Page 116 of Keep Me Close

Another wave of fear slams into me. “I do, Dakota. We’re over.”

He closes the distance between us. “Why don’t you love me anymore?”

My heart hammers against my ribs, turning painful. The truth is, I’m not sure I ever loved Dakota. Not in the way I thought I did. It’s only after having taken a step back that I understand how wrong he is for me.

But there’s no way I can say that when he’s already teetering on the edge. I don’t want to be what pushes him over.

I wish he could see that what he needs is help.

“What we had meant a lot to me,” I say carefully. “It really did.”

The hope that flickers in his eyes is enough to make my stomach turn.

“But it’s over,” I add, gentler this time. “I’ve moved on, and you need to find a way to do the same.”

His jaw tightens. “Knox McNichols isn’t the right man for you, Chey. He’ll never love you the way I do.”

There’s no point in arguing. Not with the look that fills his eyes. Not with the alcohol I can smell on him, even from here.

He swallows up the remaining distance between us until I feel the heat that radiates off his body. “You think he’s so much better than me?”

“Don’t come any closer.” Even though I’m shaking inside, I force myself to remain calm. “You need to back up and give me space.”

Instead, his hand shoots out, his fingers locking around my wrist. Shock ripples through me, and for half a second, I can’t breathe. I stare at his hand now shackled around me, my brain spinning, trying to figure a way out of this situation.

“Dakota—” My voice catches as I try yanking my arm free. “Let go of me.”

“You used to love me,” he says, his fingers tightening. “We used to be so good together.”

Pain pulses through my wrist as adrenaline spikes through my veins.

“Let go,” I say, louder this time, trying to break free from his grip.

“I will never let you go!”

He drags me closer. “Dakota, stop!”

The bathroom door bursts open.

“What the hell⁠—”

Knox.

Relief hits so hard, my knees almost give out. Dakota turns with his hand still locked around my wrist. Knox’s gaze drops to the place where we’re connected, and rage crashes over his expression. Whatever I saw on the ice the other night is nothing compared to the look on his face now.

“Take your fucking hands off her,” Knox growls.

Dakota drags me closer as he turns toward him. “Stay out of this.”

Knox eats up the distance in two long strides before grabbing Dakota by the front of his shirt and ripping him away from me with so much force that I stumble backward.

“Don’t you ever touch her again,” Knox says, voice filled with fury.

Dakota shoves at him. “She belongs to me!”

“That’s where you’re wrong. She never belonged to you.”

Before Dakota can open his mouth again, Knox’s fist connects with his jaw. The crack is sharp, echoing off the tile as he crumples to the floor with a heavy thud.