Page 245 of Knox Academy Omnibus
“You sure? Here’s your clothes.” He hands them to me as I flip onto my back and just about manage to sit up. I catch them and thank him, slowly pulling them on and passing him back his shirt.
“So...I’ll see you in the morning then?” Kalen asks awkwardly.
“Yeah.” I bite my lip. Why does this feel so weird? What do I say? Kalen sighs.
“I wish I could sleep in your bed with you.”
I nod at him.
He grabs the blankets and with one last indecipherable look at me, disappears back towards the house. I locate my phone and check the time, deciding to wait five minutes. I can grab that drink from the kitchen on the way back in.
When my time’s up, I hurry through the garden to the house, stopping for a glass of water before moving upstairs. The house is quiet and I breathe a sigh of relief as I slip back into my bed, undetected.
I’m just relaxing back, melting into my mattress, when my bedroom door opens and my heart flies into my throat.
“I had to say goodnight properly,” Kalen whispers, rushing across the room to kiss me deeply. “I love you, Amelie.”
I blink and he’s gone as fast as he appeared, the warmth on my lips the only evidence I didn’t just dream his fleeting visit. A small smile plays on my face as I think about Kalen’s call. Istarted the night frustrated with him for waking me up. But it was totally worth it.
Amelie
Okay, shoot. You may have won me over a little bit.
Baxter
Seriously? How? What did I do?
Amelie
Erm, that one and only stuff?!
Baxter
Really? Does that shit work?
Amelie
Goodbye Baxter Reginald Branson.
Baxter
Lol! Not even close!
Chapter Twelve
Baxter
I did need stitches. Twenty in fact. Ten on the back of my hand and another ten on the palm. The cut was small of course, even though she drove the knife right through with surprising strength, but my grandfather only employs the best, and so an expert surgeon was on standby to stitch me up. Pretty sure I could have done it myself, but this way the scarring will be minimal. Just like that cut to Kalen’s cheek. Damn boy is too pretty for his own good. I don’t mind a scar or two. I’ll happily wear them as badges of honour. Unlike Slate who prefers to keep his shame hidden.
I can’t help but wonder what state I’ll find Onyx in when I go back home. I had planned to wait out the rest of the break here on the island, but I find myself fired up and restless to get moving. I have so many questions I want to find the answers to now, a purpose I didn’t have before.
Raven’s words keep ringing in my ears too. About my lack of business experience. I’ve barely been trying in my studies. To begin with, I was keen to impress Daddy Knox, but once Iunderstood that he was just using me, I stopped trying. So long as I was doing what he wanted, he would let my grades slide. But...I’m due to leave Knox in a few short months. And if I really want to stand on my own two feet away from The Order (assuming they let me live long enough to try) I’m going to need an actual degree to be able to do that. Not just a token slip of paper with a bachelors in business management scrawled on it by Monty. If it’s not too late, I want to try. I want to earn that right to take over the reins of my grandfather’s company.
Which is another reason to head home. I have exams after the break. Exams which I’d better start studying for. I’m not foolish enough to think I can turn around nearly four years of not giving a fuck in a matter of weeks, but if I putsomesort of effort in, at least I won’t be ashamed or feel like a total fraud come graduation day.
I manage to intercept Grandfather on his own at breakfast.
“Can we talk?” I ask. He sighs and looks at me wearily.
