Save Me(WITSEC #2)(22)



I was so wrapped up in battling back that temptation that I didn’t know someone was in my house until I felt them touch my shoulder.

“Shiloh.”

My soul tried to leave my body as I jumped out of my chair. Half of my coffee sloshed over the rim of my mug and splashed onto the counter. I faced who was behind me, finding Knox. I put a hand to my chest. “Cheese and rice, Knox.”

“I knocked on the front door and called out to you when I came in,” he said.

I chastised myself for being so spaced out as I grabbed a tea towel to clean up the spilled coffee. “What’s up?”

“I need to pick up the food for the party. Come with me.” It wasn’t a request.

I gaped at him. “You haven’t picked up the food yet? The party starts in a few hours.”

“I’ve been busy.”

I left the kitchen with my mouth pinched shut. I would not judge his wait ‘til the last possible minute party-planning style. Nope. I shoved my feet into some sandals and grabbed my purse.

We drove to the grocery store in Knox’s Camaro and almost the entire ride was silent. Almost.

“We need to talk about this morning,” he said out of the blue.

“I’m sorry you saw my vagina, Knox,” I snapped, feeling mortified. “I would appreciate it if it was never brought up again.”

He kept his eyes fixed on the road. “I wasn’t talking about that.”

“Oh.”

He pulled into the store’s lot and found a parking space toward the front. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

I watched him shift the car into park but not turn off the engine. “We’re not here for food, are we?” I asked.

“We just need ice, but you would have suspected something was up if I asked you to go get ice with me.”

I clasped my hands together tightly in my lap. It was a subtle way I could react without letting him know I was upset. “And you say I’m a pain in the butt.”

“You’re avoiding answering.”

“I have been sleeping,” I said nonchalantly, hoping he’d feel like he was making this a bigger thing than it was.

He frowned at me. “When was the last time you got a full night’s rest?”

“I’ve had a rough couple of nights.”

“You haven’t slept since what happened with Jacob?”

I shrugged.

“You haven’t really talked about what happened.”

I laughed dryly as I stared out the window. “I haven’t talked about Jacob because there isn’t anything to discuss. I am disturbingly unfazed by what he tried to do to me.” My tone had turned bitter and there was no hiding my irritation. “I was terrified at the time. But there are different levels of terror. Ones that will leave scars on your soul forever and completely break your sanity. As you try to move on, you’ll find yourself in a constant state of hating the idea of tomorrow, yet hoping you’re strong enough to see it.” I let out a sigh and leaned my head back against the headrest. “With that said, it’s completely normal to have difficulty sleeping. You’re making this a bigger deal than it is. I’m sure I’m going to sleep like a baby tonight.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself of that?”

I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed out of the car. “Let’s get the ice so we can get back.” I did my best not to slam the car door.

Knox turned off the car and followed after me. “I think you need to consider talking to—”

I stopped in my tracks just before entering the store and whirled around to face him. “Just because I’m an orphan and alone, I don’t need you to step in to be a parental figure for me.” I regretted my harsh words the moment they left my mouth, but my need for him to let it go had overridden me.

His expression hardened. “I’ve never seen you as a child.”

“Then why?” I snapped.

“You seriously don’t know the answer to that?”

My shoulders slumped. He was an overbearing, pushy butthead because he cared. “I’m acting like a brat.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “At least you’re self-aware.”

I scowled at him. “Are you aware that you can be a real ass sometimes?”

That got him to smile. “I’m fully aware.”

Fighting to not smile, I shook my head. “Thank you for worrying about me, but I am fine.”

His smile dropped. “You’re not fine, Shiloh.”

That was true. “I’ll be alright, though.”

“Would you tell me or any of us if you weren’t?”

He was asking me to promise something I wasn’t sure I could deliver. “I think you’d know if I wasn’t.” Before he could push the matter, I grabbed his hand and tilted my head toward the store. “Can we please get the ice and get back home? I still have a bunch more decorations to put up and need to finish Keelan’s cake.”

He stared down at my hand. I thought he might pull his from my grasp. When he didn’t, I tugged a little as I took a step toward the entrance. His fingers closed around mine and we went inside.





Music was playing inside and out back. All the decorations were up. Colt and Creed had blown up all the balloons for me. Snacks and drinks had been set out on the dining room table. The bell rang as I was writing Happy Birthday, Keelan with frosting on his two-tier, double-chocolate cake. Creed went to answer it. All of them had been standing around me in the kitchen as I finished the last touches to the cake.

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