Things We Left Behind (Knockemout, #3)

by Lucy Score

“Don’t come.” The order was delivered through gritted teeth. “Bite me.” “Don’t tempt me, Pixie. I want to be inside you the first time you come. I want to feel you fall apart.”

“Safe word,” he demanded as his hand covered mine on his dick. “You’re either severely overestimating your prowess or once again underestimating what I can handle.” “Give me your safe word, Pix.” He enunciated the sentence as if I were both aggravating and stupid. “If it’ll get you to move things along, fine. Library.” “Good girl,” he growled.

He glared down at me. “You’re so beautiful and so goddamn irritating at the same time.”

“What are you doing here? Did I leave something—” “I’m not done with you yet.” I’d fucked her into the early hours of the morning until neither one of us could move. Then I’d fallen asleep with her back pressed to my front, my face in her hair, and slept like the dead. When I woke, there was one clear thought in my head. Sloane wasn’t out of my system.

I was going to ruin her for all future partners. That was my new goal in life.

Did you tattoo over all your scars?” Lucian stared at me for a long beat. I wondered if I’d pushed too far. “Yes,” he said finally. “Why?” “Because I’d rather have marks on my body that I chose.”

“You get irritated when you’re hiding something. You just look annoyingly entertained right now.” “I find your jealousy annoyingly entertaining,” I agreed.

“My little tease.” My brain hooked on the “my.”

“If you so much as graze my dick with your pinkie finger, I’m pulling over on a public road, dragging you across this console, and fucking you into oblivion.” “That’s not a convincing argument for why I shouldn’t touch you.” “If you’re a good girl and wait the four fucking minutes it takes to get home, I’ll strip you naked and worship every inch of your beautiful body with my cock, mouth, and hands.” My hands fisted in my lap. Good enough for me. “Drive faster,” I told him.

hate not being able to touch what’s mine,” he confessed.

Besides, do you really want Knockemout gossiping about us like we’re some kind of grumpy-sunshine love story?” “I’m the sunshine in that scenario,” he said confidently. “You’re the delusional grump who never wants to settle down, especially not with the beautiful, charming, book nerd next door. I’m the perky, sunshiny heroine who believes in true love. Just not with you because I’m only using you for orgasms.” He shook his head. “You’re going to miss those orgasms when you meet Mr. Right. There are some things only Mr. Wrong can deliver.”

I ignored the comparison. Sloane and I were fucking. That was the entire extent of our relationship.

a lie was told

Assface: Just because we’re not sneaking around having sex anymore doesn’t mean I don’t care. Assface: I found your underwear behind the nightstand. Do you want it back?

“Sounds like the guy you’re not worried about didn’t grow up with any kind of emotional support to show him what it’s like to be a real man in a real relationship,” Joel said, magically appearing behind the bar. “A guy like that might think the only way he can keep something safe is by keeping his distance.”

Nash’s mouth quirked. “Now we’re almost respectable.” “And we’ve got women too good for us.” Knox shot me a pointed look. “Well, two outta three.” “Way too damn good for us,” Nash agreed. Knox raised his glass. “May they never come to their senses.”

My insides coiled into an icy knot as a torrent of delusional thoughts raced through my mind. Her hand should be on my arm. I should be the one sitting across the table from her. I should be the one taking her home, waking up next to her. Reading what she was reading. Yelling at the evil cat. It should be me in her life.

“Do you really not get it? We had sex. You decided to stop having sex with me. The end.” There was never going to be an end to us.

“I’m here to beat some sense into you two. Sloane means nothing to me.” “Bull. Shit.” Nash punctuated each word with a fast jab. “I saw you climbing out of her bedroom window in high school. I see the way you look at her like she’s the goddamn sun and you’re not supposed to stare directly at her but you can’t help yourself.”

“Why can’t you just take a shot with her?” Nash asked. I savored the first sweet sting of tobacco, then exhaled toward the night sky. “Because she’s too good for me.” The brothers guffawed. “What?” I demanded. “You think I was good enough for Angelina?” Nash asked with a smirk. Knox grinned. “I know none of you think I was anywhere near Daisy’s league.”

“How bad is the damage?” I asked. I’d rebuild it brick by brick for her. Whatever she wanted. She couldn’t stop me.

