Page 189 of Protecting You

“I got you, I got you. It’s over.” The man’s voice was kind. She loved that voice. A few moments later, he said, “I’ll be right here, okay? I want to check on Alyssa.”

“I gotcha, little bit.”

Grant?

Suddenly, the heaviness was gone.

Cold, precious air filled her lungs. She sucked in.

“She’s breathing!”

More weight lifted.

Then, warmth against her face.

“Alyssa.” It was Callan. He sounded tortured. “Open your eyes. Open your eyes, darling. Please.”

She did, and it all came back to her. The beach house. The guns.

Benson.

He’d hit her, over and over.

Everything had gone dark.

Callan was here. But he’d said someone was dead. “Who is it? Peri?” No, that didn’t make sense. She’d heard Peri’s voice, hadn’t she?

“It’s me.” Callan crouched over her. “Thank God. Thank God. She’s alive, Gavin. She’s alive.”

“Is it Peri? I’m so sorry. I tried.”

“Is what…? Peri’s fine.” He shifted, giving her a view of Grant holding Peri, who was watching her with wide eyes.

Wide, beautiful, life-filled eyes.

“I don’t…” She pushed herself up. “You said someone was dead.”

“You. She thought… We thought…” Callan wrapped his arms around her, and she realized…

It’d been her. They’d thought she was dead.

The howl she’d heard…

Her father. Because he’d thought she was dead.

“Thank you. I’ll never… I can’t even…” Callan’s words trailed as he buried his head in her hair and held her. “Thank you.”

“I don’t even know… I didn’t do anything. This is all my fault.”

He leaned away to meet her eyes. “Alyssa. You’re alive. Peri’s alive.” His gaze flicked beyond her. “The drones?”

“Landing them now,” a man said.

That wasn’t a voice she knew, but it didn’t matter.

All was well. Somehow…

Somehow, they’d survived.

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