Page 115 of What Comes Around

“Whatever happens,” he added. “I’ll be here.”

Chapter 36: Letting Him In

The next morning light slipped through the curtains before I was fully awake. I stretched under the covers, toes brushing the cool edge of the sheets, and blinked myself into the soft blur of the room.

Knox was already awake beside me.

He was propped on one elbow, watching me with that quiet intensity he carried when his mind was working too hard.

I shifted slightly, then slid closer to him, my hand brushing over his chest as I tucked myself against his side. He lowered onto his back without a word, his arm coming around me automatically.

I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

“Good morning,” I murmured, my voice still rough with sleep.

“Good morning,” he replied, his hand settling against my back.

For a moment, neither of us moved. His fingers traced slow, absent circles through my hair, grounding, familiar.

Then I felt the shift in him.

“Ashley,” he said quietly. “We should talk about Apple.”

That pulled me fully awake.

My stomach tightened, even as I kept my face still against his chest.

I drew in a slow breath, then lifted my head, turning slightly so I could look at him.

“Okay.”

He exhaled. “There was never anything real between us. Not then, not ever. There were a couple of hookups over the years. That’s it.”

“I see,” I said quietly, like I was processing something new.

He watched me closely, like he was trying to read what was happening under the surface. Knox missed very little.

I gave him nothing.

“There was never anything serious?” I asked after a moment.

“No,” he said immediately. No hesitation. No doubt. “Never.”

I nodded once.

Silence stretched between us before I spoke again. “Apple is my half-sister. Same father. Different mothers.”

“That explains some things,” he said calmly.

I studied his face. “You’re not surprised.”

“A few months ago she showed up at my office,” he said. “Unannounced. She saw you there and immediately started trashing you. Said you were her sister. That you stole every boyfriend she ever had. That you were manipulative, dangerous, that I should fire you.”

I remembered that day. Apple walking out of Knox’s office, smoothing her hair, fixing her lipstick, looking smug.

My gaze returned to him. “Did something happen? Between you two. That day?”

His brows shot up. “What? No. Absolutely not. Nothing happened.”