few minutes and then looked over at me. “Peyton, I’ll admit I’m confused about why I’m here. The email Mom sent said I was coming here because she needed some help with you, but now that I know things are fine, or so they seem, I’d like to know why I’m here. You and Mom both know that Lorelai and I are in the middle of planning our wedding, and she likes to have the help from me when I’m home.”

I tapped the steering wheel. Yes, I’d emailed Knox using my mother’s email. I’d written as if I were her, telling him she needed help with me because I was in some sort of trouble, asking that he come as soon as he could. I knew Knox would do anything for Mom and that he’d be on the first flight to Vermont. I should have just been honest instead, because instead of me, it was Mom I was concerned about, and since I knew he’d do anything for her, there really had been no point in making anything up.

“Okay, don’t be angry.” I sighed.

I didn’t even need to look; I knew Knox was looking at me and that he had a questioning look on his face.

“I emailed you from Mom’s account under the guise of her, but for a valid reason.”

“Dammit, Peyton. Lorelai and I were supposed to be picking out invitations this weekend and possibly going to look at a few venues.”

“I know, it was wrong, but if you’d just let me explain,” I said, swallowing hard, suddenly feeling bad that I’d gotten him here under false pretenses. Well, not false; there was a problem. For the first time in a long time, it just didn’t pertain to me. I didn’t want Knox pissed off at me. I wanted him to give me a chance to explain.

“Okay, explain, because right now I’m wondering if you aren’t just up to one of your old tricks. That maybe everything you’ve just told me is all just bullshit.”

“I swear, I’m not up to anything. Everything is going well for me, I promise you that.” I sighed.

“Then what is it?”

“I’m worried about Mom,” I said, getting right to the point.

I glanced over at Knox to see a concerned look on his face. “Why? What is going on?” he questioned.

Mom had gone on one date with William just before we’d gone to visit Knox a few months ago. It wasn’t really anything to even mention when we’d been out there. When we returned, they’d started dating and going out a little more often. I’d often hear them arguing after a date and was almost certain that one night he threatened her.

While we’d been in Vancouver at Christmas, I’d wanted to tell Knox about him, and that I’d sensed there might be some type of abuse going on, but Mom had assured me I was worrying over nothing.

When we’d returned from that trip, things had gotten bad. I feared for my mother’s safety, but she continuously made me promise I wouldn’t mention anything. I wasn’t even sure if Knox knew she was seeing anyone, but lately it seemed things had spun out of control between her and William.

“It’s William,” I answered.

“Who the fuck is William?” Knox questioned.

Just what I’d thought. He did not know Mom was even seeing anyone, which meant she could be in trouble, because I knew Mom told Knox pretty much everything.

“Mom, didn’t want you to know when we were there at Christmas, in case things didn’t work out, but William is the man Mom is seeing.”

“Uh-huh.” Knox grunted as I pulled the car into the driveway of the rental unit Mom and I lived in.

I immediately recognized William’s car in the driveway, which meant he was here and chances of things becoming heated were inevitable.

“It looks like you’re about to meet him, too. Let me warn you, you’re in for a real treat,” I said, opening the car door and climbing out.

The moment we climbed out of the car, I could hear him yelling, and I flinched when I heard him call her the name I probably hated more than anything.

“What the fuck?” Knox gritted.

One thing about my brother, he had a temper if provoked. He also had a temper with how others treated any of his family members. He was also a big man, and I knew he could truly hurt someone if he wanted to, and there was no way I’d ever be able to hold him back.

“William is our landlord and a hotshot lawyer out here, and he has some serious mental health issues. He’s a narcissist, a gas lighter, and emotionally abusive,” I muttered, which I knew was the exact type of man Knox’s father had been, along with mine, which was why I was so afraid for her.

It was then we heard William yell, followed by glass shattering. Knox looked at me, and before I could get a word out, he was already up the stairs and at the door, leaving me standing there with my heart in my throat. He ripped the door open and went inside, raising his voice while I trailed behind him.

William stood in the living room, a look of shock on his face as Knox stood over him, looking down at him.

“Put the fucking vase down now,” Knox said in a calm and controlled voice, which surprised me.

Mom looked up at me and then over to where Knox stood, her face contorted in a shocked and surprised but thankful look.

“Who the fuck are you?” William shouted at Knox.

“Your worst fucking nightmare, especially if you don’t put the vase down and leave right now.” He clenched and unclenched his fists, which I knew meant that if William didn’t heed the warning, Knox would no doubt hit him.

