❥ KNOX'S POV

"Feel any better?" Knox asks after lying in silence with Everett for almost an hour.

"Yeah," Everett softly replies. "I know I'm not the easiest person in the world to deal with, so thanks for staying with me when you didn't have to."

Knox succumbs to the tugging at the corners of his mouth, breaking out into a smile. "As if I'd rather be anywhere else."

The pull Knox feels toward Everett is bordering on otherworldly. A traumatic event brought them together, and now Knox can barely stand to be away from the boy. He isn't sure how he ended up spooning Everett on his bed, but this is the position they wound up in after Everett's crying fit ended.

Knox would laugh at himself if he wasn't still upset about whatever the fuck it was that triggered Everett. Finn had placed the blame on Scar, but Knox prefers to do his due diligence before falling for hearsay. Something obviously triggered Everett, and Knox has never been more determined to get to the root of the problem.

And, if push comes to shove, eliminate it.

"Before I lost my shit and freaked everyone out, Finn explained to me the reason behind why you claimed me," Everett says, his fingers drawing made-up shapes on Knox's hand that's resting at his waist. "He also referred to you as The Beast. Is that your official nickname around here or something?"

"Or something," Knox grumbles.

"I didn't get to ask Finn about the meaning, so what's the story behind it?" Everett questions, and he doesn't miss the way Knox's body tenses behind him. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable."

Knox sighs at the apology, unconsciously nuzzling his face into Everett's curls. He's been here for a while, so his natural scent has mixed with Knox's cologne, creating a unique smell that makes Knox's head spin and core tingle in the most delicious way.

"It's more so about not making you feel uncomfortable," Knox says.

"God, is it really that bad?" Everett asks.

"Yes," Knox answers with another sigh. "I've done things over the years, a lot of sick and twisted shit, that will grant me a permanent spot in Hell when I die. Contrary to how I hype up the club and my brothers, I'm not a good person, Everett. I'm a monster; a fucking savage with no remorse. I may not have been born this way, but it's who I am now. There ain't no changing me."

Everett turns around at that, facing Knox. "There's still some good left in you, Knox. A lot of good. I wouldn't be here right now if there wasn't."

"You give me more credit than I deserve, kitten." Knox smirks, but this time, it doesn't reach his eyes. "Me calling myself a monster isn't some depressive statement to gain pity points; it's a fact. The things I've done to my enemies... they're unrecognizable by the time I'm finished with them. And you know the worst part? Sometimes I take pleasure in delivering pain. It feeds the demons that keep me alive."

Everett doesn't respond right away, just stares at Knox while he tries to paint a picture with the man's morbid words. If he ever finds what he's looking for, Knox can't tell, but Everett speaks a few seconds later. The question he asks this time, oddly enough, is one that Knox has never gotten asked before.

"Would you classify your enemies as being bad people?" Everett asks. "Every single one of them?"

Knox's jaw ticks while thinking of his answer. Face after face after mutilated face rushes forward into his conscious mind, along with a few repressed memories that evidently had not been buried deep enough.

"My brothers and I don't harm women and children," Knox responds. "All the men I've put down, they ranged from drug dealers to sex traffickers. So, yeah, they were bad people. The world is better off without them."

"Then maybe what you're doing isn't so terrible," Everett says. "Despite how you do it, cleansing the earth of bad guys doesn't sound all that horrific to me. You're neither a monster nor a beast. You're just... Knox." Everett smiles, poking at his broad, still very much bare chest. "My big, annoying panda."

Knox chuckles, relaxing a bit as the darkness of his past drifts back to where it came from. "How long do you plan on calling me that?"

"How long do you plan on calling me kitten?" Everett playfully counters. Knox doesn't respond. "That's what I thought, panda. I wonder how your brothers would react to hearing me call you that instead of The Beast. Bet they'd get a kick out of it."

Knox laughs. "The fuckers wouldn't let me live it down, so let's keep it between us for now."

It feels like Knox has entered The Twilight Zone, and he isn't sure whether to stay or look for a way out.

He just confessed to being a heartless killer and sadist, so why hasn't Everett run out of the room screaming? People are smart enough to steer clear of Knox based on his intimidating looks alone. His resting bitch face is no joke. Though, for whatever reason, none of that seems to phase Everett anymore, which further piques Knox's curiosity about the boy.

"So, uh, where'd you go earlier?" Everett asks, averting eye contact. "After we almost, you know... were about to do something we shouldn't have."

"You mean kiss and fuck?" Knox arches a brow as Everett's cheeks redden. "I'll never force myself on you, Everett. You ran into the bathroom because you weren't ready to do more with me, and that's fine. When the rational part of my brain kicked in, I left to give you some space. Hell, I needed it, too. I think we can both agree that we're too fucking explosive together when riled up like that."

Everett nods, still blushing hard. "Everyone is probably upset about us skipping out on our party. This isn't how I wanted my introduction to the club to go. I'm sure they all think I'm some kind of a nutcase now—"

"No one here thinks that," Knox interjects, speaking with assurance. He gently grips Everett's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "And you shouldn't either, understand?" Everett nods again, his eyes drifting from Knox's eyes down to his lips. "Careful, kitten. Trouble happens when you look at me like that."

