Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (23 page)

He
shrugs pulling me closer. “Don’t care. I like singing and
music.”

We
dance for another song, then return to the bar. Knox sits on my stool
pulling me between his legs while his arm stays firmly around my
waist.

“Have
you thought anymore about going home for spring break?”

I
can feel the vibration of his voice as he talks into my ear. “Not
sure, babe.”

Turning
me so I face him, he smirks at me like he has a secret. “I
think we should go. It will be fun to get away from here for a few
days.” I give a half-hearted nod of my head as he reaches up to
smooth my hair. “Okay darlin’, think about it and we’ll
talk tonight.” He kisses me before returning to the stage.
Sitting back down, I watch Paige play games on her phone.

“Hey
is everything okay?” I ask as her thumbs fly across the screen
chasing some green bird.

“Huh?”
She looks at me when her bird crashes and goes up in smoke.

“You
okay?” I repeat.

“Oh
yeah. Max is just being annoying.” She waves her hand, going
back to her game.

“Okay,
well that settles that.” Turning to face the stage, I watch
Knox sing and glance over at me. Sighing I smile at him, how did I
get so lucky?

“So are we going to Grove
next week?”

Turning
to Paige, I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t know, haven’t
decided yet.” She frowns calling Chase to refill her order.
“Yeah make mine a Jack & Coke.” I shake my glass at
him causing him some distress. “What is wrong with you,
Superman? You look like I am about to kill you or something?”

Making
Paige her drink, he shoots soda into my glass sans Jack Daniels.
“Sorry Bailey, but the boss told me not to serve you any booze
and I need this job.” He shrugs walking away. At least he has
the grace to look sorry.

“Wow!
Knox cut you off.” Paige laughs at me.

“You
know, you are being a bit of a bitch, Paige.” I give her a
pointed look before walking away towards the stage.

I take a seat by the dance floor
and see Abbey who waves rushing over to me.

“Hi
Bailey. I didn’t know you were here.”

Smiling
I tell her I just arrived and she invites me to join her and some
friends. Figuring it will be better than sitting booze-less, and
friendless, I join her and some friends on the dance floor. Knox
raises an eyebrow from the stage but I just shake my head at him as
he finishes a song.

“This
one is for you darlin’.” He smiles then sings Bruno Mars
again, Abbey and her friends “Awe” at me as he sings.

“So,
what are you doing for spring break?” I ask them as we dance.

“Oh my god! We are going to
Cabo tomorrow,” one of the girls squeals in my ear.

“Wow
nice,” I reply feeling a little envious.

Maybe
I should have suggested Knox and I taking off to Cabo for a few days.
It sure would be nice to be alone with him on white sand beaches and
blue as blue can be ocean. I dance with the girls until Knox wraps
up.

“Okay,
I am going to hang with Knox. Enjoy your trip.” I smile giving
Abbey a hug.

“Yeah,
it’s a pity you weren’t coming with us.” She pouts
as she slings her purse over her shoulder. I wave bye as they all
leave, leaving me kind of empty.

Knox
is waiting for me when I get back to the bar smiling as he hands me
my drink.

“Thanks
babe.” Sliding in between his legs I rest on his thigh. Taking
a sip I taste Jack. “How come I have alcohol?”

Holding
my glass I drink again while Paige snickers. “He probably
didn’t want another fight.” She laughs now rocking back
and forth while Max rolls his eyes.

Knox
asks about my question and I tell him what Chase said about me on the
no booze list. He just kisses me and then smiles as his body tenses.
By one thirty Paige is slightly drunk but I only saw her drink two
drinks. Max sits with me as Knox clears out the bar.

“So
road trip sis?” Groaning I put my head on the bar and he
laughs. “Jeez sorry I mentioned it.”

Sitting
up, I look at him. “Man, you are all excited to go to a town
just like this. Well it’s a bit bigger and we have a mall that
is in the city limits.” I shake my head not understanding the
fascination with Grove all of a sudden.

Just
before two we are leaving the bar Knox and Max lag behind Paige and I
as we cut through campus.

“Paige,
are you okay? You seem a little pissed off.” I smile to let her
know I am being genuine but she just snorts at me.

