Only With You (Knights #2)

53

LANDON

John.

I grimace at my phone and tuck it back in my pocket and descend the stairs.

His calls have become more frequent since the night he almost hit me. And have gotten worse after I ignored him at the Portland Invitational. I know he’s annoyed I didn’t acknowledge him, and I don’t understand why he’s surprised. If I didn’t do it at his house, I’m not sure why he assumes I’ll do it out in public.

I’m not sure why he won’t get the hint that I don’t want him in my life. I’m not sure how much more forward I need to be for him to move on.

I have, though Reid would suggest otherwise, but I’m done with him, so that’s enough for me.

I go to the kitchen to grab the oat milk I told Julianna I’d buy but stop in my tracks. Saint is leaning against the counter, looking out of it, and his bottom lip has a gash in the corner. It’s cracked with blood, but it’s dry and there’s a bruise around it.

“Saint.” He still doesn’t look up. “Mate?”

“Sorry, what?” His gaze lifts as does a smile on his face and he plays with a small dagger in his hands.

“What happened to your lip?” I ask as Jagger saunters in.

He’s doing better now. The X-rays were all negative, and he was cleared to play for last night’s game. Unfortunately, it’s our first loss of the season, and while they’re bound to happen, last night should’ve been an easy win.

Jagger halts, zeroing in on Saint’s lip. “Don’t tell me it was the sheet again?”

“It’s a big fucking mattress. I’m not used to making my own bed.” He pushes off the counter and grabs the already made smoothie from the fridge and hands me the oat milk.

Jag tsks, flashing him a crooked grin, and types something on his phone before he slips it in the pocket of his trousers.

Saint flips him off when he looks at his phone. “I don’t need to watch a tutorial on how to make a bed, stronzo . I’ve got it now, but the fitted sheet just slipped.”

I cock a brow. “You’re telling me you punched yourself accidentally because your hand slipped when you were putting the fitted sheet? Again?”

I would’ve believed that he did that while high. Last year, he smoked a lot of weed. I don’t know how that’s even possible when we get drug tested. But somehow, despite the team and coaching staff knowing about it, he got away with it. I guess that’s what happens when your father has the money to make people shut up.

Someone must’ve said something, unless he willingly stopped on his own, because he hasn’t smoked in a while.

He takes a drink from his smoothie. “That’s how it happened.”

“He’s used to his maids doing it. Let’s give him some grace, because first-world problems and all that,” he sarcastically remarks.

Jagger’s not lying. We found out when Saint moved in that he didn’t know how to make his bed or any kind of chore because he’s never had to. He still does a shit job, but it’s better than when he first moved in.

“Anyway, I gotta go.” Jag grabs his keys from the drawer we keep them in and tosses me mine.

Saint and I sweep our gazes over him. He looks different, put together, like he’s trying to impress someone.

“On a date?” Saint tips his head to the side, assessing him.

“I don’t do dates. You know that. I’m just going out.”

“Since when do you just go out?” he inquires.

“Jesus Christ, are you my mother? It’s just a fuck. It means nothing.” He dips out before Saint can interrogate him any further.

Saint snickers. “Never seen him so tense for a quick fuck. You’d think he’d be good, because he’ll be in his element. He looked like he smoked the fattest blunt after I saw three girls from the swim team leave his room.”

Yeah, I don’t know what’s up with him, but I’ll ask him later. I gotta go.

“Oh, we’re good for Saturday and Cole will be here,” he says before I make it out of the kitchen.

It’s been a week since Julianna told me what happened and a week that I’ve been mulling over all the things I’d like to do to him. But if I act irrationally, I’ll do nothing but get in trouble and he’ll get away. So I’ve come up with something. I don’t know if it’ll work, but it’s worth a try.

I asked Saint to throw a party after semi this Saturday and make sure Cole shows up, which won’t be hard to do. When Saint throws a party, everyone comes.

He didn’t ask questions and just got it done even after I told him not to tell Jagger or the other guys it was my idea. But mainly Jagger, because if he knows, he’ll want to talk me out of it because of the scholarship, but it means fuck-all to me.

“You know if you need help getting rid of a body, I know a guy.”

“I’ve no plans on murdering anyone.”

“Right, right, I was kidding…” he drawls, a cheery grin splitting across his face.

I narrow my eyes at him, but with Saint, it’s better not to ask questions. Sometimes, I can’t tell if he’s being honest or fucking around.

Polly opens the door and almost crashes against me, but I steady her before she falls.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you.” She sidesteps me, leaving the door ajar. “Prepare yourself,” she whispers.

“Why are you whispering?”

“Julianna’s parents randomly showed up and it’s not looking pretty.” She winces. “I feel so bad for her. I wanted to stay for support, but I knew if I didn’t leave, I’d say something and probably make things worse for her. Maybe you should come back later? Give them some?—”

“No, I’m going in there.”

“Landon, don’t,” she warns. “Whatever you’re thinking, just don’t. I know you’re concerned, but it won’t do her any good.”

“I can be civil.”

She incredulously stares at me. “You and I have two different definitions of what civil means.”

“I can be civil.” I repeat again.

I need to be there for her. Especially after everything she’s shared with me about her parents. I just know they’re talking down to her, making her feel like shit.

She softly groans. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“It’ll be fine,” I say, but I’m not sure if it’s me I’m trying to assure or her. “Is Gabby in there, too?”

“No, she’s working tonight, thank God. You know how soft she is. I know it’d break her heart to witness this.”

I nod because knowing Gabby, she’d somehow try to deescalate the situation. She’s all about peace, love, and unity. I don’t get it, but it makes her feel good.

