❥ EVERETT'S POV

Everett knows he is a walking contradiction.

He has repeatedly told himself that Knox is no good, that he's on the same level as Satan, yet here he is sitting on the man's lap having an internal debate on whether they should fuck the rest of the night away.

The right choice is always the hardest one to make.

"You'll ruin me if I give in," Everett voices his concerns aloud as if it'll be enough to put a stop to what his body wants to do.

"That's right. I will definitely ruin you," Knox answers. "From the inside out, I will touch, take, and mark what's mine. What I own. I guarantee you'll love every single second of me tearing you apart."

Everett's cock leaks at the wicked vision that Knox plants in his head. "M-Maybe I will."

He can feel Knox's arousal beneath him because he's literally sitting on it. Disappointment in the size is nonexistent. He uses one hand to remove the hair tie that's keeping Knox's hair up, and then he runs his fingers through it at an agonizingly slow pace.

"Are you trying to distract me, kitten?" Knox halfway groans, his large hands squeezing Everett's ass.

"No, I just like it better when it's down." Everett grins something deadly, feeling high off adrenaline and less like his rational self. "Have you been waiting for my permission to kiss me? Is that why you haven't done it yet?"

"All the times I've tried, we ended up getting interrupted." Knox chuckles. "I guess I'm holding off because I don't want this moment to end. But I'm not new to this... I can taste you in other ways, make you see stars without having my dick in you."

Everett blows out a heavy breath and rolls hips forward reflexively, finding way too much pleasure in dry humping. "I hate you," he repeats. "I hate how badly I want to fuck you. I hate how you make me feel like every inch of my skin is on fire, like I'm minutes away from combusting."

"I won't turn away if you do," Knox says. "I'll stand beside you with a smile on my face as I let you destroy me. The pain, the pleasure... It'll all be worth it."

"You don't know that for certain." Everett leans forward and parts his mouth, sweeping his tongue across Knox's bottom lip. They moan in unison. "And you won't be finding out tonight."

Knox blinks, confused. "What—"

Everett is off him before he can finish his sentence.

He runs and locks himself in the bathroom again, this time turning on the shower to mask the filthy sounds he's about to make as he attempts to finish what he couldn't earlier when Josie stopped by. He puts the top down on the toilet and sits with his legs spread, taking his cock out. Using his spit for extra lubrication, he then begins to stroke himself.

The doorknob to the bathroom jiggles.

"You're not actually taking a shower, are you?" Knox calls out, his deep voice strained. Everett answers with a broken moan, fisting himself faster to the sound of Knox's voice. "Damn it, kitten. That should be my hand wrapped around your pretty little cock, not yours." Knox grunts, trying the doorknob again. "Do you enjoy pissing me off or what? Fucking let me in, baby. I'll show you how to do it properly."

"Oh, fuck..." Everett pants, squeezing his eyes shut as his body floats near a messy climax. Within minutes, he cums hard with Knox egging him on in the background, his right hand coated in his release.

"Open the fucking door, kitten." Knox jiggles the doorknob again, but more aggressively this time. "I want to see the mess you've made because of me."

Everett shakes his head as if Knox can see him right now. He isn't sure why, but he starts to freak out once his mind clears, moving quickly on wobbly legs to turn off the shower and get himself cleaned up.

He dances between relief and embarrassment while staring at his flushed face in the mirror. Never has a man caused him to react like that before, pushing him to where he has a literal sexual breakdown. He wants Knox. And Knox knows he wants Knox. So why can't Everett just seal the fucking deal already?

All this teasing is bound to send one of them into cardiac arrest.

Why does he make me so weak? Goddamn him! We can't get that close again. This needs to be the last time. Everett looks away from his reflection, shaking his head in frustration.

After he gathers the strength to finally open the bathroom door, he's greeted with an empty bedroom. Knox is nowhere to be found, and the coldness of it all hits Everett like a wrecking ball.

Shit. Did I take things too far? Everett takes a few moments to center himself, using the time alone to change his clothes because his current outfit now reminds him of a man that he tells himself he can't have. And it's also a way for him to pretend the bathroom incident never happened.

He leaves the room in search of the biker that has him in a figurative, emotional headlock. Maybe he should apologize for leading Knox on? Or he should demand an apology from Knox for starting it all? Not a lot makes sense at the moment. Nothing but finding Knox and making sure he's okay.

I should sleep in another room tonight. It'll be the best thing for both of us. Everett sighs at the thought, barely believing it.

Following music and chatter, his wandering leads him into the main room, and it looks like a party is going on. Men and women are half-dressed, some of them openly flirting with each other while the rest look minutes away from ripping their remaining clothes off.

Josie, the only person here besides Knox that Everett has grown to tolerate, is also nowhere to be found. Only one familiar face stands out in the raunchy crowd, and he's walking towards Everett with a smile like they're the best of friends.

"Welcome to the family, kid! You're one of us now. Want a beer or a joint to celebrate?" Finn asks, throwing an arm around Everett. "We don't do the hard shit around here. Pres doesn't allow it."

"I don't care. Where's Knox?" Everett asks after shaking Finn off him. "And why does this..." He waves a hand around the room. "... look like it's seconds away from turning into a giant biker orgy?"

Finn laughs. "After the news spread that you got claimed by the Beast himself, a fucking surprise no one saw coming, a few of us figured we'd do something special for you guys. Any excuse is a good enough excuse to throw a party, you know?"

"What the hell are you talking about, dude? I don't understand your weird biker lingo," Everett questions. "Did Knox sign off on all of this?"

"Nah. He ain't the partying type," Finn says. "Come sit. I'll explain everything."

