Things We Hide from the Light (Knockemout, #2)

by Lucy Score

Everyone was alive and breathing. Everyone but me. I was just pretending.

“Your gun is digging into me.” “That’s not my gun,” I said through clenched teeth. Her mouth curved wickedly. “I know.” “Then stop moving.”

Those sparks in my gut had flared to life and spread, warming me from the inside out. I wanted to touch her again. Needed to.

“Feel like I’ve been waiting for Daze and Way my entire life. I’d go to the courthouse tonight if I could talk them into it.”

Knox and I shared a frozen look of terror. We’d do it. We’d hate every single second of it. But we’d do it if Waylay wanted us to.

Waylay gave me one of those small smiles that I prized.

As soon as I sat, Piper scrabbled at my shins and I picked her up. She cuddled up against my chest and let out a sigh. As if I made her feel safe. Damn dog.

dog dads are sexy

“I’m sayin’ I want to get as close to you as you’ll let me. The closer I get to you, the better I feel. Like right now,” I said softly. “I feel like I can finally breathe easy.”

Beside him stood Lucian Rollins in a suit that probably cost more than my first car. He was tall, dark, and also dangerous, but in a different way.

thats my man

Lucian was the type to methodically and creatively destroy your life.

Waylay would make a fine cop someday, but I doubted Knox would want to hear that about his little girl.

“Don’t go.” The easygoing humor vanished and those blue eyes pleaded with me to stay. “It feels better when you’re close.”

Whenever you’re close, everything is better. The closer you are, the easier I breathe,

You take away the dark, the cold. And you remind me what it’s like to want to be here.”

In the dark, he reached for me, his hand linking with mine on top of the covers.

“Wildflowers because they reminded me of you,”

You are the only thing in my entire existence that makes me feel like I’ve got a shot at finding my way back. I don’t understand it. And frankly I don’t need to. All I know is I feel better when I’m touching you. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel like a ghost or a shadow. I felt good.”

The blond librarian?” “Sloane?” I asked. “She single?” I thought about Lucian this morning at breakfast. A slow, vengeful smile spread over my face. “You should ask her out.”

“Apparently Sloane and Lucian grew up next door to each other. Sloane bought her house from her parents when they moved, and Lucian kept his mom’s place,”

EATING UP ALL THE CRUMBS I CAN GET OF THEM

“Besides, I have a date.” “You have a date?” Naomi shouted the question loud enough that all the men turned and stared at us. Lucian looked like he was about to set the world on fire with his dark smolder. “Thanks, mega mouth,” Sloane muttered. “Yes. I have a date.” “A date or a hookup?” I asked at normal volume. Lucian’s hand closed into a fist, crushing his to-go cup and exploding coffee everywhere.

Lucian looked like he couldn’t decide if he hated me or Sloane more.

Lucian turned his steely eyed gaze on her. “I don’t have the energy for you today, Sloane.”

“Hey, cupcake. Looking forward to dinner.” The librarian gave him a flirty grin. Lucian growled.

“Wait,” Sloane interrupted. “You, Lucian Rollins, willingly tried to talk things out?” His gaze was icy when it locked on to her. “I do when it’s something that matters.” She got to her feet, vibrating so hard the pom-pom on her hat trembled. “You are the worst person I’ve ever met,”

Lucian let out what sounded like a feral snarl

“Friends make friends better. We accept the bad parts, celebrate the good parts, and we don’t torture you for your mistakes,”

“Knoxy?” Naomi sang drunkenly from somewhere inside the house. “He’s outside fightin’ with Uncle Nash in the yard. They broke the porch,” Waylay reported.

LMAOO I LOVE HER

“Maybe hand Sloane off to Graham?” Knox suggested belatedly. “No,” Lucian said, his voice colder than an iceberg.

Lucian deposited Sloane next to Naomi. “Move from this spot and we’ll have problems,” he warned, looming over her with a finger in her face. “Bite me, Lucifer.”

I’ve got no problems with your shopping habits. Long as you let me spoil you once in a while.

“You know what I remember from back in the day?” “What?” “I remember you and Lucy sharing these long, meaningful looks in the hall between classes. I remember him ripping the helmet off Jonah Bluth and putting him on his ass during football practice because Jonah said something about your body that I as an adult man with great respect for women won’t repeat.”

“Did Lucian really do that?” she asked finally. I nodded once. “He did. I also remember driving home after curfew from some particularly heavy making out with Millie Washington and seeing someone who looked a hell of a lot like Lucian climbing the tree outside your bedroom window.”

“You shaved,” she said when I remained silent. I ran my hand over my jaw and grinned. “Thought it would make for a smoother ride.”

Icy fire danced in Lucian’s eyes. “No one will get near her,” he promised.

Sloane paused in the open doorway. “Still up for being my date to the wedding Saturday?” she called to Nolan, who was lounging against the kitchen island. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, cupcake.” “Pick me up at—” Lucian slammed the door, cutting Sloane off midsentence.

“Stop seeing Sloane and the job is yours.” “You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kidding me,” Nolan said. “Okay, seriously? You hate her guts but you don’t want her dating anyone else? Even you have to realize how unhealthy that is,” I said. “I never claimed to be healthy,” Lucian said in his scary voice.

GIVE ME THEIR BOOK NOW

Then she gave Knox a watery smile filled with so much love and hope. I heard Lucian’s sharp intake of breath behind me and wondered if seeing that smile had pierced through his armor somehow.

I heard the sigh run through the guests as Naomi, a vision in white lace, appeared on Lou’s arm. Knox took one look at her and dropped to a crouch, his hands shaking as they clutched the handkerchief to his face.