Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
I’m shoved aside in the chaos, falling to the ground as the two men brawl. Cal is a force of nature, his movements precise and brutal. The crowd erupts in shouts and gasps, the spectacle unfolding like something out of a movie.
“Mommy Layla!” Carson’s voice cuts through the noise, and I whip around to see him pushing through the crowd with Mrs. Warner, tears streaming down his face.
I scramble to my feet, rushing to him and pulling him into my arms. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.”
His little arms wrap around my neck, his sobs muffled against my shoulder as I hold him close, shielding him from the chaos. My eyes dart back to Cal just in time to see him deliver a final, bone-crushing blow to the second man. Blood sprays from the man’s nose and covers Cal’s fist.
Both men lie motionless on the ground, groaning in pain. Cal straightens, his chest heaving, his knuckles bloodied. His eyes find mine, and the fury in them softens as he takes in Carson and me, huddled together.
He’s at my side in an instant, his hands gentle as they cup my face. “Are you okay?”
I nod, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I’m fine. Carson’s fine. Thank you.”
His jaw tightens, and he pulls us both into his arms, holding us like he never wants to let go. The crowd around us buzzes with whispers and murmurs, but I don’t care. In this moment, it’s just us.
“No one’s taking you away,” Cal murmurs, his voice low and fierce. “Not now, not ever.”
I cling to him, my heart pounding with a mixture of relief and love. “I was so scared.”
“I’ve got you,” he says, his lips brushing my forehead. “I’ll always protect you.”
Carson wriggles between us, his small arms wrapping around Cal’s neck. “Daddy saved us!” he says, his voice full of awe.
Cal’s eyes meet mine over Carson’s head, and I see the emotion there—the love, the possessiveness, the promise. It takes my breath away.
His eyes soften, and a slow, crooked smile spreads across his face. “I love you, Layla.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper, the words settle over me like a warm blanket, filling the cracks in my heart. For the first time in years, I feel whole. And as we stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms, I know that this is where I’m meant to be.
Chapter Twelve
Cal
The dim light from the kitchen lantern casts a soft glow across the room, making the shadows dance on the walls. Layla sits on the edge of the worn leather couch, her shoulders trembling as she hugs herself tightly. I crouch in front of her, my hands holding a damp cloth as I gently clean the bruise blooming along her cheekbone from one of the assholes that tried to take her from me. My knuckles are still raw from earlier, the sting a sharp reminder of the fight, but none of it matters. She’s here, safe, and that’s the only thing I care about.
“I’m sorry,” I mutter, my voice rougher than I intend. “Sorry I didn’t get to you sooner.”
Her eyes lift to mine, wide and glassy with unshed tears. “Cal, you saved me.”
I shake my head, frustration boiling beneath the surface. “I should’ve seen it coming. Should’ve kept a better eye on you.”
“You were working–and you’re not a superhero,” she says softly, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Even though you looked like one out there.”
I let out a rough laugh, shaking my head again as I dab at the corner of her mouth, where a small cut mars her otherwise perfect skin. “Yeah, well, you’ve got a way of making a man feel like he’s invincible. That’s dangerous, Layla.”
She bites her bottom lip, her eyes flicking to mine before darting away. “I didn’t mean to bring trouble here. I never wanted this for you or Carson.”
“You didn’t bring trouble,” I say firmly, tossing the cloth aside and gripping her hands. They’re small and cold in mine, trembling slightly. “Those bastards followed you, but that’s on them, not you. You don’t have to carry that guilt.”
Her shoulders sag, and a tear slips down her cheek. “I don’t know how to stop.”
I lift a hand to her face, brushing the tear away with my thumb. “You let me help. You let me carry some of it for you.”
She closes her eyes, leaning into my touch like she’s finally letting herself believe me. “I’ve never felt this safe before. Not once in my life.”
Her confession hits me square in the chest, knocking the air out of me. I’ve always known she came from a world so far removed from mine, a world of cold business deals and calculated moves where people are treated like objects and not souls to be honored. But hearing her say it like that—like she’s been living her entire life in a cage—makes me want to break everyone that’s ever hurt her.