Page 3 of His Autumn Darling
“Thank you for coming for me, Law.” Her voice is soft, sweet, like the first kiss of the sun in the morning.Addicting.
“You can always count on me, darling. I’ll always come for you.”
She closes her eyes and dips her face into my hand before settling against my shoulder once more. It takes a few minutes to realize she’s fallen asleep.
I wave over the waitress again and request some food and dessert to go, while keeping an eye out for whichever of the guys War sent.
CHAPTER 3
Autumn
Silence greets my ears as I begin to awaken. It’s too quiet for my liking. Peeking my eyes open, the room is dark with a sliver of light glinting between the curtains from the streetlights or moonlight. A warm body at my back nearly sends me into a blind panic until I hear his voice.
“You’re safe. You fell asleep at the diner, and you must have needed it because you didn’t wake up when I picked you up and brought you out to my truck.” The rough timber of his tone makes my belly quiver. When his hand touches my hip, rubbing along the side of my body, my thighs tremble. The warmth of his palm against my naked leg is intense.
“It’s been a while since I’ve felt safe enough to really sleep,” I confess quietly.
Law rubs his face into the back of my neck, inhaling deeply, and sending shivers down my spine. “I figured as much, which is why I didn’t wake you up.” Pressing his lips to the back of my head, he draws back, giving me space I didn’t ask for. “I didremove your shorts, sweater, and bra, though. Didn’t look, just thought you’d sleep better.”
As he says the words, I realize I’m only in my tank top and panties. With any other man, I’d feel violated; with Law, it feels sweet. Kind and caring because he considered my needs and not his wants. It’s been entirely too long since I’ve felt like a priority to someone that the concept is entirely foreign.
Turning around to watch him in the slim strip of light, Law sits on the edge of the bed, his back to me, and the revealed scars trigger a fresh wave of tears. Reaching forward, the tips of my fingers brush the long-healed puckered skin, causing him to stiffen as I ask, “What happened?”
His head turns, our eyes meet, and his dark stare reveals a whole world of pain. “We all have a past, Autumn.” My head bobs, but I don’t push. Like me, he’ll say more when he’s ready.
“What do we do now? I keep running, I keep hiding, but he always finds me. No matter what I do or how hard I try, I can only escape him for so damn long. I’m so tired, Law. I can’t keep doing this.” Tears stream silently down my cheeks as I crawl to my knees, ready to give up because I just can’t do this anymore. I’m not built to run.
“Autumn.” The restrained way he says my name and kneels in front of me, cupping my face in his big, strong hands while holding my gaze, nearly melts me. “You don’t have to run anymore. You’re free now.”
“What? What do you mean? How can that be?” My heart pounds in my chest, and I don’t know if I can take a full breath.
“John Graves was arrested a few days ago. I gave the police everything they needed to put him behind bars for the rest of his life. His bail hearing was denied. All that’s left is for you to make a statement, and you never have to worry about him again.”
It’s not real. It can’t be over just like that.
Blinking, I stare at Law, waiting for him to say he’s joking, that he’s wrong, that John will be after me again in the morning, and I have to run forever.
But it doesn’t come. Law is completely serious.
“It’s really over? I can go home. See my sisters?” He nods once. “I don’t have to run anymore.” I don’t expect him to confirm it, but he gives me a resounding “yes”.
With the elation comes an all-encompassing, visceral crash that feels like a punch to the gut. I hyperventilate, unable to catch my breath and clawing at Law’s hands where he holds my face.
“Hey, none of that, Autumn. This is not too much for you. You’re so fucking strong. Just breathe with me.” He presses my hands against his chest, holding me there until my breathing matches his. Until the panic lessens and begins to subside.
“I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for.”
Shaking my head, I move closer to him until we’re touching, and the warmth of his strength permeates the thin layer of my shirt. “It’s hard to accept that the nightmare is all over now. That life can go back to normal.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it affect people in various ways. There’s the fear that it really hasn’t ended, and you still search for that darkness around every corner.”That’s exactly how it feels.“Don’t be afraid to lean on your sisters. On your family.” There’s a pause, then, “On me.”
My gaze darts to his face. “You?” I ask fervently as my breathing accelerates for an entirely different reason.
“Yeah, darling”—his fingers brush through my hair as his face moves closer and we’re just a breath apart—“me.”
The pulse in my throat flutters as I anticipate the touch of our lips, and when they do, my eyes close and stars explode behind the lids. Our tongues touch. He’s gentle at first, allowingme to feel him out, then deepening the kiss as soon as a soft moan escapes me. His hands encircle my waist, sliding down my backside to my thighs, and hauling me against his body.
