SEVERED BONDS:
Severing relationship or connection that you have with someone, you end it suddenly and completely.
I shouldn't have googled her.
The guilt was eating me alive from googling Jacob's mother whose name was Rebecca Rossi-Knight now that I knew more, so many questions remained unanswered. She was a famous Italian gallerist who married American business tycoon Christopher Eric Knight. Her shining empire was the Shining Stones which consisted of 51 art galleries in total all across the world.
Gallerists are art dealers who are the cogs in the art world machine that keep the wheels turning. These dealers sustain the market for emerging artists, support established artists throughout their careers, and contribute to the art scene through the work they choose to exhibit, buy, and promote. From taking chances on new talent to the long-term nurturing of artists' careers, these canny operators have a hand in the art world from introducing hot new things to market, assisting collectors to build their collections, to the work we see in public museum collections all over the world. Rebecca Rossi-Knight was responsible for launching the career of white-hot French artist Camille Henrot, and her establishment the Shining Stones also represented established artists such as Martin Parr, Huang Yong Ping, and Anish Kapoor.
Other than what a famous gallerist she was I read many articles and it showed how loved she was, praised by many. She died because of Leukemia which was caught late. In the art world she was basically the goddess of bringing soulful artists to the world's eye, and she was drop dead gorgeous from the pictures I had seen. Long luscious brown hair and big beautiful green eyes and whenever I saw pictures of her smiling it reminded me of Jacob because he had her smile. However everything else he had inherited from his father from his dark hair, blue eyes even his body structure he was the definition of a cardboard copy of Eric Knight. Not much about Thalia Knight was on the internet just that she died in a car crush ten years ago. And no indication of a Link Knight either, maybe it was Jacob's nickname growing up I think his third name is Lincoln if I remember correctly.
How ironic was it that Rebecca had given birth to an artist herself, one who was too afraid to show the world his work. It broke my heart Jacob was never going to get the chance to show his mother who had become or what he could create with just paint a brush and paper. I wondered what had made pick the brush up in the first place was his talent, something he was born with or he learnt along the way.
"Are you ok?" Jazz asked, I was in deep thought. I tend to have this look on my face when I'm thinking makes me seem angry so I've been told.
"Yeah totally, just thinking." I said with a smile on my face shaking off the memory of the Knights. I picked up the cup and had a sip of my mocha.
"You know you've been like this lately, I mean you've totally ditched us for that hot piece of ass and when you are with us you are always daydreaming." Kate sighed.
"Kate, that's so inappropriate." Jazz said with a disapproving head shake.
"She isn't wrong who wouldn't get lost in those deep blue eyes don't get me started on the body." Vic drooled, taking Kate's side. My face began to turn red at the thought of Jacob. We were at my favorite coffee spot. I had been nagged to come and hang out given I hadn't been spending much time with the girls.
"What were you really thinking about? I bet it was a daydream about those hot abs and you licking them." Kate suggested as she lifted her eyebrows up and down.
"Or better yet him and her doing the nasty till he blows her back out." Victoria suggested and both her and Kate began laughing. My mind went back to the day when Jacob and I had done some stuff and could feel the heat creeping up my neck. Suddenly the laughing stopped.
"What was that?" Kate asked. I looked up to her with a confused expression and so did Jazz and Vic.
"What was what?" Jazz questioned her.
"That look, Ellie had this look and her face when Vic made a joke about her and grumpy doing the nasty and look at her face she is turning red." Both Vic and Jazz immediately looked at me and I could feel my heart racing.
"Eleanora Pricce did you have sex with Jacob Knight and not tell us." Katherine leaned back into her seat whilst she folded her arms and awaited my answer.
"What, no that's not- no I didn't- why would you even-." I could barely finish a sentence before beginning a new one, and it seemed I was looking more guilty by the second.
"So you didn't sleep with him but something happened didn't it? Because I know that look all too well." She pressed and at this point my face was burning up and both Jazz and Vic just looked at me probably because they were in shock and were dying for answers. Kate and Vic had been the only ones in our friend group who had actually done it before for Vic it was a drunk mistake she wished to erase but for Kate she figured she just wanted to get it done and over with. We had listened to her tales of some of the guys she had hooked up with from other schools or be it during some trip she had taken with her family, she was adventurous like that.
"I didn't sleep with him." Was all I said but no one seemed to be buying it probably because I looked like I was hiding something which I was.
"He does have fingers and a tongue." Victoria said in a joking manner but when I didn't come to my defense instead I felt I was about to die and my silence was an answer.
"Oh shit, you dirty little slut." Kate said a bit too loudly and we began to get weird stares from a few people who were seated on some tables close to us.
"I'm back." Mia announced she had gone to get everyone's second round of mochas, ice teas and frappes with some baked goodies as well.
"What did I miss?" She was taking her seat and placing the food on our table as she asked that.
"Ellie was about to tell us all the nasty things she's been doing with Jacob." Kate excitedly said.
"Hold on, what!"
Oh Eleanora what have you gotten yourself into.