“Listen, Luce. I get that you have complicated feelings for Sloane. But I love that girl like a little sister. Always have. Knox too. If you fuck with her, if you upset her more than she already is, I’m not gonna be gentle with you. And we both know Knox won’t want to be left out of the ass kicking.” I squared off with Nash and looked him dead in the eyes. “If you or Knox or anyone else in this fucking town tries to keep me away from Sloane, I will destroy you.” His mouth curved up in the corner. “Looking forward to it, brother. Good luck.”

Sloane’s bedside lamp was on, I noted as I scrambled up the gentle incline over the shingles to the window. My heart stopped. Her light was on, but she wasn’t in bed. Sloane. My Sloane was sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around her knees as she rocked back and forth. Tears washed clean trails as they cut through the soot on her beautiful face. Her clothing was dirty. Even her hair had lost its brilliant shine. Her ponytail drooped with the heavy weight of smoke residue. The middle window was open a few inches. It always had been. So I did what I’d always done. I pushed it up and let myself in.

I nudged her chin up until those green eyes found mine, and I knew. I was never leaving her again. We’d parted ways for the last time. She just didn’t know it yet.

Something loosened in my chest. Something old and rusted. Like an ancient lock finally forced open. Fresh air swept inside, blowing aside the cobwebs, lighting the hearth. She’d always been mine. I was just now accepting that fact. Once something was mine, I never gave it up.

My beautiful broken girl didn’t help me or fight me. But she did relax against me. She did press her damp face to my neck. And for the first time in my life, I felt like the hero instead of the villain.

“You remembered,” she said softly. “I remember every second of us.”

“It was clearly either the guy who attacked me in the parking lot or the one who gave the orders to have Mary Louise roughed up,” she said, dumping the better part of a bottle of syrup on her stack of pancakes. My knife and fork clattered onto the plate, startling the cat, who hit the floor like a bowling ball before stampeding out of the room. “What did you say?” “Uh-oh. He’s using his scary voice,” Lina noted. “It’s none of your business,” Sloane said crisply. “I’d like to speak with you outside, Morgan,” I said to Nash, ignoring her. My friend shook his head. “Uh-uh. You don’t get to punch me in the face until after breakfast.”

“Let’s not forget that it’s none of your business,” Sloane pointed out irritably. “You are always my business. You always have been, and you always will be. The only difference is now you know it,” I said icily.

“What am I going to do?” “Baby, we’ll figure something out,” I assured her. “We’ll find a temporary location. We’ll save what can be saved and buy new of everything that was lost.” “Baby?” Knox muttered. “That was a lot of wes,” Lina pointed out. “You’re gonna be hearing a lot of both, so I’d advise you get used to it,” I warned them.

Outside on the porch, we were met with the perfect spring morning. Warm sunshine, chirping birds, and a thousand new blooms brought her backyard to life. Spring. A new beginning. A fresh start. Just what we both needed. “Put me down, you gigantic assface!” Sloane shouted. I set her on her feet, noting that she’d managed to keep hold of her bagel. “You need to understand something,” I told her calmly. “I’m not going anywhere, and you are my business because we’re together.” Her gasp was one of outrage. “You can’t just tell me we’re in a relationship.” Her feistiness was back in full force. I took credit for that. “I’m merely stating a fact.”

She was still shaking her head. “I want kids, Lucian. Actual children. I want a big, loud, messy family.” “Then we’ll have one.” I meant it. Anything Sloane wanted was now my job to procure. She blinked rapidly. “I’m sorry. Did you say…” She brought a hand to her head and starting prodding the bruise on her forehead. “Maybe I did give myself a concussion. I could have sworn you said—” “If you want kids, we’ll start today,” I said, leaning against the porch post. She was back to shaking her head. “You don’t understand. I want to live here. I want to raise a family here.” “No, Pixie, you don’t understand. I could have lost you last night. I’m not going to let that happen again. Ever. If you want ten kids, we’ll have them. If you want a six-story library full of medieval first editions, I’ll buy every book for you. If you want to raise a family here, I’ll move back and feed your asshole cat every morning. If you decide you want to throw it all away and move to a tasteful hut on a tropical beach, I’ll build the fucking hut.”

