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“Every time I think I have you, you one-up me somehow,” he says, eyes dancing, even though he’s still a little angry. “One of these days, Lyla James. . .” I bite my lip remembering the last time he said that to me. God, it feels like a lifetime ago. “Well, last time you said that, you made me fall in love with you, so anything is possible.”
He kisses me. A long, soft kiss, and when he pulls away, he holds me closer. “I don’t know if there’s something that goes beyond love, but whatever it is, that’s what I feel for you,” he says, his breath on my forehead. I snuggle into him deeper and relish the moment. “Hey, Lach.” “Hm?”
“If we get into a car accident and the car flips over and lands at the bottom of a cliff, you know we’ll both die, right?” I ask. He pulls back to study my face as I continue. “Or we’ll be seriously injured and lose limbs and then. . .” “Lyla James.” “What?” “Stop talking.” He kisses me again and makes me forget what I was even saying.
She says I’m crazy, and maybe I am, but I’m fucking terrified of this woman. Whether she knows it or not, she holds my heart — my life — in her hands.
He’d rather kill her than let anyone else have her. I’d rather die than live in a world without her in it.
“Do you want me to unpack your stuff?” “Do you want to?” I’m amused by this, but the look on her face is so serious that I don’t want to laugh.
“This is very domestic of you.” She glances over from the closet. “Don’t get too comfortable. You’ll be doing the laundry.” “I don’t mind doing laundry.” I grin, stretching my legs and linking my fingers behind my head. Lyla’s eyes heat as they rake over me slowly. Fuck. I lower my arms and extend a hand to beckon her. “Come here.”
“I’m scared.” She closes them and sets her forehead against mine. I sigh heavily and sit up, wrapping my arms around her. “I know, baby.” “I don’t want you to get hurt again because of me,” she whispers.
“I’ve only ever stalked you,” I say finally. “I’ve never even asked a woman to go home with me.” “Really?” She shoots me a droll look. “I clearly remember—” “A woman who’s not you,” I say, interrupting her. “Don’t you understand by now that you’re the only person who makes me do crazy shit?”
“Says the cockiest man on the planet,” she says, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not cocky.”
eyes, “If we don’t leave in the next two seconds, I’m going to toss you on the bed, spread your legs, and devour
“Stop,” he says quietly, his voice husky in my ear. “I know what you’re thinking about, and if you don’t stop, I won’t stop, and we’ll never make it to the luncheon.”
“That you’re the only thing I miss about this place.” He links our hands together, his eyes still outside.
Amused eyes flash to mine. “Are you jealous, Lyla James?” “No.” I scowl.
I’m fine. I’m not; I’m shutting down, but I don’t need to tell him that. He knows me better than anyone. His green eyes scan my face for a moment. “You can shut out the entire world, Lyla James.” He kisses my lips hard, making my heart skip a beat. “But never me.” I take a breath and let him lead me inside the building.
The second we move away after saying goodbye to everyone, I grab her hand again. We walk to the check-in section, and I speak to the woman behind the table.
“We’re getting married next Saturday,” she says, her words rushed. “In Chicago. It’s totally spur of the moment. We just decided like two nights ago, so it’s nothing big, but we’d love for you to be there.” “Damn.” Banks grins at me. “I guess you got on her list after all.” I laugh wholeheartedly. “It took a while, but yeah.”
“I’m not sure what I’d do, but I know she’d wish she’d never met you at all.” I laugh and dip to kiss her. “I think you may be a little crazy, Lyla James” “Only when it comes to you,” she says, smiling.
“What, you don’t want people to know you’re so crazy about me that you’re jealous?” I grin, as I pull her toward the doors. “It’s not funny.” She scowls, then drops her head to speak into the mic. “Please ignore that little lapse of judgment.”
“I would have asked for your blessing, but I didn’t feel like I needed to, considering,” Lach says. I’m going to freaking kill him when we get out of here.
“You keep stepping out of line. I guess your mother's death wasn’t enough. Luke’s death wasn’t enough. Not even attacking your boyfriend,” he shouts. “Was enough.” “Please,” I whimper as he starts lifting my dress, his hand rough on my thighs.
“She’s my fucking wife,” he says, in a voice so quiet it sends a chill down my spine. Jameson’s eyes widen. He pushes Lach hard enough to get him off, and throws another punch. “That’s right, motherfucker.” He punches Jameson once. “MY fucking
“You’re mine,” he says, his voice so quiet, I almost don’t hear it over the noise. “I’ve only ever been yours.” I bring my hands over his wrists and hold him there.
“He didn’t. He wouldn’t have.” She reaches up and holds my face tight when I try to look away. “I knew you’d come for me. You always do.” This fucking girl.
“I love you so much,” she whispers against my ear. “I would die without you.” She wouldn’t. We both know she wouldn’t. I probably would, but she’s too strong to die of a broken heart. Still, it feels good to hear her say the words, even if they make my chest ache. The thought of being without her is insurmountable. I shut my eyes and focus so I don’t hurt her by tightening my grip on her, but it’s what I want to do. I want to mold her to me. I want to make her entire being a part of me so I never have to live a moment without her. “Fuck, Lyla James.”
“That’s exactly what we’d do. You’ll travel with me and I’ll travel with you.” “Lach,” she says in a voice that asks me to be realistic. I don’t like it. “We’ll ‘put a pin on this,’” I say, smiling when she rolls her eyes.
“Are you sure you’re ready to go back now?” “I am.” She gives a decisive nod. “Because he’s no longer a threat?” I ask. “Because you’d be with me,” she says quietly.
“I got you, baby.” He kisses the top of my head. “You’re okay.”
“Noted.” Lach’s lips tug into a small smile. “I’m not worried about it. I would never risk losing her.”
“Your fiancée,” he says with a smile. Oh-ho-ho. I’m going to jail today.
“Some things, yes.” “What things?” “Some things I didn’t like. I also added some stipulations,” she says, as if that’s a better explanation. “What. . .things?” I grit my teeth. She raises an eyebrow at me. I Ignore it. Fuck that. “What things, Lyla James?”
“But you make me feel safe, cherished, loved, and wanted.
me in ways that I can’t explain. You’ve ruined me for anyone else. You’re my best friend, my husband, my everything, forever.” Fuck. I take a shaky breath and swallow hard. We exchange rings and finally — fucking finally — he tells me to kiss my bride. I lift her in my arms and crash my lips against hers. She brings her hands to my hair and sinks her fingers into
call you that,” she says against my ear. “But only you’re going to call me that when I fuck you,” I respond, smiling when I hear her gasp. “I like that idea,” she whispers. “A baby,” I say again. “When did you find out?”
