CHAPTER 067: I’ll Carry You Over
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SLOANE~~
The little space we’re crammed into suddenly feels a million times tighter
It’s not just the size–though the narrow walkway barely fits four people who bling bows to the mate
a that makes me feel imprisoned. It’s the way Jade stands too still. The way Serens is vexating with fury The way Kewurk I said a word since Jade and Serena arrived.
I don’t even know how we ended up here, all of us.
Were they following me? Did my mom actually send Serena and Jade to guard mal bedrmeting AP ebote grown woman.
And Jade? Don’t even get me started on that part. Jade, of all people–my mom’s behard tho dobles at vide da for her endless “you need a good man” lectures–is working for Knox. I don’t even have the mental bonded to that fully. Whatever he’s doing for Knox, it’s definitely not artsy The only art that marts involved in tay ches painting a wall with someone’s blood.
If my heart wasn’t already trying to claw its way out of my chest, I’d actually find this hilarious
Serena breaks the silence.
“Please tell me that the thoughts rolling through my head right now are not true; she says. Tell me you did many m mother with a fucking lie.”
Jade doesn’t flinch. “You need to calm down.”
“Calm down?” she hisses. “She’s hypertensive. What do you think this kind of information will do to her?
“Which is exactly why I didn’t tell her. I love her. She doesn’t need to know my dirty details
I glance at Serena. She’s furious. And sure, she has every right to be–but it’s so weird that it creeps me out. Her hands are clenched tight at her sides. I’ve never seen her like this. Not even when she found out I was dating a guy the whole family thinks is a criminal. Here she is, veins standing proud on her forehead, eyes blazing like she just caught Jade hiding bodies in the garage. I guess that’s what happens when you’re close to your mom–like, really close. When you’re used to beng part of her everyday life, you take her peace personally. You explode when someone lies to het Loudly Emotionally
Honestly, for a second, I forget this whole mess was supposed to be about me.
“Rena,” I say, moving closer. I reach out and take her hand. Her fingers are stiff in mine. “Maybe we should revist this when everyone’s a little calmer.”
“You mean lie to her?” she says, rounding on me. “You mean hide the truth from Mom?”
“That’s not what I-”
“She has a right to know her husband works for a bad man. A dangerous man. God knows what Jade’s doing for Knox. He could be an assassin. My mom is sharing a house with a killer.”
She’s trembling now. Words falling out of her mouth like they’re coated in gasoline. I glance at Knox, who’s watching all this with mild amusement. He’s really enjoying watching himself getting called a bad man.
Jade’s expression is what truly unnerves me.
He looks… angry.
Which is wild, considering he’s the one being accused of keeping secrets.
“Okay,” I say to Serena, “how about I take you home? We’ll talk through it, just the two of us.”
“No.” She jerks her hand out of mine and glares at Jade. “I’m going to Mom right now. I’m telling her everything.”
She turns to storm off–but Jade’s voice stops her.
“I can’t allow you to do that, Serena.”
She whirls back. “What are you going to do? Kill me? Cut out my tongue? Threaten to hurt Sloane? My mom? My boyfriend?”
He sighs. “You’ve watched too many action more Tel
Or Sloane? She’s screwing my boss and keepir
My spine stiffens, but I stay silent.
Successfully unlocked!
eaten to harm your mother, the love of my life? s her… an ally.”
“And your boyfriend?” Jade goes on, eyes glinting. “Why would I bother with him? You don’t even love him.”
Serena freezes. Her face goes pale. Knox straightens, clearly intrigued now. Even I blink at Jade, taken aback by the
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CHAPTER 067: I’ll Carry You Over
sharpness of his tone, the venom in it, and his words.
“What are you talking about?” Serena asks, her voice suddenly small.
Jade steps forward. Just once. But the move sends Serena stumbling, and she grips my wrist like I’m an anchor.
“You want a villain?” Jade says, voice low. “Let me show you what one sounds like.”
He takes another step.
“If you go to your mother with what you’ve heard today, I’ll tell her exactly why you’ve been showing up here so often. Pretending to be a loving daughter. Hanging around. Getting close.”
“Go to hell,” Serena snaps, her voice cracking.
“I dare you,” he whispers. “Go to her. And she’ll find out her favorite daughter has a crush on her husband.”
The silence that follows that sentence is a vacuum.
I glance at Serena, who has gone deathly still.
“Okay…” I say, stepping between them. “That’s one hell of a reach, Jade. I get that you’re mad. But don’t start making shit up. What is wrong with you?”
That glare falls on me. “You think I’m lying? Ask her why she hasn’t denied it.”
I look back at Serena.
She won’t look at me.
And now I’m getting chills.
“She’s silent because you’re scaring her,” I say, swallowing thickly. “Hell, I’m scared too.”
A foreign voice comes from behind me.
“Babe?”
We all turn.
It’s Nathan, Serena’s boyfriend, in a white button–down and navy chinos, ginger curls mussed like he’s been running his hands through them. His freckles are very visible, displaying the worry on his face.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he says. “You brought me here and just left me. What are you all doing here anyway? Smoking weed?”
Serena blinks fast, wiping at her face before turning to him.