****
His dark hair was a mess pooling right over his shoulders, with some strands covering his face. The smoke curled it's way into the thin air with an e-cigarette in one hand and brush in another he had on a fixated look, brows knitted with a serious expression. He doesn't know it but he looks so peaceful whenever he paints it's like all that worries him vanishes, shirtless with denim jeans hanging low off his hips Jacob was sitting on the edge of a stool with his bare feet on the ground and another resting against the stool. His arm contracting every time he lifted it to let his brush gently but precisely make strokes upon his canvas.
I could stare at him all day, without a doubt in my mind he had to be the most beautiful person I had ever seen and it was when he looked like this that reminded me of his beauty. I was sprawled upon the couch in this art room a few feet from him, belly flat on the couch with my legs crossed in midair, a random book in front of me and a pen in my mouth. As I carelessly nibbled on it I let my eyes drink in the beauty that was Jacob Knight. But as I continued looking at him the more he seemed like a mystery to me. I had been thinking about the family portrait and the pictures of his family, I wanted to know more about him.
"Jacob." I said softly, pulling him away from the world his mind goes to whenever he paints.
"Hmm." He answered, his eyes searched for mine as he placed the paint brush down and used his hand to push his hair strands from his face.
"Did you have a nickname growing up?"
"What?"
"You know, did your mum and Thalia call you something different." He winced when I mentioned Thalia's name clenched his jaw and I could see it in his eyes he didn't want to talk about it. But then he never wants to talk about anything about the family he lost. I guess it was too painful but more than that I just knew there was more to it.
"No, why do you ask?" He answered with a flat tone.
"Nothing just curious."
He didn't say anything after that probably because he wanted to end this conversation he continued painting and I continued wrecking my brain for a possible explanation for what the hell was going on.
"Fuck."
"What's wrong?" I asked
"I think this e-cig is running out and I don't think I have anymore."
"You really need to quit smoking." I rolled my eyes while shaking my head.
"And why would I do that?" He continued smoking the almost empty vape.
"I could give you a whole list as to why you should, but —it's going to kill you— has to be at the top of the list."
"We are all gonna die at some point anyway."
"So what? You wanna speed up the process?"
He didn't answer me, instead he shrugged.
"Try it out."
"I don't know how many times you have to offer me to take one my answer will always be, no." I began swinging my feet back and forth as I turned to the next page of my notepad.
"Yeah but this isn't a real cigarette, and I will shotgun you."
"You will what?"
"I will shotgun you, that means I will inhale like this." He took a long drag out of the vape, his eyes not leaving me.
"And I will exhale into your mouth like this." He gently let the smoke curl out of his mouth and vanish into the thin air. There was mischief in the gaze he held and a small taunting smile playing on his lips as he stood up from his stool as he walked towards me. I shifted nervously as I sat up straight. He leaned in letting both his arms cage me in between them with his lips dangerously close to mine.
"So I ask again wanna try it?" His eyes left mine as they dropped to my lips then up to my eyes again.
"I promise there is no nicotine in it." I couldn't smell it off him and I had gotten used to the scent by now. My heart was beating very fast and my breathing had changed and he could feel the change. As if his eyes had invaded my brain I felt myself slowly nod and the cashmere grin was proof of how he knew how to coax me into doing things he wanted. It's like he had figured me out weaknesses and all, in times like these he knew exactly how to exploit them.
I slowly inhaled, taking his time and not once did his eyes leave mine and when stopped he leaned in even closer. I slightly opened my mouth and paused for a second. Before letting the smoke into my mouth he stepped back and watched me release the smoke into the air. It was exhilarating and when I opened my eyes to look at Jacob he had a cunning smile spread across his face.
"This doesn't mean I'm going to start smoking with you."
"Too bad, you would look even sexier if you took a step towards the dark side." I feel the heat creep across from my neck. Satisfied with my reaction he walked away from towards the table and he took his shirt off and slipped it on.
"I have to go and get more of these at the store." He wiggled the empty vape as he straightened out his shirt.
"Are you leaving me here all alone?"
"Yeah I will be quick I promise, unless you want to come with me?" He ran his hand through his hair pushing it back.
"No, I think I will stay, gives me a chance to snoop around while you are gone." He shook his head and draped a piece of cloth of the painting he had been working on.
"Just don't look at this one ok?" He walked towards me and placed a kiss on my forehead.
"Not making any promises." I joked as he left the basement leaving me all alone. The silence began to sink in.
My curiosity got the best of me as I wandered about in the place Jacob called home was quite way too quiet made me feel uneasy. But I ran into some of the helping hands which put me at ease because at least I wasn't all alone. I found myself in one of the many living rooms and a shelf of old books caught my eye. I took a book out a s I leafed through the pages. All the books on the shelf where old but beautiful must've cost a fortune.
I heard the front door open and I felt my heart warm up. Jacob was back at least she wouldn't be bored out of my mind any longer. But instead of dropping the book and rushing towards him I continued looking at the book, wanting him to come look for me so he could witness me 'snooping around' like I had warned. The light banter which was to follow after he found me here was already playing through my head and a small smile fell upon my lips.
