On the Edge (5 page)

The smirk on Jim’s face disappears, and as his eyes widen, his color fades. That’s when I realize that Drew and Pete are standing behind Cole and me. Jim is scared, and he should be. These guys already fucked him up once.

“Say something, you little whore,” my mother yells.

Drew pushes through and stands in front of our mother “What the fuck, bitch. Why are you so hateful to your own daughter?”

“Who are you to talk to your mother that way, boy?” Mom’s voice wobbles, showing me that she is not as confident as she was in the beginning.

“You haven’t been my mother for years. Just the cunt who gave birth to me,” my brother says in a quiet, deadly voice.

I can’t handle all the tension and start inching back towards the door. I hit a hard surface and know that I’ve backed into Pete. He reaches out and steadies me when my knees tremble, then nudges me towards Cole, who pulls me into the protective shelter of his arms. The tension in his body radiates through me even though his hold isn’t tight. Like a rubber band stretched too far, he could snap at any moment.

“Your sister is nothing but a little slut who tries to seduce all my boyfriends. Don’t let her fool you.” Spit flies as she screams at Drew. Cole’s grip on me tightens. Then my mother turns and sneers at Cole. “Take all this in, boy. She’s a slut and will do nothing but bring hell to your life.”

Cole kisses my head, runs a gentle hand over my hair, and then hands me over to Pete. After pushing Drew out of the way, he corners my mother up against the refrigerator. “Do you fucking know who I am, you stupid bitch?” he bites out with controlled anger.

My mom cowers under Cole’s imposing gaze and commanding voice.

“My name is Cole Knight.”

Recognition dawns on her face and fear returns full force.

“If I ever hear you talk about Kat that way again, someone will cut your tongue out to guarantee you never say another bad word about her.”

Well, damn! I think, in a strange way, Cole just scared me and made my panties wet at the same time. His threat to cut out my mother’s tongue shouldn’t turn me on, but strangely, it does.

Yep, I’m definitely fucked in the head
.
What a surprise! Look at what I’ve lived with my whole life
.

My mom has figured out real quick that she isn’t winning this time.

“Do you understand me?” Cole asks in that cool, controlled, but authoritative voice.

When she nods her head, he says, “I want words, cunt.”

“Y-y-yes,” she stammers out.

Then he turns to Jim.

“You were told to be gone. You don’t listen very well, do you? Pete, you know what to do!”

Pete’s malicious grin is all the answer Cole needs. He turns, and grabbing my arm, rushes me from the room. Sounds of fists meeting flesh reach my ears as Pete and Drew begin their second assault on Jim this week.

Cole stops at the base of the stairs. “Kitten, go get anything you need. You’re not staying here another night.”

“Cole! Where am I going to go? I can’t stay with you anymore!”

“Why can’t you stay with me?” Anger laces his voice and his fingers squeeze mine.

“Because, how will we make it six months if we share a bed every night?”

“Fine, go pack your shit,” he orders. “I need to make a call.”

I’m sort of torn between loving and hating bossy Cole. I want to remind him I’m not one of his guys, but I don’t push it. I head upstairs and pack a bag as he suggested.

When I come back down, my mom sits on the kitchen floor, cradling her loser boyfriend in her arms, tears streaming down her face. I feel nothing but disgust for her.

“Just remember, we’ll be back with a crew tomorrow to move her. I suggest you not be here when we show up,” Cole says in a cold voice that sends a shiver down my spine.

“What do you mean a crew to move me? I told you I wasn’t staying with y’all,” I yell at Cole.

Drew gives me a ‘shut up’ look.

“I know, Kat. That’s why you’re going to stay with my dad. Julie is so excited to have another girl moving in besides that bitch my dad calls his wife.” Anger laces Cole’s voice.

I wonder what I’m going to be dealing with, and part of me can’t help but be curious about staying with Julie. It’ll be the best of both worlds. I won’t have to live at home any more, but I won’t be living with the daily temptation of Cole in my bed.

