Random Knigghts by Dennitra Lomax (crime books to read TXT) 📖

to because, I like you, a lot.”
I shot my head up, the tears left as quickly as they came. Embarrassment replaced them.
“Oh my gosh,” I held my face in my hands, “I feel so stupid.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, and Liam joined in.
“You are insane to think that I didn’t enjoy our kiss. It was perfect.”
Liam smiled down at me, his contagious smile. I smiled back.
“Ya think so?”
I couldn’t believe he called our kiss perfect! It felt like I were flying on a cloud. I didn’t think it possible, for me, to be this happy. The word was so foreign.
“For sure. It was the best kiss I ever had.”
I wanted to get a feel for how many girls he’d kissed.
“The best? Really? Out of all the girls you’ve kissed?”
Jake smirked. I was definitely busted.
“You’re a devious one, aren’t you?”
I laughed, so hard I cried. I’ve never been called devious, before.
“Just a little bit,” I said, after my laughter calmed.
He laughed, at how his statement tickled me.
“But honestly, I haven’t kissed that many girls.”
I looked into his eyes, to find his lie hidden there. I found nothing, so I dropped my investigation. I shrugged, and thought about what our kiss meant. It meant so many things. It meant someone actually cared for me, truly cared. I was no longer alone. It meant I had something to look forward to, and I’ve never had that before. I had a reason to be happy, and that made me happy.
“So, how many guys have you kissed?”
“Oh, not that many.”
If I told him the truth, he’d probably think I was pathetic. Then again, I didn’t want him to think I just went around kissing everybody. Like he’d really think that.
“Just one.”
“Just one other guy?”
He wasn’t getting it, at all.
“No, just you.”
I looked down, but looked back up at him to catch his expression.
“I, was your first kiss?”
His tone, wasn’t what I expected. He seemed blown away, almost shocked.
“Well, yeah.”
I couldn’t help but frown, but I managed to cover it with an awkward smile.
“Wow.”
Liam moved closer to me, and took both my hands into his.
“It’s pathetic isn’t it?”
Of course I was pathetic. Who has their first kiss, when they’re juniors in high school? My first kiss should’ve been when I was 7, playing at a park in the dirt, with a kid I hardly knew. Not with this guy, of whom I was infatuated with.
His burrows frowned at my question.
“Not at all, Ally. It’s surprising, not pathetic.”
He tilted his head downward, and stared into my eyes.
“Who could resist these beautiful lips?” Liam caressed my lips, before answering his own question, “I have not the slightest idea.”
Out of habit, I lowered my head to hide my embarrassment, but he lifted it back up. His warm lips were on mine, and everything else seemed so insignificant. I felt myself becoming more and more addicted to him by the second, and I could do nothing about it. As if I wanted to. Although my eyes were closed, and everything was already black, it seemed darker. When I opened my eyes, they hadn’t played a trick on me. It was darker. The sun was so low in the horizon, there was hardly any light. That sight made me freeze. Liam’s eyes opened.
“Ally? What’s wrong?”
The urgency to get home overwhelmed me, and I was scattering to get there as soon as possible.
“I need to go home.”
I looked at the trees around me, searching for an exit.
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
His question ceased my urgency for a moment. I turned to him, calm, but still frantic to get home.
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong Liam. I just really have to get home. I wasn’t keeping track of the time.”
Liam looked at the watch on his wrist. I hadn’t noticed it before now.
“Ally, it’s only 6.”
The confusion on his face irritated me.
“Ugh, I just have to leave, alright!”
I stormed off, even though I had no idea where I was going. I should’ve paid more attention when he led me in here. Then again, I thought I knew every inch of this small town. I heard Liam chasing after me. When he reached my side, he grasped my hand into his.
“If you really wanna get home, follow me ‘cuz your going the wrong way.”
While laughing at me, he turned me around and guided me in the right direction.
“Thanks,” I replied, mutely.
“No problem.”
Liam’s voice was chipper, even though I was being rude, and I felt bad.
“I’m sorry that I snapped at you, and that I’m being all weird about having to get home. I totally ruined our time together.”
I really had ruined our moment. It was the best time I’ve ever had, with anyone.
“You didn’t snap at me, at least I didn’t think you did,” his smile shone through the darkness, “and if you have to get home, I totally get it. Your parents are smart to have a curfew for you. It means they care.”
His statement would’ve been correct for anyone else’s family, but not mine. My curfew had nothing to do with my parents love for me. It was more like David’s way to control my every move. I could see both our houses now, and I definitely didn’t want Liam to walk me to my front door. My palms started to sweat from nervousness. When we got close to Liam’s sidewalk, I turned to him.
“Thanks Liam, I had a great time!”
I kissed him softly on his lips, stared into his beautiful eyes, and ran to my house. When I reached my porch, I breathed in a gust of air, prepared myself for the argument that was sure to occur, and twisted the doorknob.


