I honestly didn’t know, starting this all just to keep her quiet. Putting knees on either side of her body, I hovered over her. “You’re going to listen to me. Listen to what I have to say. What you saw tonight could cause problems for you.”
“What kind of problems?”
Too much fucking talk. My hand squeezed her throat, another incentive, and it worked. She stiffened immediately, her face scrunched in fear. I didn’t want to scare her. Honestly didn’t, but if it kept her quiet…
I pressed a finger to her lips. “I’m going to let you go so you can wash up. And after, we’ll talk more about this.”
I had no idea how much we’d actually talk about, what I’d give her, but it’d be enough to keep her quiet. I didn’t need her asking any more questions, giving me more of that lip and mouth. It really could get her hurt. I knew the people I came from well.
I’d do the same to protect my grandfather, rid the world of any loose ends if I had to for him. He was pretty much all I had in the world, at least in every way that mattered.
Though Greer said nothing, I did let her off the bed. She lay there like a scared little animal, shrunk to size, and really, a little dove. I jerked my chin toward the bathroom. “Wash up.”
She didn’t need any more incentive and when she got up, I gave her a warning, a look not to test me and run. I’d get her again.
I think she saw that in my eyes.
Little footfalls and she was easing into the bathroom, starting to close the door but I came over and stopped her for a second.
I peered around, making sure there were no windows for her to try and do something foolish. “Get to it.”
The water ran as I eased the door shut, but not completely closed. She didn’t need that much privacy, but she would need a change of clothes. Thinking about the only person I knew close by who’d have some, I dialed my friend Royal. He recently started at Pembroke, working before so he came in as freshmen. His fiancée December was a recent transfer student, a junior like me, and they’d gotten engaged at the beginning of term.
“Bro, you do know what fucking time it is?” Sleep in his voice, he huffed. “The fuck you want?”
Mary Sunshine and how responsible to be going to bed before midnight. That’d have been his girl December’s doing, no doubt. I smirked. “I need a favor.”
“What kind?”
“A big one. December with you?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I need to borrow some of her clothes.” They’d hang on Greer a little since she was smaller, more petite and didn’t have December’s height but they’d do.
Silence for a second. “The fuck? You going to wear them or something?”
I rolled my eyes. “No, asshole. I need them for a friend, hers got ruined.”
Water slowed in the distance, still running but definitely not at full power. Perhaps, Greer was getting done in there.
“Do I want to know?” Royal asked in my ear, but it sounded like he was getting up.
“Just bring them.” I ended the call before heading toward the bathroom. If the water slowed, Greer just might be done.
Looks like it might be time to talk.
The Present
Greer
I’d turned down the water to hear what was going on outside the door, voices on the other side. It’d sounded like Knight was speaking to someone, but the moment he ended his call, I blasted that water right back up, scrubbing my hands and the water painting in red. Currently, Knight stood behind me, watching me while I scrubbed.
Until, well, he didn’t.
His touch on me had caused me to tremble, his fingers tugging up my sleeves. But the moment he made eye contact with me through the bathroom mirror, I found I couldn’t keep it. My face was coated in fucking blood, and I felt myself grow faint again, woozy. I’d never been good with blood, but with Knight behind me, I forced myself to nut the hell up and bring water to my face. He’d yelled at me tonight, tackled me and kidnapped me.
What the fuck?