The Do-Over (The Rooftop Crew #5) - Piper Rayne Page 0,71
to her side, her bra hanging off her finger. “I left my bra off just in case. We can skip a step.”
She just doesn’t quit, does she?
I growl deep in my throat. But then again, hasn’t this always been the way it was with us? She’d seduce me, and since I thought she was the one for me, I’d let her. What a complete jackass I was.
“I’ll be back.” I go to my bedroom and hurriedly dress in my jeans and Henley because it would be just like her to walk in on me. On purpose. I’m surprised she doesn’t actually.
I peek into the living room and see that she’s made herself comfortable, drinking a beer on the couch with a bag of chips in her lap while she watches television. I shake my head then grab my phone off the nightstand and text Patrice.
I step into the living room and sit in the chair across from her. “You are aware there’s a warrant out for your arrest, right?”
“Yeah, I was thinking you could fix that for me.”
“Why would I?”
She giggles. “Because you’re my Knox.”
“Meaning?” I arch an eyebrow.
“Can we please stop this? I get that you had your fun with my lookalike, but I’m back. I know I was horrible, and I should’ve never run away. It took me a long time to realize what was good for me, but I want you back, baby. I want a future with you.” She puts the chips and beer on the table and pushes herself up off the couch.
She’s got to be fucking kidding me.
I hold up my hand before she gets too far. “Stay there.”
She nibbles on her cheek and wiggles her body before sitting down. “Want to play?” She grabs the hem of her shirt and inches it up. “I’m up for playing the little bad girl. You can punish me.”
“Fuck, Leilani.” I stand from the chair and it bounces backward, falling to the floor from the force of my ejection. “What don’t you get? I’m not attracted to you anymore.”
She blows out a breath. “Oh, but you are to Kamea? We’re practically the same person.”
“You’re wrong there.” I sit on a breakfast stool, feeling safer. “She’s nothing like you.”
“I’m cooler.”
“What are you, twelve?” I scowl.
“I’m just saying. She’s always wanted to be me. Always following me and copying what I did. Of course she wanted you—because she knows how much I love you. Can’t you see, it’s all just a setup? C’mon Knox, you can’t be dumb enough to really fall for her.” She grabs a chip and puts it in her mouth.
I hate that her accusation of being dumb pisses me off. “You never wanted me. If you did, you wouldn’t have left me so many times.”
She stands. “Not true. It just wasn’t our time. Our time is now. I want to settle down with you.”
I remain silent for a moment, Kamea running through my brain. I’m fucking this up the longer I’m in here with Leilani. Just put the dirt over the coffin, Knox. Nothing is gonna come from dragging this out.
“I love her,” I say with conviction I hope Leilani hears. I inwardly wince that Kamea isn’t the first to hear me say it. “She’s everything I’ve always wanted. She’s everything you’re not.”
Her smile finally drops, and she looks as if I smacked her across the face. “What does that mean? Does she let you fuck her anywhere you want? Does she play your little role-playing games?”
“I don’t want any of that with her because I don’t need to pretend she’s anyone other than who she is.”
Leilani guffaws. “You can’t be serious. Did you read that somewhere?”
“She’s caring and sweet and listens to me. We have a mutual respect. It’s not all me doing things for her. She does things for me too.”
“Well, you gave her a place to stay. Of course she does.”
I tilt my head. “How did you know that?”
She blows out a breath. “I have my ways. I was glad you let her live with you, but falling in love with her? Come on. Get real.”
“Remember that night I first met you?”
“How could I forget? Sex in the alley? That was hot.”
“I was hitting on Kamea first that night. But I didn’t want to be hurt again, and my buddy said she was the kind of girl you take home to Mom. Then you breezed in and you definitely weren’t that type, so we hooked up.”