“Who’s going to make me? You?”

He didn’t recognize him. Anyone who watched hockey knew Knox wasn’t someone to mess with. Before he’d started dating Lorelai, Knox had been in a pile of fights and that had only been because of the adrenaline rush during a game, or so he said. I’d seen the damage he’d caused during those games, and I had no clue what he would be capable of with someone who’d hurt or endangered his family.

“Yeah, me. Now, get out.”

Mom stood there, tears in her eyes, as William and Knox faced off with one another.

“Knox, please, it’s okay,” Mom cried, placing her hand on his forearm, trying to pull his attention from William.

“Mom, I don’t want to hear it. This jackass is going to leave, and he’s going to leave now.”

William ignored Knox’s warnings and grabbed Mom’s forearm roughly, making her wince and scream in pain as he looked her in the eye.

“Reese, tell your friend here to back the fuck off,” he growled.

“That’s it!” Knox muttered.

I didn’t know how things sped up so quickly, but the next thing I knew, Knox had a hold of William. His arm was snaked around his neck as he punched him in the stomach. William released a grunt as Knox dragged him toward the door. The moment he let him go, William fell to the floor, clutching his stomach, breathing rapidly.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, coughing so hard I feared he might be sick.

“You shouldn’t have put your hands on my mother. Now get the fuck out!” Knox shouted.

“Hope you got an excellent lawyer there, kid, ‘cause I’m going to sue your fucking ass,” William said, struggling to get up off the floor.

“Go ahead, my lawyers eat parasites like you for fucking breakfast,” Knox said, getting into his face again.

Knox stood there, staring down at William until he finally backed out the door and took off, climbing into his car. Knox didn’t say a word. Instead, he kept his eyes trained on the driveway for a few minutes, making sure William didn’t return.

I went over and wrapped my arms around Mom, pulling her in for a hug, making sure she was okay. Once I was certain she was fine, Mom cried. I’d heard her cry almost every night for the past two months, and I couldn’t take it anymore. Even though she’d told me repeatedly not to worry about the situation, but each time things escalated. I’d done the only thing I could think of and that was to get my brother involved before William did more than just emotionally hurt her, and it looked like I’d gotten him here just in time.

Knox shut the front door, locking it, and turned toward us both. He was angry. I could see it all over his face. I should have told him what was going on way before now, instead of surprising him the way I had. I’d been wrong to do that.

“Knox, really, it’s not as bad as it appeared,” Mom cried, rubbing her forearm.

“Not as bad as it appeared? Mom, what the hell. When this was Peyton, you tore her away from the guy!” Knox shouted.

“Well, that was different. This is not the same thing.”

“Mom, please tell me you aren’t actually defending him?” I questioned, anger growing inside of me.

Knox crossed his arms and began pacing back and forth as we both waited for Mom to answer my question. When she didn’t immediately answer me, I looked over at Knox.

“That’s it. Pack your stuff,” he demanded.

I frowned as I looked over at my half-brother. “What for?” I questioned.

“We’re going to Vancouver. I don’t want to hear any more. I’m calling the airport, and we are getting on the next flight that leaves tonight.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “We will file a police report here when we get out there, followed by a call to my lawyer.”

“Vancouver? Knox, you are being unreasonable, and there is no reason to file a police report,” Mom said, looking over at me.

“No Mom, unreasonable is getting a panicked email from you, rushing here thinking Peyton is in trouble and that you are at your wit’s end, only to find out that it isn’t Peyton in trouble at all. Instead, I find out it’s you and that you are involved with yet another crappy guy. Jesus. Didn’t you learn from Dad and Peyton’s father?”

“Knox, please, let’s just sit down. Give me a chance to explain things,” Mom pleaded as she looked over at me, a look of disappointment on her face that I’d gone against her wishes.

“There isn’t time. I’ve got to be back in Vancouver for a game tomorrow. Now, go get packed, both of you, while I book our seats and then maybe call my lawyer now, instead of waiting. No doubt I’m gonna need one,” he said, running his hand through his hair.

The one thing about my brother that I loved and hated all at the same time was how damn protective he was of his friends and family. I remembered Clay, telling me that very thing that night back in October when I’d run into him in that dingy little bar I’d taken off to the night they had caught me stealing. The night we shared that first kiss. I’d always had a crush on Clay, but I also knew how my brother would react. Hell, he’d made me promise him I’d never get involved with any player on the team, so of course, I could only imagine how he’d have been knowing he’d kissed me.

