Page 92 of His to Protect

“What time is it?”

My eyes flickered around the small space.

I pressed my hand to my chest and felt my heart racing.

Boomer was shot. Declan and Tyson could have been injured. Kevin killed himself.

And all of it was because of me.

How could I calm down?

Declan’s hand smoothed my hair and he cupped the back of my head, pulling me so close to him I could only see his eyes, lips, and mouth.

Which began moving, slowly.

“It’s just after seven, sweetheart. You’ve only been asleep for a few hours. Please, take a deep breath.”

I swallowed, unable to listen to him.

“Breathe, sweetheart.”

That time, I did. I pulled in a breath and let out a sob.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Declan crooned, pulling me closer. “Breathe.”

I did again, and then again. And soon, after listening to his calm, soothing voice, I blew out a shaky breath and my forehead collapsed onto his shoulder.

“I almost got you shot,” I cried out, feeling my shoulders begin to shake.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me toward him until I was on his lap.

“Nothing happened to me.”

“But—”

“No buts, Trina. You’re not to blame here.”

“You could have died!” I cried out louder. “Or Tyson. And Boomer!”

“Shhh.” He pulled me tighter and one of his hands began rubbing large circles on my back, his warm hand pressed against my skin. “Blue’s been talking to the vet hospital. We think Boomer’s going to be just fine. The bullet lodged in his stomach and he’s in surgery.”

A sob racked my chest and I pressed myself more firmly into Declan’s embrace.

“And I’m fine, but there’s a silver lining here that you haven’t seen yet.”

I rolled my forehead back and forth against his shoulder. “What?”

He chuckled softly, his breath tickling my collarbone, then he pushed me away from him slightly. With both hands, he framed my cheeks. “You’re free from that asshole, forever. He can never hurt you, never scare you again.”

I let that settle inside me, too afraid to believe it.

“But he’s dead.” I hiccupped, unable to be happy that a man I hated a few hours ago was now dead.

The reality crashed down on me and I pulled away from Declan, wiping tears off my cheeks. “I should go.”

His eyebrows snapped together. “What?”

“Leave. I mean, go somewhere. You don’t need this. You don’t need my baggage or my history or the reminder of what Kevin’s done, what I brought to your doorstep—”

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