Everett ignores the stares and playful whistles from the other members as he follows Finn to the bar. Taking a seat next to the man responsible for Shaun's death, Everett orders a glass of water with a slice of lemon in it. Better to be sober than intoxicated without Knox around to have his back.

"For most MCs, we don't just go out offering protection to anybody," Finn says. "If you ain't a patched member, the only way to get the club's full protection is by being claimed by a patched member, or being blood related to one, like their family. But it ain't always about protection. Many members claim their partners to keep others from going after them."

"Like in a romantic type of way?" Everett asks.

"Yup," Finn says.

"I get it. Knox claimed me to keep me safe. That was the only way I'd be able to get you guys help when I needed it, right?" Everett asks. Finn nods, smiling like he knows a fat secret. "And how does this affect me personally? I have the club's protection in exchange for what? Am I his fucking property now? I'm supposed to jump whenever he tells me to?"

"I see why he's drawn to you," Finn laughs. He chugs the rest of his beer down before ordering another. "You're a damn firecracker. But, yeah, it's something like that. You belong to him now, so if you want to stay alive, I suggest doing whatever he says."

Everett rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his drink. "I appreciate what he's done for me, but I'm not turning into his damn slave. Where did he go, anyway? Did you see him come through here a few minutes ago?"

"Yeah," Finn answers. "He came through like a fucking hurricane. Had a nasty scowl on his face, too. What'd you do to him?"

"I..." Everett blushes. "I didn't do anything to him. That's the problem, I think."

"Are you talking in code now? What does that mean?" Finn chuckles. Everett shakes his head, killing the topic. "Hey, for what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened to your, uh, boyfriend. I wish things hadn't gotten out of hand that night."

"Shaun wasn't my boyfriend," Everett says. "But thanks for the late ass apology, I guess."

"How've you been holding up?" Finn asks.

"Don't ask if you don't actually care," Everett snaps, standing from his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. "Can you please just tell me where Knox went? I don't want to be here." 

"Whenever he gets into one of his moods, he likes to go sit by the river," Finn says. "It's at the edge of the property on the south side. Sometimes he'll walk there, other times he'll take his bike. I'd show you the way, but I'm fucking smashed right now."

"I can show him the way."

Everett and Finn both turn around at the sound of the fresh voice.

It belongs to a man with bright blue eyes, a welcoming smile, and a lean body. He's dressed in dark jeans and a white shirt that's barely containing his muscular build, tattoos covering the length of both arms. He runs a hand through his short brown hair while assessing Everett, a hint of suspicion in his expression.

"I doubt Knox would want you to do that. Fuck off, Scar." Finn spins back around to tend to his drink. "Don't entertain him, kid. He's just trying to start shit because he used to be Knox's plaything, but never got claimed by him."

Scar smiles at that, but his eyes remain on Everett. "Are you implying that I'm a scorned lover, Finley?"

"What'd I say about calling me by my fucking government name, asshole?" Finn stumbles out of his seat to face off with Scar, staring him down just like he did Shaun at Club Inferno. "You're lucky Knox hasn't banned your sneaky ass from hanging around here. Keep pushing my fucking buttons and I'll make sure that happens."

"Calm down," Scar responds, looking completely unphased. "You're scaring the baby."

Everett tries, but he can't seem to pull his eyes away from the man's face. He can't stop staring at the long scar that cuts across the man's left eye. So much beauty, and twice the pain...

Is this what Knox's type looks like?

"Hey, you good?" Finn asks softly, gently grabbing Everett's arms and squeezing.

It isn't until then that Everett realizes he's shaking and everyone's attention is now on the three of them. He blinks several times, trying to get his eyes to focus while silently praying for the room to stop spinning. It worsens when he moves, his legs unstable and his heart pounding as he struggles to breathe.

"Shit." Scar suddenly sounds like he's a million miles away. "You should sit him down. I think he's having a panic attack."

"Because of you!" Finn shouts, pulling Everett closer to him. "Someone call Knox! I don't fucking know what I'm doing here." Everett clings to Finn's shirt, trembling and struggling for air while burying his face in Finn's chest. "It's okay, kid. You're okay. You're safe. Everything is going to be alright."

It doesn't feel that way, not with Everett's head still spinning like a merry-go-round.

The rock music abruptly shuts off and the sound of heavy shoes stomping in and out of the room goes on for several minutes, but it feels like years to Everett.

When that noise eventually quiets down, it's replaced by a deep, booming voice.

"What the fuck happened to him?!" Knox snarls. Everett immediately looks up and meets Knox's gaze, tears falling from his brown eyes. "Everett," Knox whispers, crossing the room within seconds. "Who did this to you? Tell me what happened."

"Scar happened," Finn mutters, glancing around the room. "How convenient. He's already gone."

"If you see him again, text me immediately." Knox pulls Everett into his arms and cradles him against his chest. He takes one last look around the room, his grey eyes scanning the flustered faces of his brothers and their women. "I'm only going to say this once, so spread the word—if anyone has a problem with Everett, come see me about it. I swear it'll be the last fucking problem you ever have."

No one dares to utter a word following that.

Knox carries Everett all the way back to his bedroom, still unable to get a word out of him. Knox hides his fear well, maintaining his composure to prevent the boy from spiraling any further.

"Talk to me, kitten. I hate seeing you like this." Knox sits at the foot of the bed, never letting go of Everett. "Did something trigger you? Was it Scar?" 

"I don't know," Everett sniffles. He closes his eyes again, focusing on Knox's gentle touch as he wipes Everett's tears away. His pulse calms once his breathing levels out, his heart finally beating its natural rhythm. When he opens his eyes, he sees nothing but an ocean of grey. "You left me," Everett whispers. "Please don't do it again."  

Knox nods, leaning down to rest his forehead against Everett's. "I won't."