Page 14 of Unraveled Love

“I won’t.” Her voice softened. “I’m trying to wrap my head around all of this, but I won’t say anything and I’ll be safe.”

“Good.” Before calling her, I’d talked to Shawn to see if we could bring her up here, but until they could get men on her and check her home, it wasn’t safe to move her. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t be followed. “Jaxon, the man who’s been keeping me safe, is sending some guys down there to you. I’ll get a hold of you when I know who they are, but they want to check the house for cameras to see if you’re being watched. Until then, you need to be incredibly careful with what you say, okay?”

There was already the chance this phone call was being recorded, but I hadn’t said anything that could lead them to me. Shawn and Jaxon had coached me before.

“Okay. Okay,” she repeated. “Are you sure that’s necessary?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

I stood from the bed, the need to move and stretch and work out all this stress and emotional overload taking me to my feet.

“Okay. If you say so. But, call me again? Let me know you’re staying safe?”

“Of course.” My chin shook and I fought back more tears. “You too. Call me too, whenever.”

“All right, Adrianna. I love you.”

“You too.”

We said our goodbyes and I tossed the phone to the bed, burying my face in my hands. God that was hard. And yet, if my mom and I could somehow go back to having even a slightly normal relationship because of all of this, at least something good would come of it.

“What do you need from me?” Shawn asked, his voice rough and thick.

I peered up at him and dropped my hands. “You.” I shrugged. “I think all I need right now is you.”

I was in his arms before I could blink, his wrapped around me, his head buried in my neck, allowing me to press my cheek against his chest. I inhaled the spicy and mild scent of his cologne.Thisthis was where I felt safest.

“You’re like a superhero,” Shawn growled, his lips at my throat. “I am so fucking amazed by you, Addi.”

“I didn’t do anything.” I sighed as his lips trailed the column of my throat.

He pulled back, his lips leaving my skin and leaving a chill on my flesh in their wake, trailing down as his hand settled at my chest, over my heart.

“Strength isn’t always measured in muscles and brawn, but in fortitude. And in this, with everything going on, you have shown more strength than men I know who are twice your size.”

A ripple of pleasure spread from his splayed hand at my chest, above my breasts and outward.

“Shawn…” I whispered his name and lifted my hand to brush my hand over his cheek. His stubble was thicker, like he’d forgotten to shave for several days, and while I was exhausted and worn out and probably needed three days of full sleep, I felt none of that now as he stared down at me.

Desire heated his expression, matching what I hoped showed in my own.

I wanted this man. Needed him in a way I couldn’t explain.

“Addi.” Shawn groaned and dropped his forehead to mine. “It’s been a long day. And earlier—”

“Earlier I freaked out, but I’m okay now. Ineedthis.”

I needed the connection to him, to another living being who had been nothing but good to me. Who was honest. Who trusted me to handle what I asked for and gave it to me in ways that made everything that had happened easier to manage.

Without a doubt, I trusted Jaxon and Shawn to handle what needed to be done. They’d keep me safe and wouldn’t stop busting their asses until I was. There was no doubt in my mind as I shifted beneath Shawn so I could press my lips to the hinge of his jaw, trailing down toward his mouth.

His chest heaved and his arms shook with restraint. If he was holding himself back from me out of worry, there was no need.

I brushed my lips over his, lifting my head enough to barely get a hint of the taste of him. “I’m really okay, Shawn.”

“Fuck,” he groaned and then his mouth took mine, devouring me.

He took over the kiss so quickly I yelped in surprise as his lips covered mine, his tongue spearing into my mouth like a man who would die without this kiss.

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