“I’ll help you pack, Mom, and I’ll take care of things here while you’re gone.”

Knox turned and looked in my direction. “No way, you’re coming too. If you think I’m leaving you here to deal with that asshole, you’re wrong.”

“Knox, there is no reason for me to go with you, too.”

“No? Are you able to protect yourself from that guy when he comes back in a full-on rage?” Knox questioned.

I was just about to answer him when Mom put her hand on my arm.

“Honey, maybe it will do us both good to get away. Get me away from William, and you could use a break from Tor. Lord knows he’s been giving you a lot of trouble lately.”

Heat flooded my body. I didn’t even need to look; I knew Knox was staring at me, but I lifted my eyes anyway. Sure enough, he stared back at me, his eyes filled with disappointment at my lie. He shook his head.

“Knox—”

“I have nothing to say to you right now,” he grunted.

“Peyton?” Mom questioned. I could see the questions in her eyes.

“Fine, I’ll come with you, but only for the weekend, Mom.”

“Uh-huh,” Knox grunted as he turned his attention back to his phone. “I swear if I ever lay eyes on this Tor guy, I’ll do to him what I should have done to William tonight,” Knox muttered.

“Peyton, honey, plan to stay a little longer than only the weekend, please,” Mom said as I led her up the staircase.

I cleared my throat as I made eye contact with Knox. “Mom, you know I have to go to work on Wednesday,” I said loud enough for Knox to hear as I followed Mom up the stairs to our rooms to pack, leaving Knox downstairs to book our flight.

We’d been in Vancouver less than twenty-four hours and already I wished I’d stayed home. I wandered into the living room and flopped down on the couch, pulling out my phone and checking to see if I had any messages. I let out a sigh when I saw no one had tried to contact me.

Mom had gone with Lorelai to the grocery store. They’d asked me if I wanted to join them, but I declined, hoping I’d have the house to myself. Instead, five minutes after they left, Knox came home from practice and went straight to the kitchen where he made himself lunch.

“Why did you lie to me?” he questioned, coming into the living room with a jug of water and a plate of food. He sat across from me, flipping the TV on, going directly to the sports channel.

“Huh?” I questioned, looking up from the message I was sending off to Tor.

“About Tor? Why did you lie to me?” he questioned.

I’d avoided Knox ever since we arrived here. It hadn’t been hard. He had to get right to bed because he had practice early this morning, and I figured he’d be gone for most of the day, but he’d come home to unwind before tonight’s game.

“I wouldn’t say I lied.”

“What would you call it then? You told me you ended things with him. You also told me you went back to school, or is that a lie as well?”

“No, school isn’t a lie,” I said, getting my back up. “I really don’t understand why it’s any of your business anyway.”

“It’s my business because it’s my money that is paying your tuition. It was also my money that paid to get your ass back into school after you messed up the last time. So, I’m sorry if I have a vested interest in your schooling and who you are dating, and if you’re being treated properly and not messing up your life by getting involved with the wrong people.”

“God, you sound like Mom.”

“Perhaps you’ll listen to me better than you listen to her.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to the message I was sending.

“Peyton, how about you pay attention to something other than that bloody phone?”

“What?” I said through clenched teeth, placing the phone down on the arm of the chair.

“How did you feel when you saw how William was treating Mom?” Knox asked, taking a bite of a chicken wrap Lorelai had made him for lunch.

“I didn’t like it.” I shrugged.

“Were you scared?”

“Yes, I was scared.”

Knox nodded, as if he already knew the answer I was going to give him.

“Does Tor treat you that way?”

I swallowed hard. Tor was worse than William in some ways, but I’d never let on about those times. He was degrading and a thief and someone I was completely afraid of, which I knew was the reason I’d given him another chance. I did not know how he’d react if I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore.

I barely nodded, but it was a nod, and I knew Knox had seen it.

“Peyton, there are better guys out there. It’s better for you to be involved with those who support you and lift you up, instead of surrounding yourself with those that bring you down.”

“I wouldn’t say he brings me down.”

“I would. Is he in school?”

I shook my head. Tor had dropped out of high school after he failed the eleventh grade.

“Does he have a job?”

Again, I shook my head, growing a little more irritated. The last job Tor had he’d been fired from after he told off a customer.

“Does he support you in going to school?”

Tor and I had many fights over me being in school. He wasn’t a fan of education and didn’t think it was necessary. He always said I could be just like him, since he’d done fine without it. Tor also made it known to me he hated the fact that I worked, even though, thanks to my job, it meant that he had money for his drugs, since he normally took most if not all of what I made.