“I don’t have room for you in my bedroom,” I insisted, crossing my arms as Hank marched across the threshold. “That’s why I hired Miguel. Ah, here come the groceries,” Lucian observed as yet another vehicle pulled into my driveway. “Groceries?” “I invited your family to dinner tonight. We’re cooking.” “Have you lost your damn mind?” I demanded. “On the contrary, I finally came to my senses,” he said before kissing me on the top of the head. “Maybe I’m losing mine,” I muttered to myself as he met the grocery delivery guy on the walkway. “Or maybe he’s just showing you how he really feels for the first time,” Naomi said, joining me in the doorway. “By the way, he invited Knox and Waylay and me for dinner next week.”

“That’s it. Give me your cigarette. I know you didn’t smoke yet today, so hand it over.” He looked up from the shredded chicken he was plating. “I quit.” “You quit?” I repeated. “You don’t date smokers,” he reminded me. “You quit your one and only dirty habit for me?”

We wrestled for the handle and managed to open the door, revealing a determined-looking Kurt Michaels holding a huge bouquet of lilies. “Uh-oh,” I said. “Sloane is busy. With me. And for future reference, she’s allergic to lilies,” Lucian said.

I shrugged and sniffled as I closed the front door. “Love makes people do stupid things.” I sneezed again, then blew my nose in the chardonnay tissues. “You’re damn right it does,” he muttered.

It didn’t matter. I had infinite patience. I would simply wait her out until she accepted the fact that we were together.

Those green eyes behind the lenses of her glasses blinked once in surprise. “You’d do that for me?” I crossed to her and put my hands on the arms of the chair. “I’d do anything for you.” Those green eyes rolled to the ceiling. “Oh, please,” she muttered. “Especially if it stops you from whining,” I added, dropping a lightning-quick kiss on the tip of her nose. The corners of those red lips curved up.

“Thank you for your input, Sloane,” I said, removing the knife from her hand and setting it on the tablecloth. “You’ve been warned by my woman. Now you’ll listen to me.

“Dunno. From where I sit, you’re the one at this table with the most to lose,” he said with an insipid smirk. “When you have everything to lose, you’ll do anything to keep it,” I said darkly.

“This doesn’t mean anything,” I reminded him over the hammering of my heart. “You’re right. It means everything,” he countered.

“Dammit, Sloane. You’re the only one,” he muttered.

“God. Yes, Sloane. My Sloane.”

I tossed her on the bed, making her laugh. “You’re awfully frisky for a man who hasn’t slept in two days.” “Ruining the life of a bad guy does that to me,” I teased, stripping off my jacket and tie. “My hero.” The words from her did strange things to my insides. And I knew I’d treasure them just like every “attaboy” I’d earned from her father.

got out of my chair and stalked toward Lucian, interrupting his pacing. “And I told you, you don’t just get to order me into a relationship. A couple of drawers are not going to make me feel secure enough to even entertain the idea of dating you.” “We’re not dating,” Lucian said. “We’re living together. We’re having sex. We’re getting married.” “If that’s your proposal, it needs work,” I shot back.

“Tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you,” Lucian said, frustration bleeding into his tone.

“What do you need now?” I asked breathily. “You. Only you. Always you.”

I was Lucian Fucking Rollins. I didn’t get anxious about shit. I made shit anxious about me.

“He’s going to unsnip whatever they snipped just because I want to have a family.” The woman led her to the beverage center and pressed a paper cup of water into Sloane’s shaking hands. “Well, honey, some men surprise their wives with jewelry. Other men surprise them with surgery on their genitals.”

“I–I–I just don’t know what’s happening right now,” Sloane said, pacing two steps away from me before returning to pinch me. “You feel real. You look real. Am I real? Did I slip into some kind of alternate dimension? Oh my God, am I the main character from The Midnight Library?” “You’re not dying,” I said. “You read The Midnight Library?” Her voice rose a full octave. “I read all your book club picks,” I told her. “But why?” “Why? Jesus, Sloane. Why do you think? Because I love you. I’m in love with you. I’ve had the last twenty-some years to obsess over you from afar.”

I knew I should have called Stef, not Knox and Nash. But Stef was busy with his own grand gesture. “Lucian, what the hell is going on?” Sloane demanded, opening the pizza box with suspicion. A movement in the shrubbery caught my eye. Knox Morgan, wearing camouflage and green face paint, rose out of a rhododendron with his phone. He gave me the thumbs-up. “What. The. Fuck?” I mouthed to him. “Video, asshole,” he mouthed back, pointing at his phone. I leaned over the railing and shoved him back into the bush.

i cant w these men lmao