Page 124 of Knox Academy Omnibus
“Didyouever make Amelie do anything she didn’t want to do?” he asks with a raised eyebrow. Touché motherfucker. I’m not admitting that though, so I just fold my arms and glare at him some more.
“I need todosomething. I’m guessing it was Onyx that dealt with Mark already. The bastard should have waited for us to really make him pay.” I take a deep breath as most of my anger suddenly leaves me and I sag. “What can I do?”
“Right now? Go tell our brothers the state she’s in. Speak to Elsie, and between you both arrange a schedule to bring her meals – soup and soft shit – in her room so that she can stay in bed for a few days. Maybe Elsie can come over and keep her company, unpack, watch films or whatever shit girls like to do.”
I listen to Sawyer’s advice and decide that I can do one better than that. I’ll appoint myself her own personal nurse. Even if she refuses to see me, I can care for her from the shadows. I’llbeher fucking shadow. She’s not leaving my sight. I pull out my phone and begin to rattle off instructions to my brothers. I’m putting my foot down, Onyx, our father and The Order be damned. No one is hurting my girl again.
Chapter Eleven
Amelie
Fuck, ouch, shit! Everything still hurts. I’ve been putting a brave face on for the last couple of days whenever Elsie has been around, but I’m seriously regretting agreeing to go to this party she mentioned tonight.
I was always reluctant, but she wore me down over chick flicks, booze and comfort food. Even after I agreed to go with her, I tried to get out of it by claiming I had nothing to wear, but that just made her damn perky face light up even more. She loves nothing more than shopping and makeovers, and I just gave her the perfect opportunity to do both.
She knocks on my door and I carefully cross it to let her in. The bruising around my neck has faded fast, but the ribs are still sore as hell. Maybe I’ll just drink until I’m numb tonight. Opening the door, I scowl when I see she’s chatting to Kalen. He’s been camped out on the floor outside my room for days now, even though I have no intention of speaking to him. I grab Elsie’s arm and yank her into my room, away from public enemy number one, even though the sudden action makes me wince.
“You’re still hurting,” Elsie says.
“I’m fine,” I wave her off but even that movement is stiff. “What were you doing talking to Kalen?” I accuse.
“He was asking for our dinner order. You know he’s the one that’s been sending the food up every day?”
“I guessed,” I snap. I don’t want to take anything off him, but I haven’t exactly been in a position to dance down to the dining hall for dinner. I throw myself down onto the bed and hiss in pain. Goddamn it.
“Maybe we shouldn’t do this…”
“You’ve been nagging me for days, you can’t change your mind on me now,” I reply. Then I want to hit myself; a moment ago I was trying to get out of this stupid party, and here I am now begging her to take me. I hate being injured, it makes me a damn idiot.
“Well, can you at least take some painkillers?”
“Can’t,” I reply. “I plan to drink until the pain is gone. I don’t think painkillers and bourbon are a good match.”
Elsie eyes me skeptically, I’m sure our roles just got reversed. Usually she’d be sensible and I’d be all for mixing pills and booze. Like I said, being hurt makes me weird.
“So, you got anything for me to wear, or am I rocking sweats tonight?” The distraction tactic works and Elsie’s face lights up. She starts pulling options out of the bag I didn’t notice she was carrying, which clinks like a wino’s wheelie bin.
“Gimme the booze!” I demand. “Let’s get this party started.”
Elsie sighs and hands over the bottle of bourbon. She has some weird premixed cocktail shit that looks like radioactive piss, but she assures me is delicious. I use Susan – missed that bitch – to play some music, and I start to drink, while Elsie talks me through outfits and makeup looks.
I bail out for a shower after my first drink and I swear Elsie must think I’m masturbating with the noises I make while I’m in there. It just feels so damn good to wash my hair.
“Els?” I call over the noise of the shower.
“Yeah?”
“We’re gonna have to rethink the dress.”
“What?” She bursts through the door into the bathroom and stares at me with her hands on her hips. She looks ferocious as hell and I’m a little scared. She’s totally oblivious to my nakedness.
“I can’t shave my legs. I tried, but bending down just hurts too much,” I tell her with a wince.
“Finish up, and I’ll sort you out. I’ve just spent an hour matching the makeup I’m going to do on you to the style of the dress. I’m not letting a little thing like broken ribs and yeti legs stop me from making you fabulous!”
I laugh, shaking my head at her, and turn off the water. While I wrap my towel around me and carefully climb out of the shower, Elsie gets to work filling the sink with hot water. She grabs the shaving foam and razor, and orders me to sit on the closed toilet seat lid. I do, and she kneels, taking one of my feet into her lap. Carefully, she lathers the foam on my leg and then shaves it away. It’s an oddly intimate gesture, and the sensations are just weird. I’ve never had anyone else shave me before. When she’s done, Elsie repeats the process again, this time using conditioner.
“What are you doing, Els?” I frown.
