“We all did,” Knox said, sounding irritated.
I looked at Keelan. “We weren’t that loud, were we?”
He scratched the side of his neck. “How do I say this…？”
“You’re a screamer, babe,” Colt said as gently as he could.
“I—” I supposed I got loud, especially when I was close to coming. “Um…I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was doing something wrong. I won’t do that anymore.”
“No!” Colt and Keelan shouted at the same time.
“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Keelan assured me.
Colt nodded. “It’s hot.”
“And don’t stop talking in bed, either. I love that you’re brave enough to do that. Sometimes it can take a while for someone to feel comfortable enough to voice what they want,” Keelan explained.
Creed covered his face, groaning.
Knox slammed his mug down on the counter and stormed out of the room.
I turned back around and poured myself some coffee. Don’t do it. Don’t chase him. I let out an angry grumble and stomped out of the room.
“Good luck,” Keelan said as I left.
I walked into Knox’s room without knocking. I didn’t see him, but saw the bathroom door was open and the light was on. I headed there and stopped in the doorway. Knox was at the sink, arms braced on the counter and his head downcast.
“Knox,” I said.
He tensed up and looked at me through the mirror. “I wouldn’t be around me right now, Shiloh.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t guarantee that I won’t say something that will hurt you,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I supposed it was my risk to take. Stay or go? I wanted to push him like he pushed me all the time. I wanted to demand that he talk to me. But I was scared of the answer he’d give me.
He didn’t chase me.
Did that mean I already had my answer?
I thought it did.
I backed away and left.
19
Later that afternoon, there was a knock on my door. I looked through the peephole and saw that it was a police officer. I cracked the door open and peeked out. “Can I help you?” He was an older cop. Late forties, early fifties. His uniform was slightly different from the other two officers’ I’d seen last night. His looked crisp, almost decorative, and not as worn.
“Are you Shiloh Pierce?” he asked, his cold, honey-colored eyes bouncing all over my face.
“I am.”
“I’m Sheriff McAllister. I was informed there was an incident here last night,” he said in a professional tone.
This was Cassy’s father.
“I wouldn’t call it an incident. If you look in my driveway and at my window right here, you’d see that it’s more like vandalism or the destruction of private property.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “I thought we could talk about it.” He put his hand on my door. “Maybe I could come in.”
The hair on the back of my neck rose. My instincts were screaming to get away from this man. I put my foot up against the door and mentally pictured where my nearest gun was. Behind the TV and under the coffee table. “I’m not comfortable with that. I know you’re Cassy’s father.”
He held up his hands. “I only came here to have a heart-to-heart with you,” he said. “I want to tell you that Cassy regrets what she did. She hasn’t had an easy life. Her mother walked out on us when she was nine and I wasn’t home a lot because the job of a cop is very demanding. This is her first offense and I just don’t want this one mistake to ruin her future.”
He portrayed the role of a concerned father almost too well. I didn’t believe a single word that came out of his mouth. “No offense, sir, but your daughter is a bully. She has made my life hell since the first day of school. Bad actions have consequences. As a cop, you should understand that. Your daughter deserves what she gets.” The more I spoke, the angrier he looked. “I don’t think it would be appropriate to speak to you further without a lawyer present. Have a nice day.” I went to shut my door and he slammed his hand on it, stopping it from closing. He then pushed, trying to open it wider.
“You’re making a big mistake,” he snarled, with a violent rage molding his face.
I knew a threat when I heard one. Fear surged through my veins as I struggled to hold the door.
“I could arrest you right now. I would tell everyone you attacked me when all I tried to do was apologize. My daughter's charges will be thrown out by Monday,” he said in a low voice.