The worry on his face deepens. He steps toward her, voice soft. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”
Serena doesn’t meet his gaze. Her voice is quiet, strained. “No. I’m fine, Nat. I just… please take me home.”
He throws us all a look that says he knows something went down–but he’s not sure if he should get into it. Fortunately, he doesn’t ask. He just wraps his arm around Serena and leads her away.
The moment they’re out of sight, I round on Jade.
“That was unnecessarily mean.”
He shrugs. “Welcome to my world, Sloane. People who stand in my way get taken down.”
“You just made yourself sound exactly like the guy she doesn’t want around my mom.”
“I don’t care. She needed to hear it.”
“You could have been more subtle, at least let me talk to her. She listens to me.”
“I’m done with subtlety. She won’t open her mouth now. And that goes for you too. If your mother finds out, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
For the first time since the drama started, Knox speaks. His voice is low. Dangerous.
“You must have a death wish, Jade. Threatening my girlfriend in front of me.”
Jade startles as though remembering there’s someone else listening. Then slowly, he turns around. “Let your girlfriend know she should keep her mouth shut.”
“Don’t threaten her through me either.”
Jade sighs. “Fine.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he says, “I’ll go tell the other guys to back off. Before someone gets hurt talking to their boss’s girlfriend.”
He disappears through the corner.
And finally–it’s just me and Knox.
He steps closer, eyeing the empty space where Jade stood.
CHAPTER 067: I’ll Carry You Over
sharpness of his tone, the venom in it, and his words.
“What are you talking about?” Serena asks, her voice suddenly small.
Jade steps forward. Just once. But the move sends Serena stumbling, and she grips my wrist like I’m an anchor.
“You want a villain?” Jade says, voice low. “Let me show you what one sounds like.”
He takes another step.
“If you go to your mother with what you’ve heard today, I’ll tell her exactly why you’ve been showing up here so often. Pretending to be a loving daughter. Hanging around. Getting close.”
“Go to hell,” Serena snaps, her voice cracking.
“I dare you,” he whispers. “Go to her. And she’ll find out her favorite daughter has a crush on her husband.”
The silence that follows that sentence is a vacuum.
I glance at Serena, who has gone deathly still.
“Okay…” I say, stepping between them. “That’s one hell of a reach, Jade. I get that you’re mad. But don’t start making shit up. What is wrong with you?”
That glare falls on me. “You think I’m lying? Ask her why she hasn’t denied it.”
I look back at Serena.
She won’t look at me.
And now I’m getting chills.
“She’s silent because you’re scaring her,” I say, swallowing thickly. “Hell, I’m scared too.”
A foreign voice comes from behind me.
“Babe?”
We all turn.
F
It’s Nathan, Serena’s boyfriend, in a white button–down and navy chinos, ginger curls mussed like he’s been running his hands through them. His freckles are very visible, displaying the worry on his face.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he says. “You brought me here and just left me. What are you all doing here anyway? Smoking weed?”
Serena blinks fast, wiping at her face before turning to him.
The worry on his face deepens. He steps toward her, voice soft. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”
Serena doesn’t meet his gaze. Her voice is quiet, strained. “No. I’m fine, Nat. I just… please take me home.”
throws us all a look that says he knows something went down–but he’s not sure if he should get into it. Fortunately, he doesn’t ask. He just wraps his arm around Serena and leads her away.
moment they’re out of sight, I round on Jade.
“That was unnecessarily mean.”
He shrugs. “Welcome to my world, Sloane. People who stand in my way get taken down.”
“You just made yourself sound exactly like the guy she doesn’t want around my mom.”
“I don’t care. She needed to hear it.”
“You could have been more subtle, at least let me talk to her. She listens to me.”
“I’m done with subtlety. She won’t open her mouth now. And that goes for you too. If your mother finds out, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
For the first time since the drama started, Knox speaks. His voice is low. Dangerous.
“You must have a death wish, Jade. Threatening my girlfriend in front of me.”
Jade startles as though remembering there’s someone else listening. Then slowly, he turns around. “Let your girlfriend know she should keep her mouth shut.”
“Don’t threaten her through me either.”
Jade sighs. “Fine.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he says, “I’ll go tell the other guys to back off. Before someone gets hurt talking to their boss’s girlfriend.”
He disappears through the corner.
And finally–it’s just me and Knox.
He steps closer, eyeing the empty space where Jade stood.
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CHAPTER 067. # Carry You Over
“This is why I don’t watch TV dramas, he mutters. “Too much dialogue.”
“You were smiling through half of it.”
“It was kind of funny. You should’ve seen your face at the big reveal. Ohhh, my sister daydreams about screwing our stepfather. What a scandal.”
I punch his chest. “Don’t joke about it, Knox.”
He lifts his hands in mock surrender. “Noted.”
Then he backs up a few steps.
I frown, wondering where he’s headed.
He walks toward the picket fence. Then, with zero hesitation, he plants his hand on the top and vaults over in one clean
move.
“Really?” I call after him. “You light a fire, and now you run?”
“Not exactly,” he says, extending a hand toward me from the other side. “I want to run with you. Come on. I’ll carry you over.”
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