Page 62 of Unraveled Love

I shook my head, rubbing my forehead back and forth against his T-shirt covered chest. “He shot you.” I gasped through my tears and sobs, clinging to him, digging my fingernails into his hips and holding him to me.

He was alive.

But I’d witnessed him getting shot. I’d seen him killed. I’d envisioned a life without him, and it wasn’t one I was willing to have.

“He killed you…shot you…right in front of me.”

“Fuck,” he cursed and wrapped me in the cocoon of his arms and the strength of his body. “I’m here. I’m right here, and there’s no way that little fuck is getting anywhere near me to do that. I swear it to you, Addi.”

He couldn’t make those promises. The reality was it wasn’t possible. We had no idea who had eyes on him, who was following us, and outside of Daniel, we had no idea what kind of help he was getting. If it was unsettling me, it had to be driving everyone else absolutely crazy.

We needed a break. And soon, before I went mad.

“I want to kill him,” I seethed, anger and fear twisting inside me, turning me into a woman I didn’t even recognize, but with Shawn I was safe enough to articulate them. “I hate him. Hate him more than I ever thought it was possible to hate a human being.”

“He’s not human. He’s evil.”

I cried again, pushing further into his hold, and like Shawn always did when it came to me, he took it. He walked us awkwardly until he fell to the bed and brought me with him. I scrambled onto his lap and ran my hands over every inch of his body I could touch. I needed the assurance.

He was fine.

He was alive.

But Daniel?

Daniel would die for the hell he’d put me through.

I had no idea how long I clung to him, stuck to him like duct tape, and his calm, settled breathing helped soothe away my fears and my racing heart.

“What time is it?”

“It’s five. I had just gotten up and headed down to make coffee or I swear I would have waken you, but we didn’t hear…”

“It’s not your fault.” It was Daniel’s. All of this was Daniel’s fault.

His hand palmed the back of my head, and he adjusted so my face was tucked into the curve of his neck where I smelled his body wash and shampoo, which told me he’d been up for a while and had already showered.

“I’m okay,” I finally said, gently releasing my grip on him enough so I could flex the tension out of my hands.

“You’re not, but you will be, and I’ll make sure of it.”

He was fierce. My fighter and my protector. I had never actually considered I’d fall in love with a man, my life too planned out for me, and once Daniel entered the picture, I’d lost all hope of being happy with anyone.

Then Shawn swooped in, all rough attitude in an alley, and if I had known that night my life was going to change in any more ways than I’d already determined, I would have taken a moment to appreciate him more.

As it was, he was here now, which was most important.

“I love you.” I whispered it against his throat and kissed where the words fell, sealing them into his flesh like a fool.

Fortunately for me, Shawn would never think that of me. He kissed my forehead and pulled my head off him, gazing down at me with concern lining his eyes, but the fear was replaced with something else more vicious.

“I love you too.” He inspected me, jaw tight, lines popping outside his eyes and his brow furrowed. “I can stay, if you want more rest.”

No way in hell was I closing my eyes again. Not now.

“Coffee. I’m up now.”

“Okay.” He pushed us off the bed and set me on my feet, not letting go until I was steady again. “Clothes?”

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