Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

“I don’t plan to puke much, but that’s good to know. I’ll hold your hair too.”


When Bailey smiled, she seemed younger than earlier. Her angry bitch wall was down and I just saw the insecure girl underneath. We returned to the kitchen where she fake apologized to Maddy. Jodi laughed through the whole thing while Sawyer threw chips at her older sister. Yet, Bailey fake laughed like she wasn’t irritated by her family.

Farah caught my gaze and I saw pride in her eyes. I wasn’t sure why she was proud of me, but I’d take the compliment. Farah’s love was the only thing I really had to hold onto anymore. Well, now I had Bailey’s friendship.





Chapter Eight


On a Tuesday while I napped through Charmed, Cooper returned home without Farah. I tried to ignore him while I dozed, but he hovered over me and kept talking really loudly to the dogs that were also ignoring him while napping. Finally, Cooper knelt in front of me and sighed loud enough in my face to blow my hair around.

“I’m proposing to Farah this Friday.”

My eyes popped open. “Hot shit.”

“I’ve got the ring,” he said, opening a little box and showing off the big shiny rock my sister would likely piss herself over. “I’m taking her out to dinner and popping the question. She’ll say yes, of course, but I want her to come home and squeal with you.”

Sitting up, I looked at the ring and shivered. “She’s going to lose her mind.”

“Yeah,” Cooper said, grinning. “I need you to keep my secret and deck the place out with rose petals. Oh, and light candles. You know, really romance the place up while we’re gone. Can you do that?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Hell yeah indeed.”

Imagining Farah’s reaction, we shared a conspiratorial smile. Three days later, everything was in place for her surprise. It had taken all of my self-control not to say anything. I did tell the dogs at one point, just so I could tell someone. The dogs weren’t impressed.

Farah appeared for their fancy dinner, wearing a red dress. I stared in awe at her as she walked downstairs.

“What?” she asked, running her fingers through her hair. “Do I look like shit?”

“You look like a goddess.”

Farah gave me the most beautiful smile. “Wait until you see Cooper. We had to get dressed three times because he looked so damn hot.”

“That’s right,” Cooper said, strutting down the stairs in a slick black suit. “Feel free to shudder in awe, ladies.”

Laughing, we both admired how finely the suit fit his strong body. Farah glanced at me and squinted.

“You’re lucky you’re my sister or else I’d be outraged at you looking at him like that.”

“Hey, I’m lonely and there’s eye candy shaking his ass. How can you expect me not to drool?”

Farah grinned then looked at Cooper who really was shaking his ass. “I’m dancing tonight, Farah,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “I’m sexing you up on the dance floor with everyone watching, so get ready to be embarrassed and horny at the same time.”

Laughing again, I hugged Farah who looked flustered by Cooper’s hotness. “Have fun tonight.”

“If you’re really lonely, you could come with us.”

Standing behind Farah, Cooper signaled how I might be killed slowly if I said yes. I flipped him off and smiled at a confused Farah.

“I’ll be fine. In fact, Bailey might come over later. Just have fun with Coop the Poop over there.”

Farah hugged me once more then took Cooper’s arm as they left for their special dinner. The minute the door closed, I started running around the house. Lighting scented candles in their bedroom and bathroom was first, so they’d have plenty of time to smell up the place. A CD with romantic songs from Journey and Asia sat ready to play. Finally, I spread fresh pink and red rose petals on the bed, bedroom floor, and hallway. It smelled like a garden, almost nauseatingly so. Yet, Farah was going to love it.

Bailey didn’t come over because I told her I had a stomach ache and might spend most of the night on the toilet. She still offered to hang out and hold my hair, but I said no. Mostly, I worried if she knew what was happening that she would tell everyone. Cooper wanted the proposal to be private. Only Tucker and Jodi knew. Cooper trusted his mother to keep a secret and knew his brother wasn’t keen on having his face bashed in, so they were safe. Anyone else might blab including Bailey.

Sitting alone in the living room with the dogs, I watched Arrested Development reruns and ate Ramen noodles. I really was living the dream.

Even bored, I couldn’t wait to see Farah’s face when they returned. Some days, all I could remember was how afraid she had been growing up. I hoped seeing her so happy might help erase a few of those horrible memories.

Farah entered the house swinging in Cooper’s arms. Laughing and kissing his neck, she nearly lunged at me when I appeared at the foyer.

“We’re getting married!” she squealed and Cooper smirked.