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.”
“And I saw it. All of it,” I whispered, and he leaned in, wrapping his arms around me as I clung to his arm—the side of my face pressed into his chest. “He let it happen.”
I fought back tears as I held onto Chase, desperate for his comfort. His peace.
He kissed the top of my head, making my eyes flutter closed. “You have to talk to him about it.”
I instantly shook my head. “No.”
“Yes.”
My heart raced, and I lifted myself to meet his tender eyes. He ran a smooth hand down my head with eyes that held so much reassurance—support.
“Trust me,” he said, caressing the back of my head. “We would never intentionally hurt you, Dakota. And that includes Kaden. He cares for you.”
I averted his eyes, slowly exhaling a shaky breath.
“I wasn’t there. I can’t speak for him. But, I do know that he wouldn’t purposely hurt you.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek then rested the side of my face against his chest again. He had so much faith in Kaden, so I guess I didn’t have a choice but to trust him.
“Does it have to be tonight?” I murmured, feeling his lips press to the top of my head again.
“You’re allowed to sleep on it if that’s what you need.”
* * *
Groaning, I stared up at the dark ceiling.
Chase must have waited for me to fall asleep because I woke up alone in his bed. I glanced at the bedside clock and it was nearly 1 a.m.
Pushing the sheets back, I sat up, placing my warm feet on the chilly floor. I shivered before tiptoeing out of his bedroom and down to the kitchen. Exactly where I thought he’d be.
He lowered an empty plate and a glass into the sink, and my eyes landed on his open laptop, some scripts and a red pen on the island.
When he turned, he seemed taken aback. “Is everything okay?”
I nodded, hugging my stomach. “I can’t really sleep.”
He approached me, wrapping both arms around my body, and I snuggled in his embrace.
“Is Kaden asleep?”
“No, he’s in the living room with Logan.” Oh?
“Why are the three of you still up this late?” I rested my chin on his chest but he only pinned me with a knowing look. Right. I said my safe word and completely disappeared on them. They probably can’t sleep either.
Chase nodded toward the living room and I inhaled deeply before exhaling.
With trembling hands, I entered the living room with him at my side. The fireplace cast a soft shimmer over the room, and my hand gently rubbed the side of my arm.
Logan was seated near the entrance of the living room with Kaden sitting in the corner, staring at the fireplace.
I watched him bring the glass to his lips, taking a sip. I shifted my eyes back to Logan and took a deep breath in. Casting Chase one final glance, he nodded and I headed over to Kaden, fiddling with the material of my robe. I stood in front of him, blocking his view of the fireplace.
“Are you mad at me?” I reluctantly asked, not meeting his eyes. I could feel his stare burn into me as he sat back, lowering his glass to the table with a clink.
“No, Dakota. I’m not mad at you.”
I heavily exhaled in relief, finally meeting his eyes. “Well, I’ll have you know that I am mad at you,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “Very, mad,” I clarified.
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. “You let her kiss you,” my voice cracked. “You let her 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 her date date?” 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 hearing him say that. Chase and 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’s how 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 say no to giving me space.”
“Yes, I can,” his hold on my waist tightened. “And I just did. I’m not giving you space, 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 my will,” 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.
A reluctant smile tugged on my lips as I thanked Logan, taking the TV remote from him. I guess he was right.
“And Kaden,” I finally said, turning to face him. “I do expect you to make it up to me to the best of your abilities.”
“The best of my abilities?” he repeated after me, and I could hear the faint amusement wrapping around his words.
“Yes,” I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning back as my eyes fell on the TV.
“Anything you want, pretty girl,” he tugged my earlobe with his teeth then kissed my ear. I fought back a smile.
* * *
I must have accidentally fallen asleep because when I peeled my heavy eyelids open, I was lying in bed, staring into darkness.