His hand returns to my waist, protective, while theother cups the back of my head. “He’s not coming anywhere near you,” he says, “I promise you that.”
The tears come as I clutch his shirt, bury my face against his chest, and listen to his heartbeat pounding beneath my ear.
He presses another kiss to my hand, then to my forehead. “You’re safe here,” he whispers. “I swear it.”
And even with fear crawling under my skin, I believe him.
He quietly gets up, still half-dressed from sleep, and pulls on the first flannel he finds. “Come on,” he murmurs, reaching for my hand. “You need to eat somethin’. I’ll make breakfast.”
The aroma of espresso and syrup interweaves in the air.
He tiptoes through the kitchen, barefoot, hair still messy from sleep. He hasn’t said much since the messages came in, but he doesn’t have to. The way he hovers close, the way his hand occasionally grazes the small of my back as he passes, says it all.
“Sit,” he murmurs when I try to help. “You need to eat.”
I sit on one of the barstools, wrapped in his hoodie, watching him flip French toast, my favorite. His shoulders are tense, his jaw clenched, but his movements are gentle.
He slides a plate in front of me, and a few minutes later, it’s perfectly cooked. “You’ve barely eaten since yesterday.”
“I know,” I whisper. My voice sounds small in the quiet kitchen. “Thank you.”
He nods and starts pouring coffee into a glass. “You’re welcome, baby.”
Before I can answer, a loud knock rattles the front door—quick and impatient, then another.
Reed frowns, wiping his hands on a towel as he heads over. “Ohmy?—”
The door swings open before he finishes, and Maverick’s voice booms through the house. “Heyyy, favorite Hayes brother is here. Everyone, clap.”
I freeze, fork halfway to my mouth.
Behind him, Carter walks in, calm as always, with Leo perched on his arm and babbling happily. Catalina follows, her belly now slightly more visible beneath a soft lavender dress. Amelia is close behind, wearing her signature oversized band tee, tattoos on display, holding a coffee, her scowl intact.
Reed blinks. “Jesus, y’all ever heard of knockin’?”
Catalina spots me and gasps. “Heyyyy,” she says, a mischievous look on her face.
“Hey,” I manage, my voice trembling slightly. “I need to talk to you guys again.”
Amelia’s expression shifts quickly from confusion to concern. “Wait. What’s going on?”
Reed exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s… a lot. Sit down.”
I shake my head. “No. I should be the one to tell all of you.”
Everyone finds a spot; Carter leans against the counter as Leo wiggles in his arms, cooing softly. Maverick paces as he always does when restless, Catalina sitting beside me, and Amelia beside her.
I take a deep breath, glancing at Reed before I begin.
They already know most of it—that Brian hurt me and that I’ve been staying here ever since, but there’s still one truth weighing heavily on my chest, and I refuse to keep it buried.
I glance up, catching Reed across the room. He’s standing by the counter with his arms crossed, pretending to listen to Carter and Maverick talk about random shit. But Ican tell he’s not really paying attention. His eyes keep flicking toward me.
Catalina must feel it too, because her hand stops. “Layla?” she says softly.
I swallow hard. “There’s something else I need to say.”
Reed immediately straightens, shoving Maverick’s beefy arm off of him.