“Well?”

“Knox, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Of course not, because you know I’m right, and you’d never want to admit that. I guess until you tire of being treated worse than the gum on the bottom of my shoe, this is a complete waste of my time and breath.”

“You know I’m right,” I mimicked, growing even more annoyed at his holier-than-thou attitude.

“Peyton, I’m going to tell you something, and I’m only going to say it once. After this, if you don’t get it, you’re on your own. Allowing others to dim your light and not let you shine like the star you are only brings you down to their level. Learn it and start surrounding yourself with those who bring you higher.”

“Oh what, like you do?”

“Yes, exactly like I do.”

“When are you going to get it, Knox? I’m not you.”

“Of course you aren’t me, but you’re not a piece of garbage either, Peyton. You are a smart girl capable of having an amazing career in whatever area you decide. You’re also an attractive girl, and if only you’d believe in yourself, it might change some things for you.”

“Knox, Tor doesn’t bring me down.” I sighed.

“Yes, Peyton, he does. Mom thinks he’s the reason you ended up being removed from school. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that he was the reason that you were shoplifting, too.”

“No, he’s not the reason I was shoplifting,” I lied, knowing full well he was the reason. At the time, he’d taken every drop of my last six paychecks, aside from what I’d owed to Mom for two of the bills, to pay his pusher for the drugs he’d gotten, leaving me with no choice but to shoplift the things I needed. Mom had been struggling financially after being out of work for a little over two years, so I did what I had to do.

“Believe what you want, but I’m telling you now. I know the truth, Peyton.”

“No, you think you know,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Well, William and Tor are the reasons I’m debating moving you and Mom here to Vancouver.”

“What?” I questioned, almost horrified at the thought of moving away from Tor and my friends.

“Yep, Lorelai and I have already talked it over, and tonight I plan on bringing it up to Mom.”

I watched as Knox shoved the rest of his chicken wrap into his mouth and then sat back in his chair. The more I stared at him, the angrier I got.

“You know, for someone who has a lot to say about people bringing others down, why are you allowing Mother and I to bring you down?” I bit back.

Knox let out a breath and rested his head against the back of the chair.

“Peyton, you aren’t people, you’re my family. Mom’s going through a rough patch, no doubt because of all the shit you’ve put her through. You’re on a collision course and are about to crash.”

My mouth dropped open at what he’d just said. Had he really blamed my mother’s problems and toxic relationship on me?

“Stand there looking like that all you want, Peyton. I speak to Mom pretty much every week. I hear what is going on, and I can see how it’s affecting her, and I live across the country. I know the shit you’ve been up to better than you do.”

“If you know everything, then you should have known I was lying to you about Tor,” I said, a smug smile on my face.

“Trust me, I knew. I’d hoped I’d been wrong. All I try to do for you is to make sure you have the things I didn’t while growing up. I want to make the path you choose easier to navigate than it was for me.”

“You are such an ass.”

“Really?” Knox said, standing up and crossing his arms.

“Yes, really. You, brother… are an ass,” I said, walking up to him and poking him in the chest with my forefinger. “God, Tor was right about you.”

Knox stared at me. There was no way I was going to win this stare down. The intensity in his eyes was insane, and soon I could feel his tension throughout my entire body.

“Peyton, all I want is to be able to trust you, and for you to know that no matter what, you can always come to me when you’re ever in trouble.”

I tried to maintain eye contact, but when I heard a key in the door, I swallowed hard and tore my eyes away. Lorelai and Mom walked into the living room, their conversation coming to a complete halt as they saw the two of us standing only a few inches apart.

“Is everything alright?” Mom asked, finally breaking the silence.

“Fine,” we both uttered.

“Doesn’t look that way,” Mom added, coming over to me. She went to place her hand on my shoulder, but I moved out of the way.

“I’m going out,” I said, grabbing my phone from the arm of the chair I’d been sitting in before making my way over to the door.

“What do you mean? Lorelai and I got everything to make pizza, just like you asked,” she said.

“Great, enjoy,” I muttered, slipping my shoes on, not caring about anything.

“Where are you going?” Mom questioned.

I looked over at my brother, who was staring at me, his eyes even more intense now than before.

“Out to find someone else that will bring me down to their level.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Mom cried as she looked at me and then over at Knox. I could see the worry in her eyes and was glad she’d turned away from me.

“See you all later,” I muttered and pulled the door shut behind me, closing off this moment in time for at least a little while.