isn't hers.”
I don't say anything, mainly because that's a legitimate fear I have. I should hate her, not care about who the hell she dates, but I can't help it. Nothing I do to keep my mind off her seems to work, and this jealousy thing is really starting to get on my damn nerves.
“Listen,” he continues. “All I'm saying is I've seen the way you look at her. It's the same way I used to look at Sav. You're angry about something, and you're fighting the feelings you have for her. And take it from someone who's been there—it's not worth it. Having a girl like that on your side beats any reason for being against her by a long shot.”
Knox comes over, and all speak of Lennon ceases immediately. “What are you two girls talking about?”
Grayson smiles. “Just bestowing my wisdom on young Cade here.”
Knox laughs. “Dude, he's the same age as you.”
“No shit?” He glances at me, and I shrug, taking a swig of my beer. “Then stop acting like a fucking child and get your girl.”
EVERYONE LEAVES BY THREE in the morning, and as soon as her friends are gone, Lennon is nowhere to be seen. I lock up and make a mental note to clean up in the morning, then head upstairs. There’s no way I was going to try talking to her while the party was still going on. Not when she was sober and not when she had the strength of all her friends around. She'd reject me again just for payback.
The light that filters from her room at the top of the spiral staircase tells me she's in here, and I take a deep breath before going in. She's standing at her window, looking outside, but I can tell she knows I'm here by the way she tenses.
“What do you want, Cade?” Her voice is soft—broken almost.
I take a step closer. “I just want to talk.”
“You keep saying that,” she sighs. “But nothing you say is anything I want to hear.”
Okay, ouch. I'm about to walk out and leave her alone when I remember what Grayson said. Granted, at first his words went in one ear and out the other, but after talking to Knox about Gray and Savannah's history, I figure maybe he's not full of shit after all.
“I'm sorry,” I tell her. “From the bottom of my heart, I'm genuinely, truly, sorry, but I'm not sorry for wanting this.”
She says nothing as I walk closer and press my chest against her back.
“You stand here, up in your ivory tower, untouchable to everyone—but not me. No. Mark my words. One day, I'll claim your mind, your body, your innocence. One day, you're going to be mine.”
Her breath hitches, but I'm not about to push this any further. I back away and leave her to process my words, smiling because I've never been so determined. Who says I can only have one? I'm going to get the girl, and the revenge.
I SIT IN THE kitchen as Lennon grabs a bottle of water and slips it into her dance bag that I put back in her room this morning. She's yet to say anything to me, but she hasn't glared at me either, so I'll take that as a win.
As she goes to leave, she stops in the doorway for a second and looks back at me. It almost seems like she's going to say something, but instead, she exhales and walks out. I don't know how long it's going to take before she talks to me again, but I'm definitely chipping away at her walls.
Once the coast is clear, I slip into the office and shut the door behind me. The safe is predictably hidden behind a painting that hangs on the wall. I take it down and put in the code. Lennon's Birthday. It's not the first time I've been in here, this having been one of the places I searched, but it's the first time I'm taking something out of it.
There has to be over a hundred grand in this thing, but I can't take more than I need. Otherwise, it'll look suspicious and Ken will notice. So, instead of going crazy, I take out a small stack of hundreds and put everything back in its rightful place.
I open the door slowly, looking around before I step out. Just as I walk away from the office, Melani comes into view.
“Mr. Knight, I didn't know you were still home.”
Keeping my hands