Beauty and the Billionaire

“What changed?” I ask. I’ve always thought it was bullshit that people can change. Which fucking sucked to me. I don’t want to be filled with rage until the end of time.

“Kennedy came along. A woman can make you step back and see what you might be missing. She became my focus.”

“Obsession,” I correct him. He smirks, knowing I’m right. The man is crazy about his wife.

“Glad you found yours now. You need her.”

“Need what?” I say, confused. Before he can respond, the door to the principal's office opens.

The cop comes walking out followed by Kennedy, who has her arm wrapped around Whitney. She keeps her head down and won’t meet my eyes. My gut tightens at the thought of her not wanting to have anything to do with me.

“Knox, you’re free to go. Jett will be handled.”

“Thank you, Dr. Blake.” Oz reaches out, shaking his hand.

“Let's go home. We can make hot chocolate. That always makes me feel better,” Kennedy says with a warm smile on her face. Her eyes are still red from crying. She cried for me. I can’t wrap my mind around that.

“You want to ride with me?” I ask Whitney. She shakes her head no.

“I’m sorry,” she says as she passes by me, giving me a worse punishment than jail.

I lost her.

9

WHITNEY

I guess one should be careful about what they ask for. Over the last week Knox is hardly ever around. He’s often gone before I crawl out of bed, and I’m not sure when he comes home. It makes me wonder if the whole rumor of him sleeping with college girls is true.

Guilt is slowly eating away at me. I thought he might be upset with me after everything that happened. He almost went to jail for me. If not for me he wouldn’t have been in that mess at all. I get him not wanting to be around me. The only thing I had to offer him was an apology. I suppose if he’s not around me anymore I can’t get him wrapped up in one of my messes once again. One I’m surely going to get myself into.

I was told yesterday that my mom and her most recent husband have been around asking about me. Healing Homes told her to take it up with the judge. She’s not going to do that. What she will do is try and track me down. The naïve girl inside of me hopes she is better this time, that she's changed, but I know that’s not true if her husband is with her.

A knock sounds at my door before it cracks open. Faith pops her head inside.

“Mom’s making hot chocolate.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. I don’t care if it’s the height of summer, I’d still drink Kennedy’s hot chocolate. I don’t know what she puts in it, but it’s addicting. Faith and I have tried to recreate it and fail every single time.

I crawl out of bed, slipping my feet into my slippers to follow her downstairs. My eyes linger on Knox’s door, and I wonder if he’s home.

“The Westcott twins are having a pool party tomorrow. A last hoorah before they close their pool down for the season. You want to come with me?” Not really, but I’m starting to think I’m a major buzz kill. Faith is trying here. She wants to include me, and if I keep turning every invitation down, eventually she’s going to stop asking.

“Sure,” I agree, making her smile.

“Girls,” Kennedy says when we enter the kitchen. “I set you up over here.” She motions to the giant island in the center of the kitchen. It’s where most things go down in this house.

“Just us?” I ask, shamelessly fishing for information on Knox.

“Yeah. My little man is tuckered out, and Oz went to go deal with Knox.” She shakes her head, the side of her mouth pulling down in a frown.

“What now?” Faith picks up her mug, taking a sip.

“He’s been hanging out with Jamie again.”

Faith’s shoulders drop. “Seriously?”

Kennedy only nods, taking a sip of her drink. I do the same. A million questions are now running around in my head. Such as who the hell is Jamie? How long has he known her? Have they dated in the past? Jealousy gnaws at me at the thought of Knox hanging out with this Jamie chick.

Before I finally find the courage to ask any of the questions, I hear a door bang open followed by shouting.

“I’m eighteen. I can hang out with whoever the hell I want to.”

“You’re still on probation.” Oz doesn't shout back, but with his tone he doesn’t need to.

“Wouldn't it be easier on everyone if maybe I ended up back in jail?” My heart drops at his response. Does he not realize that we all care about him?