“You
know ever since I met you I have lost all of my friends. I grew up
here and yet, none of my friends want to hang out with me because of
you.”

I
gape at her. “Because of me? How do you figure?” This
girl must be really wasted, although she is walking just fine in her
heels and her words are not slurred.

“Like
I said, Because you hit Lara they all think I am hanging with a
ghetto chick. Eh white trash, I think they said.”

I
don’t believe what I am hearing, especially coming form Paige.
I mean I thought we were good friends.

“You’re delusional,
Paige. I never stopped you from hanging out with your little clique;
that was all you and then you got with Max which would never have
happened if you didn’t hang out with me.”

She
cackles at me, not a funny cackle but an evil witch sarcastic one.
“Yeah speaking of Max, I think you both forget that you’re
with other people.”

“Paige,
now you’re talking shit. I know which brother I love, but Max
and I are friends so deal with it.” I huff, ramming my hands
into my pockets.

“What?
Deal with it!” She stops to shout in my face. “No! You
fucking deal with it, Bailey! You come here and take over people’s
lives and fucking ruin them; make me loose my life long friends and
flirt with my boyfriend in front of his brother who, I might add you
love soooo much.”

I
just look at her with a bored expression. “You done?”
Shaking my head, I start to walk away when she grabs my arm digging
her nails into me. “Let go!” I shout at her but she tries
to slap my face, only I lean back and she catches my neck and chest.
Breaking the chain from my locket.

“Paige,
what the hell?” Pushing her away, I bend down using my phone to
search for my locket just as Knox and Max arrive.

“What
the hell is going on here?” Knox shouts at us.

Paige
just snorts. “Ask Bailey; she seems to think that everyone in
her life must to as she does.”

I
stand so fast I give myself a head rush and glare at her. “Go
home Paige. You are a fucking asshole drunk.” She swings for me
again but Max grabs her in a bear hug, telling her to calm down and
starts pulling her away.

“Yeah
Bailey, it’s not my fault your friend killed herself. Maybe she
wanted away from you; you’re nothing but a troublemaker.”

Knox
shouts at Max to get Paige out of here as I bend down to find my
locket. Still using the screen of my phone for light, I search the
grass as tears fall from my eyes.

“Its
okay, darlin’. I think she has been acting weird for a few
days.” Swiping at my eyes I get down on my hands and knees
sweeping the grass. “What are you doing?” Knox asks,
leaning down to look at me shaking my head as more tears fall. I
frantically search the grass again and then my top and bra as I shake
them hoping it got stuck, but nothing falls out. “Bailey?”
Knox lifts my chin with his finger.

“My
locket,” I mumble between tears trying to search again.

“What about it, darlin’?”

Wiping
my face, I turn on my phone again. “She broke it and I can’t
find it.”

Frowning,
he pulls out his own phone, and we search the grass again and the
walkway just in case it got kicked around when Max grabbed Paige, but
after an hour we give up. Walking back to the apartment, I cry and
Knox holds me close kissing my head telling me it’s okay and
that he will buy another one.

“It’s
not the same,” I weep into his shoulder as we cross the parking
barrier.

“I
know darlin’,” he says softly, shaking his head.

By
the time we get home, and I wash my face, which is now puffy and my
eyes look like I’ve been hitting the bong, I am fit to just
crawl into bed. Knox is waiting for me, looking, a little sad himself
as he holds out his arms to me.

“Come
on, beautiful.” I crawl onto his lap all cried out and annoyed
at Paige for being such a bitch for no reason.

“I
think we should go,” I whisper as he kisses my head.

“Okay,
if you want.” Lying down, he turns off the light then faces me.
“You okay?” I just nod, although I am feeling sad because
my first gift from him is gone and I never took it off no matter
what. He rubs my leg as he leans on his elbow watching me “Babe?”
I whisper and he smiles. “Make love to me?”

By
Sunday morning, Knox is all excited about going to Grove but I don’t
know why. I have received forty-two texts from Paige saying she was
sorry and eleven voicemails with the same message. I still haven’t
contacted her as I sit here eating my breakfast with Knox and Max.

“You
coming, bro?” Knox asks Max who just shrugs. I know Max is torn
between Knox and Paige. I watch him as he smiles at his brother but
it doesn’t reach his eyes. Grabbing my coffee, I leave the room
and leave them to talk.

