Beauty and the Billionaire

“I’ll be back,” he says before he swipes the phone off the table and heads out of the cafeteria.

“What was that about?” Faith asks at Knox’s quick departure. I swear it takes everything inside of me not to ask her who Jamie is, but I control myself. I don’t want to put her in that position. Knox is her brother, and I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable.

The name has lingered in the back of my mind since it was brought up that night and Knox came strolling in late. The whole family had been on edge. I’ve let it go for the most part, Knox having such a turnabout after. Nothing ever lasts, though. I should know that better than anyone.

My mom could put on a good face for a few weeks. Then she would slowly start to slip back to the darkness of drugs and men that she let control her. Is that what this is? Knox is way too smart for that, but the fear still haunts me. It’s what my life experiences have taught me.

“Seems Jamie needed his attention, and it must have been important for him to ditch me.” I shrug my shoulders as if it’s no big deal. I don’t miss the look Faith throws Ace’s way, though. Neither of them says anything.

“I’m going to head to the library before my next class.” I paste on the best smile I can as I pick my things up. “See you guys later.” I quickly head off before they can say anything.

I don’t head to my next class, though; I circle back around to see if I can eavesdrop on Knox’s conversation, but he’s nowhere to be found. I hate that I’m doing this, but I can’t help myself.

I check my phone to see if he texted me but nothing. This is so unlike him. I head toward the school parking lot to see if maybe he went to his car, but it’s not in the spot he parked it this morning. He left. Jamie called him, and he left me in the lunchroom to go to her.

I spend the rest of my lunch in the library. With each second that passes, I come up with one bad thought after another. I drag myself to class when all I want to do is get the heck out of here.

“I see Knox is up to his old ways,” Megan says, turning in her seat to face my way. “Flirting with Miss Coolie to get out of school. Even the staff cream their panties over him. There’s something about a bad boy.” She lets out a dreamy sigh. “We can’t help ourselves, can we?”

I’ve seen the looks the girl at the front desk is always giving Knox. Half the girls in this school aren’t shy about showing him attention, but I never paid it much mind before today. Knox is always so focused on me. Until he’s not. It’s no wonder he can slip out of classes early and come in late and never get into trouble if he does a bit of flirting to make it happen. My stomach turns that he would do that now that we’re together.

My phone vibrates, a text finally coming in from Knox.

Knox: Something came up. Faith and Ace are going to give you a ride home. See you at home Bunny.

I glare at my phone. He thinks I’m always just going to be there. To do as he told me. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I feel sick at the thought of Knox being with someone else. I have to get out of here. And I know I can’t go back to my room at the Osbornes’. The only place I can think to go is Healing Homes.

I grab my stuff as the teacher starts class, slipping out quickly before he can say anything. When I get to the office to see Miss Coolie sitting at her front desk, I can’t bring myself to sign out, so I do something I’ve never done in my life. I leave school without a word to anyone.

20

KNOX

I shoot Whitney a text, wanting to make sure someone is with her while I’m away in case I can’t make it back before school is over for the day. Ace texts me back, swearing he’ll make sure Whitney goes straight from school to home. It lets me breathe a bit easier, knowing he’s there to look out for her.

I roll out of my car before heading in the back door of Jamie’s gym. The smell of sweat assaults me as I enter. I have no idea what he has to tell me that’s so important he can’t do it over the phone, but Jamie has always been a bit on the paranoid side. I suppose I would be too if I held illegal fights in the basement of my gym along with the handful of other things he does to make money.