Page 7 of Knox
“Her daddy can’t even give her away,” Knox muttered. “Lacey, you’re old enough to know better than to discuss private negotiations. But the truth is, Jasper couldn’t have Josh. It’s clan business, and you need to keep your nose out of it. Besides,” he shrugged. “Josh got the better end of the deal, anyway. The horse won’t treat him like shit, or talk bad about him behind his back. No, that’s just you. Have fun tonight. Hope someone feels sorry enough to take you off your daddy’s hands.”
Silence reigned as Knox and I left through the back, and Sylvie stood by the back door grinning.
Chapter 5
Pizza
Sylvie didn’t say a word until we climbed into the Tahoe. “Girls can be bitches, Josh. If no one ever calls them down, they continue to fuck up. Lacey’s what?”
“Twenty-five,” Knox said from the back seat.
“Well, she’s too old for that,” Sylvie said.
I didn’t want to think about Lacey. She wasn’t the first girl to be mean to me and wouldn’t be the last. “I was thinkin’ food.”
“Oh,” Sylvie slumped. “No one is cooking tonight.”
“No, Ian and Finn are going to the barn party, and Mom and Colin have a date,” I said. If Sylvie didn't have money, she couldn't feed herself right now, either. “So, burgers? Chinese food? Pizza?”
I glanced at Knox’s reflection in the rearview mirror.
“Me?” His eyebrows rose. “Pizza?”
“Ooh, could I have pasta, Josh?” Sylvie whispered.
“Yep,” I nodded, tossing her my phone. “Order for delivery. Knox?”
“Oh, um.” He told her what he wanted, and she placed the order after getting mine.
Knox seemed shocked that I included him. He took up for me, which he’d never done; he wasn’t going to the barn party, and he was in the vehicle. Yes. This was why I invited him to eat.
“I’ll take you home after,” I said, and he nodded slowly.
Sylvie was happy I was feeding her, and she bounced in the seat. Knox kept watching me, much like the students in Ian’s class.
Should I have taken him home first? Was I being too nice?
I was too nice to Jasper, and look where that got me.
“It’s on its way,” Sylvie said, drawing me from my thoughts as I parked in the garage.
“Cool. Thanks.” I smiled, and she left the SUV, taking my phone with her while I gathered all her stuff.
Knox helped me carry things in and whispered a small ‘wow’ as I set the stuff on the bench by the door.
“Are you and Miss Avery together?” Knox whispered.
“What?”
“She lives here?”
“She is working with Uncle Ian for the next movie and will star in it. It’s kinda about us, so she is learning how we do things,” I said.
“Oh. To prepare for the role,” Knox nodded.
“Yeah.” Damn. Why did he think Sylvie and I were together? She was older than Ian.
“And you bought her food.”