I
finish packing in the bedroom, throwing my wash bag into my case when
Max knocks and walks in.

“Good
job I wasn’t naked,” I joke with him as he sits on the
bed.

“Hey,”
he says, blowing out a breath bracing his hands beside his legs. As I
glance over at him and he smiles.

“Hey
yourself,” I reply, knowing all too well what is coming next.

“So going home, huh?”

Sitting
beside him, I give him a stern look. “Max, if you want to come,
then come. If Paige wants to then she can too, but I am not going to
lie. She pissed me off breaking my locket and now it’s gone.”

He
frowns. “Sorry sis.”

Knox
walks in to the room arms folded, “So are we going on road trip
or what?”

I
nod and Max smiles. “I guess I’ll see you guys on
Thursday.”

Knox
looks pissed off. “No, Max. Get your shit and lets go. I
haven’t seen you three months.” Knox looks at Max, then
me questioning what is going on with his eyes. Then he shakes his
head. “Bullshit,” he mutters, grabbing our bags and
taking off to the truck.

“I’m
sure she is packed go hurry up.” I push Max on the shoulder as
he leaves the apartment. Locking the door I walk down the stairs
finding Paige waiting for me as I open the building door.

“I’m sorry, Bailey. I
really really am sorry,” she pleads with me, begging with her
eyes as I stand in front of her.

“Paige,
I don’t care about all that stuff you spewed at me. The only
things that I think you stepped over the line on was one, talking
about Summer and two, breaking my locket, which is now gone.”
Crossing my arms and trying not to scream at her or hit her, I tap my
foot in agitation.

Knox
beeps the truck horn at us.

“I’ll
buy you a new locket, Bailey, and I never should have said that
stuff. I am sorry. I just have been going through some stuff and I
took it out on you and Max.”

I
walk towards the truck, leaving her behind. I open the door and turn
to see her standing still waiting. “If you’re coming,
then get in.” I motion with my hand for her to get a move on.
We both climb in the back and she sits behind Max as I take my seat
behind Knox. He looks in the rear view mirror and raises his eyebrows
at me, and I just nod as I reach my hand in between the door and the
seat resting it on his arm and give him a squeeze. Sitting back
against my seat, I put my headphones on and close my eyes as I listen
to the music beat through my skull.

I
feel a little anxious about going home, even more so since I spoke
with my mom yesterday and informed her that I have extra guests with
me. She huffed and puffed for a while, but eventually gave in and
complained about not having the second guest room cleaned up, which
in others words it still has the same unused sheets on the un-slept
in bed and she thinks its dirty. After a while I feel the truck stop.
Opening my eyes, I squint at the sun glaring through the window at me
and see a familiar diner.

Knox
opens the door and smiles, taking my hand. “Hungry darlin’?”

Shaking
my head no, I climb down and stretch. We all walk into the diner
taking the large booth at the back, where Knox and I shared our first
unofficial date. He slides closer to me wrapping his arm around my
shoulders.

“You
okay, darlin?”

“Yes
babe.” I smile at him.

I
order coffee while the others get breakfast and Max has to have a
milkshake. Knox forces me to eat some of his pancakes and bacon.

“Now,
much better.” He winks, licking a drop of maple syrup off my
lip before kissing me.

“I’m
going to the restroom before we get back on the road.” I climb
over him to get out, only because he refused to move and found it
hilarious. Paige jumps out of her seat and follows me without
speaking. I wash my hands and wait for to do hers.

“Paige,
you can talk to me you know. I’m not going to bite.”

She
nods. “Yeah, I know. I just feel like an asshole.” I
shrug because I don’t disagree. We both look at each other for
a few minutes then burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, I
swear.”

“I
know.” We hug it out and leave the restroom a little happier.

Walking
back to the booth we notice the guys are gone, so we head to the
door.

“Excuse
me ladies. Are either of you going to pay?” Paige and I
exchange glances before looking back at the waitress. “Those
two guys said you’d pay before they left.”

Running
to the booth, I bend down to peer out of the window and see the truck
is gone. “Paige, do you have money because my stuff is in the
truck?” I ask, standing up. She shakes her head no. “What
the heck?” We both stare at each other.