Page 47 of As Thick As Thieves

“Do I look the type to laze around in the bath? Besides, I should keep my leg wound out of the water,” he answered. “Lean forward so I can see your back properly.”

“It’s stinging,” I sighed as I leaned forward, his fingers gently poking at the tender skin.

“I’m not surprised. They’re definitely healing though.”

“Can I ask you something?”

His eyes flicked up to mine with annoyance. “You’ll ask it anyway, so sure, why not.”

“Do you have any family? I don’t really know much about any of you, but I’ve noticed family isn’t something you talk about.”

“The Thieves are my family. Anyone before them doesn’t matter,” he said with a shrug. “Most of us grew up in the foster system when we weren’t in juvie.”

“Why’d you get locked up?”

A small smile tugged at his lips, and I could tell he was running through memories by the way his eyes became unfocused. “Jacking rich pricks’ cars in Crestford. It was such a rush.”

“So you’ve always had sticky fingers?” I chuckled, and he seemed to snap out of memory lane because he scowled at me.

“And you’ve always been nosey.”

“I just want to know you better since we’re dating,” I grinned, kneeling and turning to face him. “I might not know a lot about being social, but I’m pretty sure it’s normal for partners to know things about each other.”

“I’m not a fan of that,” he bit out, but vulnerability flashed in his eyes. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything.”

“Why are you so worried about Stone after everything he’s done to you?”

I wasn’t expecting a question like that, hesitating for a moment as I scrambled for an answer. Explaining myself was hard because deep down, I knew my feelings were ridiculous. Stone was a monster, one that needed to go.

“I don’t know,” I finally answered, getting comfortable before speaking again. “You guys saved me, even though you and Stone hated me at first. I want to hurt Stone because his betrayal cut me deep, but the thought makes me want to throw up. He only acted on impulse because he was freaking out. Haven't you done something like that before? If you had to hurt someone you cared about to save Drake, would you?”

“Do you hear what you’re saying right now? Stone handed you over to your father, who fucking sold you. You could be dead right now, and Stone’s reason was just to make you go because he didn’t like you. That’s insane,” he snapped, my eyes dropping to the water as I fiddled with my hands on my lap.

“He thought he was protecting you.”

“No, he was controlling a situation that he hadn’t approved of. We don’t need protecting from a fucking Kingslake princess, believe it or not,” he said sharply. “He was just scared because he saw us all falling in love with you and there was nothing he could do to control it. We always came to heel like good little dogs for him, but you changed things. You weren’t a job, so his word didn’t mean shit. He didn’t like that.”

“Why couldn’t he love me too?” I asked softly, my voice breaking. “I would’ve done anything he asked of me, I proved that, but—”

His arm shot out like a snake, his fingers curling around my throat firmly as he forced me to look at him. Rage filled his eyes, his voice sharp. “Don’t. Stone doesn’t deserve someone like you.”

“Why not? You treated me like shit and you still got me,” I threw back, not surprised when he hauled me out of the bath. My wet feet slipped on the floor but he kept me tightly in his arms, my eyes widening when he stopped in front of the mirror.

“I got you because I fucking earned it and can admit I love you. Look at what he did to you and tell me he deserves what we have.”

“Knox—”

“Look!” he barked, sliding a hand around my throat to keep me in place, forcing me to stare at the wounds on my stomach. “He’s the reason you got hurt, and if Lopez hadn’t been at your father’s house that night, you’d be either dead, or wishing you were. You would’ve been beaten, raped, and passed around old rich dudes until they got bored with you. Then if you survived, you would’ve been sold to someone else to go through it all over again.”

“He didn’t know!”

“He had no right to make that choice! You’re ours, not his!” he snarled, fumbling with his pants with one hand without letting me go. “You’re mine, Penelope. He might be my brother, but you’re my girl, and he knows I love you.”

Tears burned my eyes as I shook my head. “You don’t—”

“I do,” he breathed in my ear, stroking himself against my ass. “I love you.”

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