“But you probably already knew that, seeing how you’re dating one,” he said with a wink.
Heat traveled up my neck to my cheeks. Micah went to take another drink from his beer, but paused as he took in my reaction.
I tucked a wisp of hair behind my ear and went back to cutting.
“Or maybe you don’t know,” Micah mumbled.
“That’s enough,” Knox said, his tone full of warning.
Micah put his hands up.
I had two more slivers of melon to cut left. Laughter caught my attention and I glanced over at Keelan. He and his friends were laughing. Two in his group were a couple. The guy was standing behind his girlfriend with his arms around her.
“It’s so hot out, we should just jump in,” I heard him say to her.
“I need to change into my suit first,” his girlfriend said.
I focused back on cutting.
“They’ll dry,” I heard him say.
I was slicing the rind off from the last sliver when an ear-piercing scream came out of nowhere. Fear surged through me like lightning and penetrated my soul. I jumped and pain ripped across my palm. I looked down. Blood leaked from my hand onto the cutting board. I looked at the chef’s knife clutched in my other hand. The blade had blood smeared along the tip. With fear already overwhelming me, I couldn’t stop myself from being pulled to the dark corner of my mind—the place I tried to avoid with all my might.
I could see them.
I could see their bodies.
There had been so much blood. I could still smell it. Pennies. Dirty pennies. Each inhale I took, my lungs constricted, refusing to take in the tainted air.
Wanting to escape, I took a step back, then another.
“Shiloh?” I heard Knox say.
“What’s wrong with her?” I heard Micah say next.
I couldn’t see them.
I couldn’t tell what was real.
“Shiloh?” Knox said again.
I sensed someone stepping closer. My entire body shook, thinking it was Mr. X. I tried to suck in just a little bit of air and ended up gasping. “It’s not real,” I forced out. Tears leaked from my wide eyes. I couldn’t close them. I hated what I was seeing but was too scared to blink.
“That’s right. It’s not real. You’re standing right here with me.” Knox’s voice was so close to my ear.
Then I felt a presence behind me. An arm wrapped around my middle and a hand grasped me around my wrist. I startled and struggled to get away.
“It’s me. I have you, Shiloh.” Knox’s voice pulled at me like a tether to home.
“Knox,” I whimpered.
“I’m right here with you,” he said against my ear. I could feel him. I could feel his chest against my back, his breath tickling my neck.
I’m safe. Taking a leap of faith, I closed my eyes. Even with them closed, I could still see my family. My mother’s eyes were open and staring right at me. It’s not real.
Hands cupped my cheeks. “Breathe, baby girl. You gotta breathe.”
Keelan.
My tight lungs relaxed, allowing me to suck in delicious air, and I opened my eyes. Keelan was right there, staring down at me. “That’s it,” he said.
As I continued to pull air in and out of my lungs, my gaze traveled past Keelan. Micah was standing behind him, watching me—watching us—with wide, worried eyes. I looked to the hand that held my wrist tightly. I wondered why Knox’s grasp was downright bruising, but I got my answer when I saw that I still had the chef’s knife clutched in my hand.
Keelan’s eyes followed where I was staring. He dropped a hand from my face and put it around my fist. “Give me the knife.”
I uncurled my stiff fingers, and the moment the knife was gone from my hand, my knees gave out. “I’m sorry.”
Knox’s grip around my middle tightened and he held me. “It’s alright.” His voice was gentle.
A sob ripped from my chest. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know. It’s alright,” Knox said as he moved his arm behind my legs and scooped me up in his arms. “I’m going to get her cleaned up. Take the food off the grill and get Colt or Creed to help clean up,” Knox said in a low voice.
“I’ll help him,” Micah said.
Knox didn’t protest. He moved, carrying me toward the back door. I rested my head against his shoulder, numb or in shock. I couldn’t really tell.
“Shi?!” I heard Creed yell, followed by splashing in the pool.
“She’s fine! Both of you come over here and help me!” Keelan shouted.