After a brief goodbye, I step in and immediately feel the energy shift as all eyes fall on me.

Julianna stiffens, but I see the relief in her eyes, but her parents, they don’t bother to hide their contempt. They give me the quickest once-over and dismiss me like I’m not standing here.

“Set the milk down and leave,” her father orders, but doesn’t address me. It dawns on me that he thinks I’m delivering groceries. “Well, don’t just stand there, or were you not paid?”

Julianna jumps up to her feet, offering me the most apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know they were coming,” she feebly says, taking the milk but stands next to me and faces her parents. “Mom, Dad, this is Landon, my boyfriend.”

They sit up straighter. Her mother balks and her father sneers. His attention is solely on me now, assessing me from head to toe, not bothering to hide the disdain when his eyes land on the tattoos on my neck.

“Boyfriend?” her mum patronises, looking a bit disturbed. “When did this…happen?”

I hear her swallow next to me. “Uh, last week, but it’s not what you think.”

She scoffs. “Not what I think? You didn’t come home last week on Thanksgiving because you weren’t feeling well. So that’s the excuse?”

“Landon.”

“Huh?”

My annoyance grows, but I force myself to keep it down for the sake of Julianna. “I believe you called me that , but my name is Landon.”

A tight-lipped smile forces its way on her face, but she still disregards me. “So, he was the excuse? Is this why you want to drop your sorority and why you’ve been so distant? I swear if you tell me you’re pregnant?—”

“No, Mom, no,” she cuts her off, quickly shaking her head. “Landon’s not the reason for it and I’m not pregnant.”

It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

“I’ve just been thinking about a lot of things, things that I wanted to talk to you guys about.”

“Not this again.” Her father pinches the bridge of his nose. “ Landon , get out. This is a family matter.” Irritation laces his voice.

Anger rises, but again I tell myself to calm down. “Respectfully, I’m going to stay right here.”

He finally regards me, eyes filled with rage. “I didn’t ask you if you wanted to stay. I said, get out. I want to speak to my daughter. I don’t care that you’re her boyfriend. Get out.”

“No. I’m going to stay right here.” I stay rooted in my spot even though I can feel Julianna’s eyes on me, begging me to leave.

Her father laughs condescendingly, rubbing his chin. “Is this how you repay us after everything we’ve done for you? Everything we’ve given you? That is what you repay us with? We’ve?—”

“Dad, it’s not?—”

He stands and she shrinks back. “Don’t interrupt me! I didn’t fly out, leave my very busy job, to be disrespected by the both of you.”

I fist my hands at my sides, biting back the anger that threatens to explode.

I wait for Julianna to stand up for herself, to explain why she wants to drop her sorority, to tell them about becoming a teacher, but the silence feels like an eternity and I realise she’s not going to say anything.

“If you’d let her speak, she’d tell you why she wants to drop it.” I attempt to keep my voice levelled, but they look at me like I’ve threatened them.

“You’re with our daughter for a week and you think you know her?” her mother now speaks up and stands. “You know nothing. She does this thing all the time, gives up when it becomes hard. So, I suggest that you shut up because?—”

“Give up or you force her to do something she doesn’t want to?” I counter back.

Julianna’s head whips in my direction, but I don’t look at her because if I see her cry, I’m going to lose it.

“We’re leaving,” she grits, eyes like dagger on me.

“Mom—”

“We flew out to see you, because we thought you were sick. We’re leaving and when you’ve thought about what you did wrong, call us.”

It’s all happening too fast. They’re up and gone, slamming the door behind them before Julianna can get a word out.

“What the hell did you do?” she snaps at me, her eyes filled with remorse and sadness.

I’m taken aback. “Not let them disrespect you.”

“I didn’t need you to say anything,” she says, disgruntled. “Everything would’ve been okay if you had?—”

“Stayed quiet? Julianna, they talk to you like that because you stay quiet.”

“They’re my parents. What am I supposed to say after everything they’ve done for me?” she argues back.

“It’s their job. They’re your parents for a reason. You’re not their employee to treat you however the hell they want. Parents or not, that doesn’t give them a right to talk to you like that.”

She blows out a harsh breath and sniffs. “You don’t get it. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. If you hadn’t?—”

“Hadn’t what? Said anything, maybe everything would be okay? Everyone would be happy?” I scoff in disbelief. “Open your eyes. Your parents don’t give a damn. I came in and they thought I was delivering your groceries. They wouldn’t acknowledge me and called me that . They didn’t give me a chance because they made assumptions about me, but I’ll be damned if I stand there and take it just to please them .”

“What are you trying to say?”

“You know exactly what I’m trying to say.”

“I don’t. Say it.”

“You’re so eager to please your parents, you forget that this is your life, not theirs. You’d rather make yourself miserable just to get the validation you know you’ll never get from them. You’d do anything to make them proud, but deep down you know no matter what you do, nothing will ever be good enough to meet their standard.”

“I don’t need their validation.”

“No, you crave it.”

She stares unblinking, tears gathering in her eyes.

The anger has now evaporated, but anxiety surges inside me. “I’m?—”

“No.” She takes a step back as the first tear falls. “I need to be alone. Leave.”

“Julianna, I?—”

“I don’t want to be around you right now. I just need to be alone.” Her face twists in pain, lips trembling, the words leaving unsteadily from her mouth.

I feel like I’m in quicksand again. My chest feels tight and heavy. I want to say something, but clamp my mouth shut.

Rationally, it made sense. She was hurting and I wanted to make it stop.

“I’m sorry.” I swallow past the heavy boulder that lodges in my throat, and with one last look at her, I walk out with the memory of tears trickling down her face.