Page 116 of Silk Sheets

All I could see was them. The image of them kissing flashed in my mind repeatedly, and my heart ached.He still hasn’t told you, Dakota.

“No, stop,” I breathlessly said, pushing him back but he continued leaving wet kisses down my neck. “No—Kaden fuck—stop,” I whimpered, pushing him off me as I scurried out from under him and up against the headboard.

I didn’t miss the darkness in his eyes—clearly having no intention of stopping—as he looked up at me.

Chase stood at the edge of the bed, and when I met his gaze, his head slightly tilted to the right.

With a clenched jaw, Kaden came closer and I turned my head away from him, lifting my hands and I pulled my knees up to my chest.

My safe word left my lips in a faint whisper as though I was spewing venom.

TWENTY-NINE

DAKOTA

“Dakota.”

I blinked rapidly, lifting my head to meet Logan’s eyes. Chase wrapped a firm arm around me as he sat to my right on the bed.

I thanked Logan, taking the glass of water from him. Kaden reentered the bedroom, having started a bath for me, and I did everything possible to avert his gaze.

I sipped some of the water, thinking long and hard before speaking. Well, clearly not long enough because utter stupidity left my lips. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I ran my fingertip over the rim of the glass, keeping my eyes low.

“We need to know what happened, Dakota,” Logan said with a gentle hand on my leg.

I lifted my eyes to his hand, watching his thumb gently caress my skin.

“Can you join my bath tonight?” I asked, looking up at Chase. “Please.”

He brushed my hair behind my ear, cupping the side of my face. “Of course.”

I handed him my glass before getting off the bed and heading straight to the bathroom. I shut the door, dropping my robe to the floor before sinking into the warm bubble bath.

With a heavy heart, I slowly exhaled, blinking away my tears.

Chase soon entered, finding his place on the chair behind me, and I lifted my head, allowing him to tie up my hair.

I turned back to face him, feeling bile rise in my throat as I averted his gaze. He gently cupped the side of my face, and I kept my eyes low.

“I saw him kiss Josie.”

A beat passed between us, and he slowly ran his thumb over my cheekbone. His touch felt like a comforting kiss to my aching heart.

I finally met his hard turned soft eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt him—I didn’t want to say my safe word, but I—” I was cut off as a cry lodged in my throat, tears swelling profusely in my eyes.

“Dakota, breathe.”

With a tight chest, I shook my head, slowly exhaling a shaky breath. My panicked expression met his comforting eyes, and it was as though I could hear each thump of my heartbeat in slow motion.

My voice was a tremulous whisper. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re allowed to use your safe word,” he reassured me, holding my face in both hands. “We want you to use it when you need to.”

I shook my head—disappointed in myself—as I looked down to avert his eyes. “He’s going to be mad at me, Chase.”

“No, he’s not.”