Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout, #1)

by Lucy Score

She reached across the table and squeezed my wrist. “By the way, I just want you to know how grateful I am that you’re here. And you’re helping. It makes me feel like I’m not alone. Like maybe for the first time ever, I don’t have to be completely responsible for every single thing. Thank you for that, Knox.” I closed my eyes and tried not to throw up. “Look. Like I said.” I had to grit my teeth to get through it. “Things are complicated, and part of that’s on me.” She looked up and frowned. “Are you okay? You look tired.” I was fucking exhausted. And full of self-loathing. “I’m fine,” I insisted. “But I think it’s time to move on.” Got yourself a girl? The words echoed in my mind. Her hand stilled on my arm. “Move on?” “I’ve had a good time. I hope you have too. But we need to stop this thing before one of us gets too attached.”

She stared at me, those hazel eyes stunned and unblinking. Fuck. “You mean me,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I mean what we’re doing is…” Scaring the shit out of me. “This thing between us has run its course.” Because I can’t trust myself with you, I thought. “You brought me here to a public place to break up with me? Unbelievable.” Her hand was gone now, and I knew I’d never feel it again. I didn’t know what had the power to break me faster, knowing that or knowing what would happen if I didn’t end this now. “Look, Naomi, we both knew the score when we started this. I just think before one of us gets in over their head, we need to pull back.” “I’m such an idiot,” she whispered, bringing her fingertips to her temples. “I know you’ve got the custody hearing coming up next month, and I’m willing to still keep up the appearance that we’re together, if you think it’ll help you in court. And I’m still gonna be keeping an eye on you and Way until we know for sure who busted into your place.”

“Don’t, Daisy,” I ordered before I could help myself. She took a slow, deep breath then gave me a perfunctory smile that felt like a fucking cleaver to the heart. “I believe that’s the last time you get to tell me what to do and call me Daisy.” I felt something rising inside me that had nothing to do with the relief I’d expected. No. This thing growing inside me felt like the white-hot edges of panic. “Don’t be like that.”

“What’s this? A list of reasons I wasn’t good enough?” “It’s cash,” I said. She recoiled like I’d told her it was an envelope of spiders. “Take it. It’ll help you and Way out.” She slapped the envelope against my chest. “I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything from you now. But especially not your money.” With that, she tried to yank free. It was a reflex that had me tightening my grip. “Take. Your. Hands. Off. Me, Knox,” Naomi said softly. It wasn’t fire in her eyes now. It was ice. “Naomi, it doesn’t have to be this way.” “Good-bye, Knox.” She slipped out of my grip, leaving me staring after her like an idiot.

And this is when Lucy Score became a must read author. This hit was too close to home.