Page 92 of Fighting Shadows

Shaking my head at him, I can’t help but feel the same, even when the idea of facing off with Charlie is enough to make bile fill my mouth, “Me too, but I don’t think anyone would let me go.”

Aidan's face somehow morphs into a fiercer scowl as he stares down at me, “Damn fucking right, we wouldn’t. You are staying here, and you can face him when he’s tied up in your boyfriend's favorite room.”

“My favorite room is whatever room my Cupcake is in, but the one Charlie is going to be in for a while is my second,” Dominic chirps, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into his chest.

I breathe in his cologne and feel the muscles in my shoulders relax for a moment.

“A while?” I ask, pushing my face into the padded vest he’s wearing.

“For as long as it takes to make sure he knows you were never his,” he says, pulling away and tilting my face up to meet his, his lips brushing against mine, “You were always meant to be ours since the first day Atlas claimed you as his best friend. Just because we hadn’t met yet doesn’t mean we weren’t meant to be. Ours Autumn, never his.”

A warm presence shadows my back and pulls my blonde hair away from my neck, “Ours, Pumpkin, and we’re going to show Charlie what happens when someone hurts you.”

“I-”

Atlas’s lips skim against my neck, his hand laying possessively on my hip, “You're ours, Autumn; say it.”

“Yours.”

“Good girl,” Atlas says before he spins me out of Dominic’s hold and kisses me possessively, “I’m going to kill him, Autumn. Not today because he doesn’t deserve for this to be quick, but he will die slowly and painfully for everything he has ever done to you.”

“I know,” I nod. Releasing a shaky breath, I step away from them both and wrap my arms around myself for comfort. “Be safe, all of you,” I say, looking at all of them.

I watch as all of them change, their bodies coiling tight in anticipation of what’s about to happen. Their weapons are holstered to their bodies, and everyone but Sebastian and Noah is decked out in full gear.

Noah holds a blanket in his arms to cover Sebastian in the back of the car, an attempt to conceal him for as long as possible from Charlie’s gaze so he doesn’t spook, and he thinks it’s me under it, unconscious from Noah drugging me just as he had Ellie do to me.

“We’ll get him Strange Girl, and then you’ll finally be free,” Noah says, stepping up to me. He raises his hand, hovering mid-air, “Fuck it,” he murmurs before he cups my cheek and slams his lips to mine, shocking me.

His pillowy lips move against mine before he pulls back and chuckles at my dazed look. Then I panic, remembering that we’re surrounded by my men.

I step back from him, an excuse on my lips as I look over to the others but pause. There’s no angry looks, only soft understanding and utter glee on Dominic’s.

Sebastian steps forward and takes my hand, his lips pressing softly to my forehead, “Don’t overthink it, Sunshine. We’ll talk about it when we’re home, ok?”

“Okay.”

I stand by Dad’s front door, pacing like a lunatic long after they’ve all left.

“Will you come sit down?” Dad asks me, patting the floor next to him where he’s sat while Aidan does a perimeter check.

“I can’t. I feel too restless.”

“Did I ever tell you about the day you were born?”

Pausing my pacing, I turn to look at him, “No.”

“I was pacing just like you are now. Jane was in labor for what felt like hours. You were so stubborn, you didn’t want to come out, and part of me wonders if you knew you were protected in there,” he says, his eyes shining with tears as he looks at me, “You came into this world kicking and screaming and I was smitten with you the moment you were placed in my arms. I made a promise to you that day, and I broke that, and I’m sorry.”

“What was the promise?” I ask, sitting next to him on the floor.

Dad places his hand over mine, squeezing gently, “I promised I would never let you be hurt, that you would only know love. After what happened with Brenn’s mother, I never wanted you to experience the pain he had.”

A humorless laugh escapes me, “Yet somehow the pattern repeated itself. You have a really shit taste in woman Dad.”

“Tell me about it,” he laughs, his head falling back and thumping against the wall, “I want to make you a new promise.”

“What is it?”

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