When we leave my mom’s house, we head in the opposite direction because Cole is taking me to his dad’s house. A part of me is relieved because, at this point, I don’t trust myself alone with Cole anymore.

My first glimpse of the Knight home completely blows my mind. Giant granite columns line an oversized porch that wraps around the sides. The sun sparkles off what seems to be hundreds of windows, and a colorful rainbow of flowers spill out onto the manicured lawn. Everything around me screams money. I don’t belong here, and this idea looks worse by the second.

The moment the car stops, Juliana runs out the cavernous front door. Sensing my tension, she wraps me in a huge hug. “Bitch, this is going to be so much fun.”

I smile at her enthusiasm even though a part of me is scared to death of what is happening. This is going to make it harder in the end for me to leave. I should have kept my distance and not let them pull me in, but I’ve missed Drew and wanted to be near him. How was I to know that I would meet Cole and fall hard and fast for him? I was a goner the second our eyes met. None of this is part of my long-range plan, and when I finally leave him behind for my new life in California, it’s going to hurt like hell.

I turn back to see Cole smirking as his sister leads me into the house. I’m not sure moving into the Knight mansion is the right thing for me to do. Even if crime is the norm in this family, their loyalty never ceases to amaze me. Thankfully, while Juliana’s eagerness to have me there is not common, for me it’s not altogether foreign. She drags me into what appears to be a large family room off the foyer. It has a homey feel to it. Dark beige couches in the center of the room hold an assortment of hunter green throw pillows. The curtains match the color of the pillows to a T. A huge TV dominates the front of the room.

Justin ignores us while he plays a video game, and the small boy sitting beside him studies the TV and clicks the buttons on his game controller. The serious expression on his face makes me smile. I know right away that the little boy is Seth, the half-brother that the older Knight siblings adore. I have heard so much about Seth this past week from Julie, Justin, and even badass Cole.

When he looks away from the TV, Seth’s eyes light up and he yells out, “Cole!” His little legs carry him across the floor, and he slams full force into his big brother.

A smiling Cole lifts him high in the air, and his laughter joins Seth’s giggles.

“Hey, buddy!” Cole says.

“She’s hot! Who is she?” Seth asks. Eyes almost identical to Cole’s peer at me. I struggle to keep from laughing at the little imp.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Cole whispers loudly to Seth. Seth nods his head, barely missing Cole’s chin. “This is my girlfriend, Kat.”

“Aw, man! I wanted her to be my girlfriend,” Seth whines in the cutest voice. My heart melts, and at that moment, I fall in love with that little boy.

“Sorry, buddy. You will find your own pretty girl one day,” Cole says. “Kat is Drew’s little sister”

“Drew’s your big brother?” He turns to me, awe in his voice. Cole’s told me that Seth thinks my brother hung the moon. I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.

“He sure is,” I say with way more enthusiasm than I feel.

He wiggles his little body until Cole puts him down and runs straight to me and latches onto my hand. Tugging my hand so I’ll follow, he leads me over to the love seat.

“You want me to sit down?” I ask.

He nods yes, and when I sit, this sweet little boy crawls into my lap and wraps his arms around me.

“Drew is so cool. He is like a superhero,” Seth says in a reverent four-year-old voice.

“A superhero? Really? I had no idea tell me more.” I fight to stifle my chuckles.

Seth spends the next 15 minutes telling me how great my brother is. How I keep from laughing outright at some of the stuff coming from his mouth, I will never know. He is way too cute. I can’t believe that Drew has this little boy worshipping him, when Seth has three older siblings to admire. I enjoy the time with Seth because he manages to distract me from the nervousness I’ve been feeling.

Then it happens. A screeching voice interrupts our quiet.

“Why is that tramp holding my son?” A young, bleach blonde walks into the room. I glance at Cole, and his face has gone hard as a rock. Justin rolls his eyes while Juliana looks pissed, and Seth tenses in my lap. Me? I’m not sure how to react.