Chapter Eight

The door opened, and my mother stood in front of me. There was fear in her eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks. I wanted to ask her why she was crying, but she pulled me inside before I was able. With the living room lighting, I could see her face more clearly, and what I saw horrified me. Her hair was matted around her small face, wet from tears that streamed down continuously. Prints of red surrounded her face, and as I skimmed over her frail body, red covered it also.
“See, I told you she’d be home.”
My mothers voice was nervous, and shaky. Her eyes were focused on something, and my eyes darted to where hers were fixated. David. He stood several feet away from where we stood, his eyes on us, smoldering. His hands were in fists, at his sides.
“Where ya been?” He boomed.
His question frightened my mother and I, causing us both to jump. She hadn’t released my hand since she pulled me inside, and her hand grasped tightly around mine in reflex to David’s shouting. Before I could even think about answering his question, I realized this was all of my fault. David hit my mother because I wasn’t home, like I should’ve been. I felt a huge wave of guilt wash over me, and I knew the nausea wasn’t far behind. I can’t believe he would hit her, for something so small as me being late to get home. Well, then again, maybe I could believe it.
This wouldn’t be the first time he put his hands on my mother. I’m not sure what age I was when their relationship went downhill. For some reason, my mind tends to protect itself from traumatic experiences. All I know is, it started with their constant arguments. Over nothing really. It turned into him shoving her and pushing her around. I witnessed him doing this, but my mom brushed it off. Even though she played it down to be nothing, we both knew it wasn’t nothing. It progressed quickly after that, to him flatly slapping her across the face. I didn’t actually see him slap her, but I definitely heard it. When I asked my mom what had happened, she made up an excuse. She told me she ran into the wall, but I knew the truth. It was hard not to know, seeing as how, his entire hand was imprinted onto her left cheek. I wonder if she would try to play this situation down.
“You hear me, girl?”
David’s anger escalated. He started to close the distance between us and, by the look in his eyes, I knew him being any closer to us could end terribly. So, I thought quickly.
“I hear you, Dad.”
I was sure he’d enjoy me calling him that and, from the way he stopped in his tracks, he had. I knew this distraction wouldn’t hold for long.
“I’m so sorry, Dad. I know that I’m super late and, I really am sorry.”
I decided that sucking up to him would be the best move, regardless of how painful it was. Apologizing to him was harder than eating nails, not that I would know. But I’m sure eating nails would be extremely, painful.
“What were you doing out at this time of night?”
Although his voice was calmer, and his fists were unclasped, I wasn’t out of the woods just yet. His arms were folded, tightly over his chest, and his expression was that of annoyance.
“Well, Lana’s birthday is coming up, and I wanted to get her something from Ann’s clothing store. I couldn’t really find anything she would like, so I went to some other stores. Before I knew it, hours had passed, and it was nearly dark. Again, I’m sorry.”
Can you blame me for lying? Oh yeah Dad, I was just out with a guy that I’m crazy about, we made out, and spent the entire time, while we weren’t kissing of course, alone in a hidden place that no one knows about. Had I told him the truth, he would’ve strangled me. Literally. My mothers hand released mine, and she wrapped her arm around my shoulders gently.
“See honey, I knew she had an explanation. And quite a good one, by the way.”
She squeezed my shoulders tightly, and a meek, forced smile spread across her lips. I was both grateful, and annoyed by her attempts to ease the situation. It annoyed me how weak she was. Why she allowed David to do this to her, I would never understand. Nor did I want to. Regardless of whether she allows it or not, it happens, and she would be better off without him. If she only knew that. I always feel obligated to inform her of how better it would be for her to be alone, or at least with someone else, someone decent.
“Oh, well then. I guess time just got away from you, ‘cuz you know better than to be out, especially without my permission.”
I could see David’s anger fizzle out, and I knew the storm had passed. I exhaled slowly, and my mothers arm dropped from my shoulders, with relief.
“So, who’s hungry?”
My mothers chipper voice was an octave too high, and I frowned at her eagerness to forget all that just happened. She all but sprinted to the kitchen to prepare David’s plate of food, just the way he liked it. Meat, mashed potatoes with tons of gravy, green beans soaked in butter, and rolls of sweet bread. The sodium they consumed in one meal could kill an elephant! I never eat what they eat, and I