Page 118 of Silk Sheets

He reached forward and placed a firm hand on my waist, pulling me onto his lap, and my body tensed in response. He rested his hand on my waist, and I shifted onto his right thigh.

“Why are you mad at me?” he asked, and I swallowed the tension down my throat. I glanced over at Chase, and naturally, he offered support with a nod of confirmation.

“Because you hurt me,” I replied, anxiously staring back at him. “I saw you kiss Josie, Kaden,” I finally blurted out.

“I didn’t kiss her—”

“Well, she kissed you. Same thing,” I cut him off louder than I intended to, bile sneakily climbing up my dry throat. “Youlether kiss you,” my voice cracked. “Youlether touch you.”

The muscle in his jaw ticked.

“And if that wasn’t bad enough, you didn’t even bother telling me.”

His tone was sincere. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the kiss.”

I nodded, looking down at my hands on my lap.

“And I don’t care for Josie anymore, Dakota. She wanted to have one last conversation with me. I didn’t know she’d have malicious intentions.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “Oh yeah,” I sarcastically said. “She just wanted to be alone in a hallway with you so that you both could hold hands and sing Kumbaya.”

“Dakota,” Chase warned, and my head snapped to him. He gave his head a slight head tilt, and I admitted defeat, apologizing to Kaden.

Chase and I had agreed that I’d be mature about the situation. That I’d handle it with respect and understanding. Not jokes and mockery—as per usual.

“I didn’t think anything would happen because I assumed she was smart enough to know the consequences of cheating.”

My brows drew together with a sudden gasp. “So he was herdatedate?” I asked, and Kaden gave me a single nod. Well, I suspected it, but not like this. I can’t believe she cheated on her dom… with her ex-dom.Disgraceful.

He placed his free hand over mine, giving it a slight squeeze.

“I don’t have feelings for her, Dakota,” he reassured me. “I need you to know that.” It felt good hearinghimsay that. Chaseand Logan both said it on behalf of Kaden, but I needed to hear him say it too.

A part of me wanted to believe it, but then his tattoo crept into my mind.That’show serious he was about her.

“I don’t…” I trailed off, pulling my hands from him. With a deep breath of courage, I finally met his eyes, but when I got sucked into them, my pulse drummed in my neck so I looked away again. I cleared my throat. “I think I just need space.”

His voice was hard. “No.”

In utter disbelief, my head snapped toward him. “No?” I scoffed. “Kaden, you can’t just saynoto giving me space.”

“Yes, I can,” his hold on my waist tightened. “And I just did. I’m not giving youspace, Dakota,” he continued as though it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever uttered.

I looked over at Chase and Logan for backup, but they provided nothing.

“Seriously?” my eyebrows raised, and I darted my eyes between the two of them. “You’re just going to sit back and let him hold me hostage?”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Logan smiled.

I shook my head in disbelief, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re all in need of serious psychological help,” I muttered, meeting their eyes individually.

“Fine by me,” Kaden casually said, pulling my back to his chest as he slid his arm around my lower stomach. He placed soft, gentle kisses on my shoulder, and I rolled my eyes.

“Can I at least choose what we get to watch since I’m being—” I cut myself off, turning my head to Kaden. “Held against mywill,” I emphasized and enunciated the words so that there was no confusion, but he didn’t seem to care.

Logan chuckled, and when I looked up at him, he approached me with the TV remote. I reached for it, but he pulled back. “I told you you wouldn’t be able to get rid of him.”

My confusion vanished when I remembered that Logan told me this would happen when Kaden got to know me.