Scarred Hearts (Blackrock) (46 page)
"Do you miss living here?" I ask sitting on the edge of the bed "Sometimes, I knew we would leave for school but I never thought I'd be sneaking back in to steal my own shit" "Yeah sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked to see this place" Max puts an arm around me "Its cool We would have done it anyway, Knox had suggested it during the summer" we hear him run up the stairs "Hey I got some boxes" he says walking into Max's room seeing us sitting on the bed Max with his arm around me, his smile vanishes but Max doesn't move his arm. Knox raises an eyebrow at us then Max realizes what it looks like "Shit, no bro we were only talking about you"
Knox just shrugs "I know Max I trust you" he leaves some boxes then walks out, getting up I follow him into his room "Babe you ok?" he turns pulling me into him "Yes" I kiss him on the lips "Good, I think Max is sad being here" Knox nods "Yeah I know I am moving as fast as I can, nearly done" He reaches under the desk popping a hidden lock he opens the drawer taking out a wooden box with flowers on it. "Hey darlin can you carry this on the bike?" he asks handing it to me. Max walks into the room" Ready to get out of here?" Knox nods dragging the case off the bed "Let's go Darlin" closing the door behind me I follow them down the stairs. We put everything into Peggy's shed then say our goodbyes. On the drive home I have the box between Knox and I holding onto him with one hand and the box with the other. I look at it sitting there reading the writings on its side
My babies you hold the world in your hands and all my love in your hearts.
It must belong to their mom, I hold onto it tighter afraid if I move I will let it fall.
We arrive back to Georges house just after four o'clock when we walk in he is standing there looking pissed "You know the bar opens at three Max" he snaps. Max apologizes turning to leave. Uncle George looks at me holding the box then at Knox "So that is what you were doing" he nods at the box in my hands, Knox nods "Yeah I needed it" "Why didn't you just ask me, I have a key to the house" Knox stares at his uncle "So do I how do you think I got in" his uncle just shakes his head "Get to work Knox, you boys are becoming fucking reckless" Knox takes off his jacket and pulls me through the kitchen out the from door to my car. We pull out of the drive in silence "Hey I can get you and Max some lunch if you like"
"Yeah darlin, sorry I was just thinking" he takes my hand kissing my knuckles. I let him go into the bar alone as I adjust my seat I see Paige walking across the street, beeping the horn I wave at her. "Hey Bailey" "Hey what are you doing?" I ask her through the open window "Nothing, I went over to see Max but the bar wasn't open" "Hop in I am on lunch run" I drive into downtown to the Chinese that Max likes. Ordering enough food for the four of us we drive back "So what did you do today?" Paige asks "I went with Knox on his bike" she smiles and nods "I thought that was you guys on the freeway" she is looking a little sad "Yeah he surprised me this morning, Max was a last minute addition. You should have beeped at us"
"I was going to my parents house on the other side of the road" we climb out of the car walking towards the door "Paige are you ok?" "Yeah of course I am come on I am dying to try this food" I pull on the door but its locked "Weird" taking out my phone I call Knox "Yeah darlin" "Hi I am at the door" I hear the lock opening as Knox pulls the door holding it for us, we duck under his arm walking inside, he locks the door behind us.
"Max I got your favorite" I sing out to him, he walks through the beads putting on his shirt "Smells good Bailey" looking up he sees Paige and a big grin spreads across his face "Hey you I was going to call you" he gives her a hug and kiss, Paige smiles at him. Opening the food on the bar I lay out all of the trays Knox gets some paper plates from the back "Wow it does smell good" says Paige. "Who wants a drink?" Max pulls two beers out of the fridge "Just a water for me thanks" I say, Paige laughs at me "Still hung over?" "No Paige I am pacing myself for tonight" I say handing her a plate of food. "Bailey no shots tonight darlin" I roll my eyes at him "Shut up Knox" Max laughs with me. "Hey we should take out some of the songs in that book tonight" Knox says, "I can't listen to the same shit again this week"
"What's wrong Knox you don't like Gemma serenading you every Saturday?" he looks at me "I don't mind I just wish she would sing something new" I laugh at him "I will sing to you tonight babe" he smiles at me "Are you going to call me a tool again?" he asks smirking at me "No I did that already, I need something new" I say tapping my fingers on my chin. "Oh shit bro there is her evil villain face" Max laughs at Knox who sighs "I really picked a trouble maker in you" he says to me.
