The fact my man had killed people should have affected me in other ways, but all I could think was he’d rid the world of people who didn’t deserve to be here.  But what did affect me was the way he wrestled with every bad thing in his life.  It caused him anguish and I wished more than anything that I could take it away for him.

But I couldn’t.

I rolled onto my side and nestled myself against him.  I laid my arm across his body, hugging him.  We didn’t say anything, but there wasn’t much else to be said.  I stayed there with him for a while, but eventually I let him go so I could go to the bathroom and clean up.  I pressed a kiss to his lips and murmured, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

His hand ran up and down my back as he said, “Okay, baby.”

I only left him for a few minutes but when I returned, his eyes were closed and I knew he was asleep by the rise and fall of his chest and his steady breathing.

My man needed a break from the unrelenting demons of his life.

***

“Who is he?” I asked Annie the next morning when she broke the news to me she didn’t need a lift to work because a man was going to take her.

We were sitting at the table having breakfast with Donovan when she broke the news to me, and he watched me carefully as Annie and I had this conversation.  Trepidation filled me at this news but I forced myself to remain calm for her sake.  Who knew?  Maybe this guy would be the one good guy she needed to meet.

“His name’s Brett.  Brett Moody,” she shared, a smile on her face.  Oh god, I knew that look.  She was all-in already.

Donovan interrupted.  “My Brett?”

“Huh?  Your Brett?” I asked, confused.

Annie nodded, ignoring me.  “Yes, Brett from work.”

Stunned, I looked to Donovan, hoping he would give me some indication of what this man was like.

He smiled.  “Brett’s a good guy,” he murmured thoughtfully.  “He’ll do right by you, Annie.”

Relief coursed through me.

Thank fuck.

Her phone rang, and a moment later, her face lit up when she heard the voice on the other end.  “I’ll be down in a second,” she said before hanging up.

As she stood, I said, “Don’t forget we’ve got your appointment with the psychologist this afternoon.”

She smiled at me again.  “I think I’m ready to go on my own now, Layla.”

She’d stunned me again.  “Oh, okay.  Are you sure?”  I struggled to let her go, and I imagined this must be kind of what it was like for a parent not wanting to let their child out into the big, wide world.  Fuck, the anxiety her statement had caused in me was enough to make me reconsider ever having kids.  I doubted I could cope with it repeatedly like parents must.

Nodding, she said, “Yes.”  She grabbed her bag and started walking away from the table.  As she got closer to the stairs, she turned and said, “I’ll see you tonight.  Brett will bring me home.”

And then she was gone.

I turned to Donovan.  He was watching me with a mixture of concern and amusement.

“What?” I demanded.

“I love how you love Annie, but it’s time to let her fly, sweetheart.”

Shit.

I knew he was right, but fuck it was hard.  I sighed.  “Yeah, I know.”

“She’s doing well at work, and she’s found a good guy.  Hopefully, those things will help her find herself.”

I leant towards him and whispered, “Some days I wonder what I ever did before I found you.”

My words affected him, and as he took a deep breath, he said, “Me, too.”

We stayed in that moment for a couple of beats, and then he pushed his chair back and stood up.  He bent his face to kiss me.  “I’ll call you later, okay?”

I nodded.  “Sounds good,” I said softly and watched as he left.

He’d been a little better this morning, but I knew it would take time for him to work through his thoughts and feelings about his father’s death.

I’d be there for him however he needed me.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Blade

I ended the call with my mother and placed my phone back in my pocket.  She seemed to be okay which caused me great relief.  I hadn’t been sure how she’d take Marcus’s death but I was fairly sure that while she was upset about it, she wasn’t devastated by it.  I had every reason to believe she’d continue moving forward in her life like she’d planned.

“Blade, we got word on the Hurley job,” Merrick said as he strode into my office.

“What’s the verdict?”

“We got it,” he said, his words laced with the victory he deserved to feel.  He’d worked damn hard on this one.

“Good.”

He raised his brows.  “Is that all you’ve got?  Good?”

I grinned at him.  “Fucking good?”

“Jesus Christ, Blade cracks a fucking joke,” he muttered.

“Fuck you.”

He chuckled and turned to leave, but he’d only taken a couple of steps when he turned back to me.  “Forgot to tell you, Ben located Layla’s business partner.”

“And?”  If that fucker came back here, I’d take care of him for her.

Fuck, she’d take care of him herself.