Page 117 of Keep Me Close

A startled sound tears from me as my ex collapses between us. The room tilts as my pulse continues to roar in my ears.

The door opens and a woman walks in before stopping dead in her tracks. Her eyes widen as she takes in the scene. “Oh my.” With that, she disappears into the hallway again.

Knox’s gaze stays pinned to Dakota.

When he takes a step toward my ex, I grab his arm before he can do further damage. “Please don’t.”

His body remains taut beneath my hand, and for one terrifying second, I think he might lunge again.

Dakota groans as he spits blood onto the tile, trying to push himself up.

“Chey, please,” he chokes out. “Please don’t do this.”

Knox slips an arm around my shoulders, anchoring me to his side, while I stare at the man lying on the floor. He feels more like a stranger, and it makes me wonder if I ever knew him at all.

“You need help, Dakota.” My voice trembles even though I try to keep it steady. “And I truly hope you get it.”

Knox looks down at me then—really looks at me—like he’s checking every inch for damage.

“Are you okay?”

Even though I’m still trying to catch my breath, I nod. “I’m fine. Really.”

The bathroom door bursts open again, this time with an older man and two security guards.

“What’s going on in here?”

Voices overlap as someone says the police are on the way.

As soon as Dakota rises to his feet, one of the guards grabs his arm.

“You need to come with us.”

“This is bullshit,” Dakota snaps. “She’s my⁠—”

“No, I’m not,” I say, my raised voice cutting through the noise.

Everyone looks at me. When my hands continue to shake, I curl them into fists and force myself to keep going.

“He’s been harassing me for weeks and then followed me to Chicago from LA. He was waiting for me when I came out of the stall and then he grabbed me.”

The guard’s expression hardens. “Sir, it sounds like there’s a lot the police will want to discuss with you.”

Dakota stares at me as if I just betrayed him. “Chey⁠—”

“It’s over,” I say, steadier this time. “And you need to leave me alone.”

It doesn’t take long for the police to arrive and then statements are taken. Knox stays beside me through all of it, his hand at the small of my back. It’s a steady reminder that I’m not going through this alone.

When the officer asks if I want to press charges, my stomach twists. For a second, I almost say no.

Then my mind flashes through everything that’s happened, and I lift my chin. “I’d like a restraining order.”

The words sit heavy on my tongue. Final. Like a door slamming shut and locking behind me.

The officer nods. “We’ll get that started tonight. You’ll need to file for an emergency order, and a judge will have to review it.”

When I finally leave, Dakota stares at me like he doesn’t know who I am anymore.