"Knox is that any way to talk to the one you love? Now I will sing twice" I say throwing away my plate "Hey I don't care I like you're singing, you can sing all night darlin" checking my watch I see it is six o'clock "Well I am out, I need to go home and get dressed up I have an audience tonight, Paige you coming with me?" she nods. I kiss Knox good-bye "See you in a few" "Thanks for the food babe" I nod and wave.
Paige and I arrive home to my house "Dad you home?" "In here" I motion Paige to follow me into his office "Hey dad" I kiss his head "Hi sweetheart what are doing?" he looks up, I introduce him to Paige "We are going into town tonight just came home to beautify ourselves" he smiles at us "You are already beautiful Bailey" I smile walking to the door "I know dad I'm just enhancing it" he laughs at me as I walk out.
Paige and I are ready by eight thirty. I wear my satin shorts with a blue choker neck top that has no back; I put my hair into a high ponytail. "Are you really going to sing all night?" Paige asks as we drive down the hill "No way! I will do two songs maybe" I smirk "What are you up to Bailey?" I just giggle "You will see" she shakes her head at me "I never met anyone so crazy" "You should have seen me with Summer, that was me being crazy" I say pulling into the parking spot, Max put an empty keg in front of it with "Bailey's parking only" sign taped to it.
Walking into the bar I see Knox in the same sweater he wore today even though he looks like a friggin model I know he is probably sweating "Here babe" I say pulling one of his black t-shirts from my bag "Thanks Darlin" I follow him through the beads just so I can see his body and I watch him shamelessly, he throws his sweater at me "You are a pervert" "I know" laughing he pulls on the t-shirt "You look beautiful darlin" I twirl for him stopping to face him again, he walks behind me "Darlin you lost the back of your shirt" I laugh "Did I?" he slides his fingers down my back causing me to shiver then around to the front feeling my bare breast "Shit Bailey you do know how to kill me" he teases my nipple while kissing my neck grinding his hardness against my ass. "You need to work babe," I say breathlessly feeling the ache grow between my legs " I am working," he murmurs against my neck causing me to laugh. "Come on Casanova" he reluctantly lets me go, his lips are parted and I can't help myself I have to slide my tongue across them. "Later" I wink as I walk back through the beads. He groans behind me then follows me out watching as I sit beside Paige.
"So what are you singing tonight?" she asks flicking through the song book "We" I say "Are singing" I cup my hand around her ear and whisper the song she starts laughing at me shaking her head "No way Bailey I can't sing I told you that" Knox puts our drinks down in front of us "What are up to darlin?" I look incredulously between them "Jesus, you guys are paranoid why do you think I am always up to something?" they both laugh, "Because you usually are darlin" Knox kisses my head before walking off. Paige is still laughing at me "Oh Bailey what are we going to do with you?" putting my arm around her shoulder "You Paige are singing with me even if it's just the chorus" she rolls her eyes at me giving up.
By ten pm I haven't sung yet Knox has been teasing me about it, I keep telling him I am waiting for the right time but he doesn't believe me. "Hey Knox" I call waving him over "Darlin, you summoned" he says smiling at me "Yes I did, I would like a shot please but make it that sweet chocolate drop one" Knox taps the tip of my nose with his finger "No shots babe" standing on the foot rest I lean over the bar "No sex babe" he laughs "Not falling for that one Bailey" he walks away from me and I mouth "Jackass" which only makes him laugh. I nudge Paige with my elbow "Hey get Max to make us some shots I need the restroom"
When I get back Max put the shots on the bar for us, Knox is at the other end serving some guy. When he turns he sees me with my glass as he strides over I down it just a he reaches me, I start laughing and choking "Darlin please not tonight" he asks pleading with me "Why? I am not a sloppy drunk Knox" walking out from the bar he pulls me close "I know that but I just want you to take it easy, I don't want to have to ban you again" I pull away from him shocked "Are you for real? You would ban me again for drinking, in a bar?" he winks walking away. What the heck is up to? I sit with Paige who is looking lost "What is it Paige you like your puppy just died?"
"Oh just thinking" we see Gemma walk in and both of us jump off the stools running to the stage.
