Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
But this is exactly who that guy is when he starts losing his grip.
Unstable.
Obsessive.
Volatile.
“He is now,” I say quietly.
She stills. “I thought he was just upset.” Her fingers tighten in my shirt. “To send a shattered photo of us here with that note? That’s not normal.”
“You’re right.” It takes effort to keep my tone calm as rage burns at the bottom of my gut. “It’s not.”
She pulls back enough to stare at me with glassy eyes. “I didn’t think he’d ever try to scare me like this.”
I slide one hand up to cradle the back of her head and the other to her cheek, cupping her face and forcing her to refocus on me.
“Hey.”
Her lashes flutter.
I carefully sweep my thumb beneath her eye. “Look at me.”
It takes a moment for her gaze to settle on mine.
“You’re safe here,” I say. “He’s not getting anywhere near you. Not ever again.”
Her breathing is too fast, too shallow.
My hand remains on her face as I rest my forehead against hers. “I mean it. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
For a second, she just stares before squeezing her eyes shut and nodding.
I pull her against me, holding her tighter than before, one hand spread over the back of her head, the other rubbing slow circles between her shoulder blades while my gaze catches on the box over her shoulder.
This guy is more obsessed with Cheyenne than I realized. What he’s not going to do is reach into my space and scare the hell out of her.
I press a kiss to the top of her head, then lean away just enough to meet her eyes. “Come on.”
She swipes at the wetness on her cheeks. “Where are we going?”
“To the bathroom.”
Her brows knit. “Why?”
“I’m going to run you a bath.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, I think you need to relax.” I take her hand again, threading my fingers through hers. “Warm water. Quiet. No phones. No thinking about him or the show or anything else for a while.”
Her lips part, surprise breaking through the fear. “You don’t have to—”
“I know,” I cut in gently. “But I want to.”
Her gaze drops to our joined hands before lifting to mine again, and some of the strain in her expression drains away.
“Okay. That sounds nice.”
I squeeze her hand and lead her down the hall. Behind us, the box sits where it was left, black and glossy and taunting. I’ll deal with it later.
Just like I’ll deal with him.
But first, I’m going to take care of Cheyenne the way she needs me to. After this stunt, I’m done underestimating how far Dakota is willing to go to get to her.
No matter what it takes, I’ll keep Chey safe.
27
Cheyenne
My hands are still shaking when Knox turns on the water. The bathroom fills with the rush of it as steam curls toward the ceiling. The muted light from the sconces makes everything feel hazy, as if the world outside this room no longer exists.
Except… all I can see is the box.
The shattered glass inside it.
The note.
You broke my heart.
Now I’m going to break yours.
My stomach twists again, and I press my lips together, trying to keep the emotion buried deep down inside so it won’t break loose.
Nowhere feels safe anymore.
Knox moves around the room without saying much as he tests the water before adjusting the faucet. He grabs a fluffy towel from the rack and sets it within reach. Then he disappears for a few minutes, returning with a glass of wine and setting it on the counter.
“Here,” he says quietly. “Hopefully this helps take the edge off.”
My gaze drops to the glass before slanting back up at him. “You don’t have to do all this.”
“I want to make sure you’re okay.”
My chest tightens all over again, but for entirely different reasons.
After the tub has been filled, he shuts off the water and takes a step in retreat. “All right. It’s ready for you.”
When he turns toward the door, panic spikes. “Knox… wait.”
He swings around, his brows pulling together. “What’s wrong?”
I swallow, feeling foolish. “It’s just… I…”
The words stick in my throat.
He steps closer. “Do you need something else?”
Even though it’s hard, I force out the truth. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”
For a moment, he stares at me. “You don’t?”
I shake my head, my fingers twisting together in front of me. “No. Not right now. I just…” My voice dips. “I feel safe with you.”
Surprise flashes across his expression before it shifts into something that’s both fierce and protective. “Are you sure?”
I nod, my heart pounding. “I am.”
“Okay, then I’ll stay.” Slowly, he pulls the T-shirt over his head before tossing it onto the counter and pushing his sweatpants down his hips. He moves without a trace of swagger, as if this has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with taking care of me.