Page 59 of Knock Knock

“Let me cut your hair. I like the feel of it short.” He leaned in, teeth nipping at my earlobe. “It’ll feel so fucking good between my legs.”

“So cute,” Naomi squeaked.

“You two are sickening,” Devon groaned.

I ignored him. Sold on the haircut. “Cut it. But no green. Not yet.”

Xavi grinned. “Mmm, my baby.”

CHAPTER20

XAVI

I forgothow hot Nate looked with army hair. Buzzed fairly short to show off his cheekbones and bright blue eyes, I couldn’t stop staring at him. Or touching him. Running my palm over the soft prickle of his hair. I had the sudden urge to sit on his face and feel it between my thighs, but I swallowed that desire, saving it for a more appropriate time.

Because that ratty boy was staring at us from two lots over without knowing we could see him. Nate was trying to be subtle about it, but I could tell he was itching to get up and offer the kid a plate. The fear of scaring him off kept him seated, though.

Karen’s meal was…ohmigod. The best thing I’d eaten in at least four years, other than Nate’s dick. It was a simple BBQ’d meal with a meat I couldn’t name and some real live vegetables that hadn’t come from a can, a frozen bag, or Maddox’s farm, and everything was spiced just right. And, of course, Karen was proud about it.

“Xavi,” she whispered across the outdoor table. “I figured out how I’m gonna change the narrative for Karens.”

The fuck was a narrative? “How?”

“By helping Nate.” She made a plate, grabbed Nate’s hand, and went around the side of the trailer to lure Nate’s mystery boy out for a bite to eat. My eyes watered again.So much watering today!I watched them walk together, Nate holding onto Karen like he was the one who was afraid.

“Any lots available here?” I asked my dad.

Maddox and Devon both stared at me. “What?” Maddox asked. “You wanna move back?”

“Yeah, we miss it here. Better than a storage room, you know?”

Dad sighed. “There isn’t anything right now, but I can keep my ear open.”

“Lot 62,” Devon blurted. “It’s still abandoned because no one will move in there. They think it has bad juju.”

“You wanna put that bad juju on us?” I scowled.

“If anyone can replace bad vibes with good ones and make that place awesome again, it’s you two,” Devon said. “Yeah, I just said that. Fuck off about it.”

It was oddly sentimental for Devon, but it made me think. Lot 62 was one of the best lots in the park, and it really was going to waste. But it housed a lot of bad memories from a pretty dire time, and I wasn’t sure if we were even strong enough to change the energy of that place.

“We’ll drive Karen home,” Maddox said. “You two go over there and check it out.”

Even though they sucked at meddling, maybe they were supportive in different ways. Because that sounded an awful lot like they were on board with us moving into a trailer together… as in, together.

“Oh, honey. That’d be wonderful if you moved back,” Mom said, but I looked at Dad instead. He gave me a tight smile that said, ‘Even if you move back, she’s still my responsibility.’ I appreciated it, but it’d also make me feel a lot better to be around for my dad.

Karen laughed, drawing our attention just as the kid grabbed the plate and ran. Nate shouted something at him, and the kid threw up the middle finger on his way through the neighbour’s backyard. I’d never seen a bigger smile on Nate’s face.

I fist-bumped Karen when she came back. “World’s best dinner and righting the wrongs of Karens everywhere. Quite the night for you, sunshine.”

“Hey,” Mom said. “I make some good ones.”

No one else nodded except Devon, but Karen gave me a hug that changed me to my very core. I thought I could be important to her, but instead, she became just as important to me.

* * *

Lot 62 was private,overgrown and lonely. Right there was where Maddox had gotten arrested and my heart had shattered with worry, wanting to save my brother but having no idea how to do that. Over there, at the side of the lot and to the back, was where Jim’s lackeys buried contraband. The trail to the forest, which had led to more contraband, was barely visible through the weeds that had grown to cover the entrance.

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