“Don’t call Cole’s girlfriend common names, Trish,” a deep voice commands.

The owner of the voice walks in, and I’m struck by the fact that I’m looking at Cole in about 20 years. Holy shit! Who knew an older guy could be hot, but Bruce Knight is H.O.T. With his rich, black hair that has that sexy graying at the temples and those eyes much like Cole’s, his muscular build is evident through his button-up shirt. Trish gives him a look of disdain, and I feel uncomfortable and think that, maybe, this isn’t a brilliant idea.

“I don’t care what title Cole gives his whores these days. She doesn’t need to put her hands on my son,” Trish screams.

Cole balls his fists up. I whisper to Seth to climb in his brother’s lap. Something tells me that holding Seth will keep Cole from doing something stupid.

“Um, I don’t know who the fuck you think you are,” I hop off the loveseat and walk towards her, “but I had to put up with my own mother calling me a whore. I’m
not
leaving an old bitch to trade for a new one. You can take your attitude and shove it up your ass. I’m not, and never will be anyone’s whore, unlike some people in this room.”

I’m so in her face by this time, I can see the nervous twitch in her cheek. Behind me, Justin snickers, but I don’t dare take my eyes off the bitch in front of me. However, I can still see Bruce from the corner of my eye and he is smirking. Damn if he doesn’t like the fact that I just told off his wife.

Drew and Pete choose that moment to come into the room.

Drew stops and looks at my pissed off face and rigid stance in front of Trish. “Is there a problem?” he asks.

“No, but I think this is a terrible idea. I won’t stay with another abusive bitch.”

“Where you going to stay then?” he asks, amusement lacing his voice.

“Fuck, a homeless shelter, or even the streets would be better than with this bitch,” I snap.

My brother seems to find my words amusing and chuckles at my outburst.

“Fuck that. If you don’t stay with my dad, you stay with me,” Cole says.

When his heat washes over my back, my body loses the tense tightness from the confrontation with Trish. His closeness calms me even as the air between us crackles with electricity. Being near him has such a powerful effect on me.

“I’m not staying with you!” I bite out, frustration in every word. “It’s the worst thing for me to do at this point in my life.”

“Yes, I know how you feel about it. Makeup your mind, my dad’s or with me. You have no other options.”

A part of me wants to argue with him. It’s my nature, but I don’t. Instead, I find myself giving in to him.

“Fine, but keep this bitch away from me.” I nod towards Trish. Laughter comes from the guys in the room. Even Bruce has a slight smile on his face. “Does anyone like the bitch?” I ask bluntly. When I get a bunch of no’s from the guys, I look over at Bruce.

“I tell the boys all the time to learn from my mistake. Be safe or get stuck with what you don’t want.” He shrugs his shoulders.

“Damn!” I hiss. “Even your own husband can’t stand you.”

“You little bitch! You won’t stay in my house!”

“Actually, it’s my house!” Bruce says in a tone that would scare the dead. “The only reason
you’re
still here is because my son needs his mother. Otherwise, you would be gone.”

Wow!
His ruthless words make me wonder about the dynamics of their relationship, but one thing that is obvious? Theirs is not a love match. Right now, the only thing that worries me is where I will be living for the next few months while I finish high school.

“Katarina.”

My attention shifts to Bruce when he calls me by my full name. Not many call me Katarina.

“I would be honored if you would stay in my home until you graduate high school. My wife forgets she’s not the one in control. Cole has made it clear to me how much you mean to him, so you will always be welcome in this home.”

I’m not sure how to reply to that. A perfect stranger is treating me better than my own mother ever did. A lump forms in my throat as tears flood my eyes. Cole wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his embrace.

“It’s okay, Kitten. My family’s here for you.” He holds me close as my tears soak through his shirt.

“Bitch!” Drew yells at Trish.

“Trish, go to your room and do whatever it is that you do. We need to talk privately, now.” Bruce turns his back to Trish, who obeys his order.