The footsteps grew louder and when I felt his presence in the room with me I spoke.
"Well that was quic-." I turned around to face him but instead of coming face to face with the deep blue eyes I had grown accustomed to I was staring at electric blue ones. My face fell leaving no trace of the light hearted tone I had used earlier, realizing I wasn't Jacob, a vile smile across Cameron's face as if to say it was his lucky day that he found me here instead.
"Well, well well what do we have here?" I could feel my body tense up as I instinctively took a step back even though he was more than twenty feet away from me. Looking at Cameron I felt uneasy and a memory I had buried deep inside my brain resurfaced.
Him drunk out of his mind gripping my wrist forcefully as he whispered slurred words to me.
"Sluts don't get to say no. Listen hear fatty you are lucky I am even looking at you because I'm not into fat chicks anyway."
That night during the party the girls and I threw and the sensation I felt when he almost hit me. Out of fear and hate I had for him I took another step back. Not only did he make my life a living hell, he put the person I love through a lot of pain and that made me even more angry.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. I hoped he could tell I was angry but not for myself but for Jacob I didn't want him to have to continuously sever his bond with Cameron he had already tried to do in some way by completely ignoring him and the rest and I don't think it was easy on him. It was clear all three of them meant a lot to him even though in the end their friendship became more of a burden.
"I could ask you the same thing." He coyly replied.
"Look Jacob isn't here so you can see yourself out I'm sure if he wants to talk to you he will look for you." He didn't respond to my rudeness, instead he just looked at me with that vile smirk as if he was mocking me. In anger and frustration of being unable to get rid of him before Jacob comes back. I held the book even tighter as I forcefully shut it and turned around to place it back on the shelf where it had been idly sitting with the rest of its collection.
"You know Thalia loved those books." I paused at the sudden mention of Jacob's sister's name. Of course he knew her. Cameron had known Jacob for as long as he had lived and it bothered me that a prick like him knew more about Jacob than I did. Although I didn't know why he had decided to suddenly start talking about her, something wasn't right. So I didn't respond. Instead I continued to tuck the book back in. But the sudden pause had been enough to get a reaction out of me so he continued to talk.
"You aren't going to ask who she is?" The evil intent was evident in his voice, and even though I wanted to know about her, knowing her through him would be a fatal mistake.
"I know she is Jacob's sister." I curtly responded.
"Well what a surprise he's finally telling random people about killing his sister. Guess he got over his guilt."
So much had been revealed in that sentence and the look of shock on my face was enough to make Cameron feel bold.
"What?" I said without even thinking.
"I'm guessing he skipped the good parts." Nothing good would be of someone's death but it just showed how much Cameron Carter was a horrible human being to begin with. He didn't show any sympathy for the loss his best friend had suffered and he continued talking.
"You know for a second there I thought he had gone senile and blabbed about how he is the reason she is dead or wake up late in the night with tears in eyes mopping like bitch saying every time he closes in his eyes he sees her blood in his hands. Although I've never said it, he truly is the reason she is dead. Turner and Miller baby him telling him he was just a kid but if hadn't been a brat and distracted her while she was driving she would have still been here. Well at least now you know hey he is such a dick he carries that well deserved guilt on his back every single day, the worst part is she died only three months after his mother had died such a tragedy."
The reason he hated talking about Thalia was because he felt as if he had killed her. My heart arched for the boy I loved as I thought what had he ever done to deserve such burdens.
"Get out!" I said louder than I intended but the way he had spoken had angered me it didn't matter. I just knew he didn't kill her. I needed to hear his point of view because I just knew he didn't.
"Come why are you getting all pissed you just some piece of ass for him when he's done toying with you and when he is feeling alone again he will come crawling back right where he belongs. Just told you this to piss him off."
"He doesn't belong with shit like you."
"Now tell me exactly where he belongs, where with you and your posey of freaks. Don't make me laugh, you don't even know him."
"I know him more than you."
"Oh please he doesn't even trust you he didn't tell you the truth about Thalia and I bet you don't even know about Lincoln." Could he be talking about the Link in the picture I saw? He didn't need me asking who the hell he was talking about. The curiosity was clear on my face.
"It's so typical of Knight choosing to tell you about one dead sibling over another." Before I could fully comprehend what he had just told me the clicking sound of heels descended from the stairs.
"Cameron what the hell is taking you so long." Before I could fully mentally prepare myself to see her Brooke came into my view her eyes followed Cameron's leading to look at me. She didn't look too happy to see me in her home but neither of us could exchange words when Zeke walked in yelling "His back, we gotta go."
—-x
First of all let me start by fucking apologizing for not updating this book it's just I've been traveling hadn't seen my family in over six months got caught up in the reunion never had time to write. So I'm sorry 😭 I know I totally suck b*lls anyway I'm reaching the end of of the book and it's the hardest part cause I don't know how I wanna end it. My ending keep changing but hopefully in the next few weeks I will figure it out I love you all. Please keep supporting my I love reading all the comments so please comment and vote ❤️.
Again I'm so sorry 😩 forgive me.