"S-sorry." Everett scoots away, putting distance between them. Before Knox can scold himself for ruining the moment, his cell vibrates in his pocket.

"One sec." He sits up in bed to read the new text from Finn, informing him that Scar has rejoined the party. A hard scowl settles on Knox's face as he stands to leave the room. "I need to take care of something important." He pauses when his hand touches the doorknob, looking back at Everett. "Will you be okay on your own while I'm gone?"

Everett sits up on the bed and immediately begins fiddling with his fingers. "You're not leaving the property, are you?"

"No, kitten." Knox smiles. "I'll still be in the house."

"Okay. I'm fine here," Everett says, studying Knox's demeanor. "You look tense all of a sudden, so... be careful doing whatever it is you plan on doing."

It ain't me you should be worried about. Knox leaves before he says the wrong thing again and Everett convinces him to stay.

Long forgotten memories with Scar bubble toward the surface of Knox's mind as he marches to the main room. The guy was a good fuck, very nice to look at, and had a wicked sense of humor, but if what Finn said is true, then none of that gives him a pass for crossing the line with Everett.

Knox doesn't have the patience or time for petty games from past fuck buddies with a jealousy trait, and if Scar has a problem with that, then he can consider this his last visit to the clubhouse.

"Come with me." Knox makes eye contact with Finn and Scar after entering the main room. They follow him without asking questions, and Knox stops in a deserted hallway nearby. "From each of you, I want to hear what happened."

"What happened with what?" Scar asks, leaning back against the wall and looking bored. Finn nudges him hard in the side, glaring at him. "Oh. You mean what happened with the baby earlier? I don't fucking know. One minute he was fine, then the next he wasn't. For the record, I didn't do shit."

"Liar. Everything was cool until you showed up," Finn mutters, retelling the whole story from start to finish. "... and then he started shaking and crying and shit. I didn't know what to do, so I held him until you eventually showed up."

"Maybe the kid doesn't do well when in confrontational situations," Scar adds. "He didn't start freaking out until after Finn got in my face. As if I wouldn't snap his ass in two." Scar rolls his eyes when Finn whispers something threatening under his breath. "If anything, it's Finn's fault, not mine."

Knox is tempted to slap sense into them both, but he maintains his composure instead, just barely.

"From now on, you're to act like Everett doesn't exist," Knox says, looking directly at Scar. "What you and I had is in the past. Everett is mine now; I claimed him. Therefore, his problems are now my problems, and you already know how I feel about having to stop and deal with stupid shit like this, so kill the fucking games. I won't warn you a second time."

Scar smiles at the threat, stepping forward to place his palms on Knox's bare chest. He licks his lips before whispering in a sensual tone, "I'm sorry, big daddy. I didn't mean to upset your new pet." He lowers one hand down Knox's body, daring to taunt the angry giant. "I'll do anything to earn your forgiveness..."

"Did you not hear a word I just said?" Knox snaps, gripping Scar by the neck and slamming him hard against the wall. "Keep testing me, Lucas. Keep fucking trying me and I swear to God..."

"Hey, man. If you're gonna kill him, maybe, uh... do it someplace other than the hallway where anyone can see?" Finn cautiously intervenes, and it's then that Knox notices Scar's face is now blue. "Come on, bro. What if your boy walks by and sees this?"

Knox releases Scar, taking several steps back. "Get the fuck out of here."

The man scurries off without another smart remark, coughing and gasping for air. Knox redirects his attention back to Finn, making him stand tall despite the immense amount of fear glowing in his eyes.

"You need to be more careful around Everett," Knox says in a lighter tone. "I still don't know which of you set him off, but you starting fights with people in front of him isn't helping shit either. The last time he saw you like that, he ended up covered in blood and holding Shaun's dead body. See where I'm going with this?"

Finn nods, looking apologetic. "Is he doing any better?"

"He's fine now."

"So, uh, are you officially off the market now?"

Knox makes a face. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying..." Finn shrugs, smirking mischievously. "You took everyone by surprise when you claimed the kid, and now you almost killed Scar for potentially triggering him into a panic attack. Seems like you two have gotten pretty close—"

"I wish you fuckers would stop saying that and learn to mind your own damn business for once." Knox stomps off, ignoring Finn's fading laughter.

When he makes it back to his bedroom, he finds Everett nestled underneath the covers watching a movie. He glances at the screen where a couple is holding hands and walking through a park, an upbeat pop song playing in the background.

Knox immediately laughs. "Is this...?"

"Yes, it's a romcom." Everett rolls his eyes. He turns the covers down on the bed and pats the empty spot beside him. "Get in and keep quiet."

Knox kicks off his jeans and happily obliges. "Is this what we're doing for the rest of the night? Sitting through hours of cringe and cliche fairytales?"

"Shutting your brain off and watching a feel-good movie where you pretend to be the main character sounds like a great time to me, Mr. Debbie Downer," Everett says, keeping his eyes on the screen. "Do you have something better to do?"

Knox smirks, stealing a peek at Everett's beautiful profile. Even if he did have something better to do, Knox wouldn't choose it over the moment that's happening now.

"I'm all yours, kitten," Knox says, getting comfortable. "Now, what's this sappy ass movie about?"