Read Online Fight for Me by Jessica Linden - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jessica Linden
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screen. BREAKING NEWS!
A toothy reporter took to the screen. “We have new information that Natalie Farrington Kent was abducted by this man, John Cowley, III.”
Natalie sucked in a breath as Knox’s picture appeared.
“Cowley may or may not be armed, but even without a weapon, he should be considered very dangerous. If you see this man, don’t attempt to apprehend him. Instead, call our crime hotline.”
She jumped as the door opened and Knox stepped through, carrying several bags and bringing with him the aroma of greasy french fries.
Clicking off the TV, she stood and faced him, ignoring her growling stomach.
“Your name is John?”
Chapter 5
Knox set the bags of food on the table and put the security chain on the door, taking the moment while his back was to her to collect himself. No one had called him that name in over a decade.
“Is your name John?” Natalie asked again.
He turned and met her stare with one of his own. “I haven’t used it in a long time, but legally, yes.”
Her expression softened and she ran her hands through her hair. “I think it’s time for you to explain a few things.”
He didn’t like delving into his past. No one at the gym even knew much about it—just that he’d been with X for a long time.
Yet he found himself inexplicably wanting to confide in Natalie.
A rich girl from the north side was the last person he’d expect to understand, but considering how much she’d just gone through to escape her own past, she just might. Despite their differences, they had that in common at least.
“You need to eat,” he said, handing her a bag of food from the burger joint. “I didn’t know what you’d like . . .” He trailed off as she shoved a handful of fries in her mouth.
She closed her eyes and moaned. “Fries never tasted so good.”
He closed his eyes briefly, the sound reminding him of earlier when she was writhing on the bed. He grew hard just thinking about it.
“Sorry,” she said when she noticed him staring at her. “I guess I was hungrier than I thought.” She unwrapped her burger and took a bite. “Who’s X?”
“X is . . .” He stopped, trying to figure out how to explain him.
Corrupt motherfucker
worked, but that description didn’t provide the entire picture. Plus, that label was applicable to half the people in this town. “He runs an underground fighting ring, among other things. If there’s something shady going on, chances are X has a hand in it somewhere.”
“Are you . . .
were you
his fighter?”
Knox paused, not wanting to answer the question. He wouldn’t lie to her, but he was afraid of what she might think, of how she might look at him when she knew the truth.
“Yeah,” he said finally, meeting her eyes. She used a napkin to wipe her mouth, her expression carefully neutral.
“I didn’t realize exactly what I was getting into,” he said. He’d never felt the need to explain himself to anyone, but he wanted Natalie to understand. “I was fourteen when I met X. I’d just gotten kicked out of my foster home, and X took me in.”
Knox had been covered in cuts and bruises from various fights with classmates and neighborhood kids who’d already dropped out of school. X cleaned him up and told him that when he was through with him, Knox would be the one leaving scars.
X had been true to his word. And Knox had adored him for it. He’d felt powerless his whole life, and X had empowered him, given him purpose. A future.
Or so he’d thought at the time.
Natalie ran her fingertips down Knox’s chest, tracing the X pattern over his shirt. “Is the X on your chest for him?” He could feel the ink on his chest as acutely as if it were burning him.
“I got it when I was fifteen.” He didn’t regret the mark that signified his bond to X. Once he learned the truth about him, it served as motivation to never forget. To never let his guard down again.
“And your parents? What about them?”
Knox hadn’t thought
A toothy reporter took to the screen. “We have new information that Natalie Farrington Kent was abducted by this man, John Cowley, III.”
Natalie sucked in a breath as Knox’s picture appeared.
“Cowley may or may not be armed, but even without a weapon, he should be considered very dangerous. If you see this man, don’t attempt to apprehend him. Instead, call our crime hotline.”
She jumped as the door opened and Knox stepped through, carrying several bags and bringing with him the aroma of greasy french fries.
Clicking off the TV, she stood and faced him, ignoring her growling stomach.
“Your name is John?”
Chapter 5
Knox set the bags of food on the table and put the security chain on the door, taking the moment while his back was to her to collect himself. No one had called him that name in over a decade.
“Is your name John?” Natalie asked again.
He turned and met her stare with one of his own. “I haven’t used it in a long time, but legally, yes.”
Her expression softened and she ran her hands through her hair. “I think it’s time for you to explain a few things.”
He didn’t like delving into his past. No one at the gym even knew much about it—just that he’d been with X for a long time.
Yet he found himself inexplicably wanting to confide in Natalie.
A rich girl from the north side was the last person he’d expect to understand, but considering how much she’d just gone through to escape her own past, she just might. Despite their differences, they had that in common at least.
“You need to eat,” he said, handing her a bag of food from the burger joint. “I didn’t know what you’d like . . .” He trailed off as she shoved a handful of fries in her mouth.
She closed her eyes and moaned. “Fries never tasted so good.”
He closed his eyes briefly, the sound reminding him of earlier when she was writhing on the bed. He grew hard just thinking about it.
“Sorry,” she said when she noticed him staring at her. “I guess I was hungrier than I thought.” She unwrapped her burger and took a bite. “Who’s X?”
“X is . . .” He stopped, trying to figure out how to explain him.
Corrupt motherfucker
worked, but that description didn’t provide the entire picture. Plus, that label was applicable to half the people in this town. “He runs an underground fighting ring, among other things. If there’s something shady going on, chances are X has a hand in it somewhere.”
“Are you . . .
were you
his fighter?”
Knox paused, not wanting to answer the question. He wouldn’t lie to her, but he was afraid of what she might think, of how she might look at him when she knew the truth.
“Yeah,” he said finally, meeting her eyes. She used a napkin to wipe her mouth, her expression carefully neutral.
“I didn’t realize exactly what I was getting into,” he said. He’d never felt the need to explain himself to anyone, but he wanted Natalie to understand. “I was fourteen when I met X. I’d just gotten kicked out of my foster home, and X took me in.”
Knox had been covered in cuts and bruises from various fights with classmates and neighborhood kids who’d already dropped out of school. X cleaned him up and told him that when he was through with him, Knox would be the one leaving scars.
X had been true to his word. And Knox had adored him for it. He’d felt powerless his whole life, and X had empowered him, given him purpose. A future.
Or so he’d thought at the time.
Natalie ran her fingertips down Knox’s chest, tracing the X pattern over his shirt. “Is the X on your chest for him?” He could feel the ink on his chest as acutely as if it were burning him.
“I got it when I was fifteen.” He didn’t regret the mark that signified his bond to X. Once he learned the truth about him, it served as motivation to never forget. To never let his guard down again.
“And your parents? What about them?”
Knox hadn’t thought
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