Knox and Max are watching us as we take the microphones we dedicate this song to them giggling, Paige and I sing, "Call me maybe" they are both shaking their heads smiling at us. By the time we finish and sit down they both walk over to us, Max wraps his arm around Paige kissing her neck. Knox rolls his eyes at me "I love you, you crazy woman" pulling me in for a kiss "I love you" he lifts up two shots from behind the bar already made "Here, only because I love you" I smile at him taking my glass and handing the other to Paige.
We flick through the song book again "So what's next?" she asks, I shrug "Something old" sipping on my Jack I see the evil one walk in "Why the fuck is she here" I say to myself but Paige hears me looking up, she groans "Yeah you think she would go to one of the other eight bars around here" I watch her as she leans on the bar in front of Knox and orders a sex on the beach, Knox ever the professional keeps his eyes above her head and nods. I see him watching me as he shakes the cocktail, I raise my eyebrows suggestively playing with him and he laughs as he pours the drink.
I pick the song I want to sing, "Hey can you tell the DJ and bring the mic over to me?" I ask Paige, she gives me a funny look then goes over to the stage. Knox and Max are busy serving when the music to Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" starts, everyone looks at the empty stage but I climb up onto the bar and begin singing to Knox. He stops working and watches my performance with a big grin on his face and his arm crossed. Max is clapping throwing dollar bills at me from the tip jar, the whole bar joins in clapping and shouting moving their drinks as I walk up and down along the bar, as the song comes to an end I step down onto the inside counter of the bar where Knox helps me down by the waist. "You are fucking amazing," he says before assaulting my mouth with his. He kisses me deeply our tongues dancing to a silent rhythm of passion; Max works around us for a few minutes. I break away looking in those beautiful emerald eyes "I love you" Knox smiles his chest rising with pride "I love you too Darlin" I give him one quick kiss pulling his bottom lip with my teeth then go sit down.
Paige grabs me "Oh my god! Bailey you are a fucking rock star!" she squeals. "I totally got that on video, I am posting it to my wall" I smile at her "Go for it, I don't use social media anymore" Paige looks shocked "What? You need to get on that" she says fingers flying on her phone. That is one thing I will never again be on not after all that shit with Summer; it became an all-consuming activity. Looking to see what that bitch Emily put up about us on her blog and face page, I really don't understand how she got away with all the crap she put on it. Everyday she ripped some poor person apart mostly Summer but she did it to Roger and me as well.
I don't think I will ever forget the nasty things she would say according to her every girl at our school were sluts or skanks but Summer was a whore and that was the only person she reserved that word for, I really think Emily was jealous of Summer but I don't know why we both tried to befriend her but just like her brother she was poison. "Earth to Bailey" Paige is waving her hand in front of my face "Oh sorry I was spacing out there" "Are you coming to dance?" I am not in the mood now, my melancholy thoughts killed my high but I drag myself over anyway. Paige and I dance the rest of the night away, some of the regular girls dance with us. I know some of their faces from school but none of their names we are all having fun when the DJ announces "last song" we boo him in unison but he doesn't care as the songs ends the dance floor clears. Knox turns on the house lights causing the whole bar to act like vampires caught in the sun. They call last call from the bar ringing the bell.
Paige and I are drinking water watching as the guys clean up, Max is doing the bar while Knox is sweeping the booth areas he is humming away to himself as I approach "Hi babe" he looks at me "Hi Darlin" he drops the brush grabbing my waist and begins dancing me around the floor singing in my ear. I can't help smiling at him when he finishes singing he dips me kissing my neck, I laugh at his tongue tickling my neck "Stop!" I cry. He swoops me back up "I can't wait to get you home" he nips my neck again "Get sweeping then" I push him away walking back to Paige and Max.
"Hey so I was thinking do you guys want to come over for Christmas Eve?" I ask them "Sounds cool, uncle George is going to visit his kid in New York so we are in" Max pipes in, I look at Paige who shrugs "I have to meet my parents and brother for brunch but if it's later I guess I can go" "Great we can do a late dinner about seven then have drinks and watch movies or whatever" they all nod in agreement, sweet sounds like I need to go shopping. "Oh are we doing gifts?" asks Paige I shrug "It's just us four so we can if you guys want or we can do secret Santa" I say looking at them. "How about we do a twenty Dollar minimum on each other," Knox says, we all agree. "Ok let's get out of here, I'm tired" Knox announces yawning. I say good-bye to Paige and Max heading out the side door to my car.
