Page 40 of Dying in Flames (Reborn 4)
When I woke up next, there was someone else in bed with me, and I didn’t have to look to know that it was Henry. When I did though, I found his soft gray eyes trained on my expression with an intensity that had my breath shuddering. After what Marco had said, I decided to take action myself and just crawl on top of his lap, burying my head against his shoulder and deflating completely.
“I love you.” His voice was choked and almost defeated-sounding.
“I love you so much, Henry.”
After Henry held me for what felt like only minutes—though I knew it was longer than that—I pulled away and wiped the tears from my eyes.
“We are almost there,” he explained.
I offered a small frown and looked at the closed bedroom door. “I don’t know how to get everyone to move on. I don’t want to focus on him. I want to be happy again. The weirder everyone acts, the harder it is to forget about it.”
I wasn’t positive that was the healthiest way to handle it, but that was exactly how I felt.
“I think everyone will take the lead from you.”
“And what about Ledger?” My words were so quiet, I feared he wouldn’t hear me.
Henry’s eyes turned sad. “He blames himself for what happened to you.”
What?
I pulled back and offered him an incredulous look before hopping off of his lap. He tried to grab me, but I avoided it and slipped into the main cabin of the jet. Ledger immediately looked up, guilt infusing in his red, exhausted gaze, making me know he hadn’t slept. I acted on impulse, sliding onto his lap and burying my head against his neck, refusing to let him feel this way.
He was stiff for a minute, and if Henry hadn’t told me what he was thinking, I would have thought he was rejecting me. Instead, I squeezed him and pressed my lips into his neck until he finally relaxed, a shaky breath leaving his lips. When he hugged me back, it was with a fierceness that I loved.
“I love you,” I murmured.
“Firefly,” he grunted, guilt clear in his voice.
“No.” I shook my head and pulled back to look into his nearly black eyes. “I love you, and I do not blame you. Do not blame yourself, Ledger.”
“Maya—”
“No,” I demanded softly, tears filling my gaze as I pressed my lips against his, his grip tightening on me. “Do not do this to me, to us… I feel you pulling away, and I can’t handle that. Please don’t do this, Ledger. For me to be strong enough to push past this, I need you. I need to know you are here for me.”
“Of course, firefly.” His emotions broke open as he buried me under his chin and tightened his hold on me, the lightheartedness that was usually between us seeming to fade out completely. “I promise you, I’m not going anywhere. I won’t ever let that shit happen again. I fucking promise you.”
I breathed out and nodded, knowing that his words were serious. Knowing that they were so much more lethal than I could comprehend. The words that came out of him were like a goddamn prayer. An oath. I had a feeling that anyone who tried to hurt me would be faced with a side of Ledger that no one had ever seen before.
* * *
Ledger
It waslate into the night by the time we pulled up to our massive estate. Maya’s hot little frame was wrapped around me as I lifted her from under her thighs and stepped out of the car, the coastal wind hitting me as I crossed the front courtyard towards the marble steps that led up towards the front door. The property looked like it was almost glowing in the moonlight, only shaded by the large shrubs on either side of the massive entrance. Part of me wished Maya had been up to experience the moment, but I also knew how badly she needed to sleep.
It was probably why no one asked where I was going with our mate, and I was thankful for it, because right now, I probably would have lost my goddamn mind.
I wasn’t normally a selfish man, but I wanted Maya completely and utterly to myself. I didn’t deserve it, and I’d been planning to give her space after what had happened, not wanting to put her in any more danger than I already had…. But when she crawled onto my lap and begged me not to distance myself? There was no way in hell I would have been able to fight my urge to give her exactly what she wanted.
So that is exactly what I would give her—fucking everything.
The two-story ceiling of the foyer was cast in light from the lanterns lit up everywhere throughout the first floor of the home, trailing up the curved stone steps that led towards the bedrooms on the second floor. The bright blue painted walls were covered in eclectic works of art, and I knew that if I took the main hallway down towards the back of the house, I would find the family room and kitchen. I didn’t want to be in such a common space though. No, I wanted to take her to the bedroom that Marco would want her in.
In fact, if my hearing was correct, he’d had several additions made to it. I would give Marco one thing—the man had his faults, but he was all about taking action. Before any of this had happened, he’d changed things around here, but once Maya was in the equation? It had become one of his priorities.
It was probably why the last time we’d been in France, he’d wanted to go visit. Now that we were officially here, I more than saw the appeal.
The house was peaceful and quiet, but my shifter hearing picked up the ocean waves in the distance. Maya let out a soft sigh against my neck as I buried my nose in her wavy hair, just happy to have her in my arms. Happy that she wasn’t furious at me for putting her at risk. For putting her in a horrible situation.
