Page 114 of Love Without Demands

I stroked my thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away the fresh round of tears. “Always, Tink. I’ll always protect the woman I love. I couldn’t live without you.”

And then I kissed her again for good measure, losing myself in her. Until…

“Jesus Christ, is Estrada mauling a civilian?”

I heard Curly’s low chuckle. “Don’t worry about it, Jayden. She’shiscivilian.”

Damn right she is.

“Cruz, I told you, I’m fine. There’s no need—”

I shut my woman up with a hard stare. There wasn’t a single thing in the entire world that she could ask for that I wouldn’t give her, but I was absolutely adamant about this one thing.

Softening my glare with a kiss to her forehead, I dialed a number and pressed the phone to my ear, tucking her into my side with my free arm as the chaos of police and paramedics surrounded us.

“Dude, are you seeing this shit at the mall?” Monty asked in the way of a greeting.

“I’m here.”

He let out a harsh breath. “Shit. You okay, man? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. Lehra was in the store where… where it all went down.”

“Oh my fucking god. Please tell me she’s—” His voice broke before he could finish.

“She’s safe, but I don’t want her to be alone. It will be a few hours till I get out of here.”

“I’m on my way. I’ll stay with her until you get home. I won’t leave her for a second.”

Relief flooded my body. Other than myself, there was no one I trusted to take care of Lehra more than… my brother.

Chapter 36

I was sandwiched betweenMonty and his soon-to-be-wife, Kassie, on Cruz’s couch. They’d fed me, given me wine, and completely smothered me since Monty had picked me up at the mall after I’d given my statement to the police.

“That chicken noodle soup was so good,” I said, glancing at the door for approximately the thousandth time in the past hour. Cruz should be here soon.

The couple shared a look over me that seemed to tell a story. “It’s from the deli around the corner,” Kass informed me. “Monty brought me some when I was sick.”

I was surprised his pupils weren’t shaped like little hearts when he looked at his bride. “Well, it was my fault you were sick, Kasserole.” I loved when he called her that. It was so cute.

Kassie bit her bottom lip as they stared at each other. Were they about to start making out with me right in the middle?

Pushing off the couch before I got stuck in the midst of a hot and heavy makeout sesh, I felt the nerves of the day settle in my stomach.Oh crap. Literally.

As I made my way to the bathroom in Cruz’s room, I felt Monty’s presence behind me, and I turned. “I’m just going to the bathroom, Mont.”

He nodded. “Okay, I’ll wait right outside the door.”

“Monty,” I said bluntly, crossing my arms over my chest, “I need to poop, and I’d rather you not be within listening distance.”

His face turned a hundred shades of red. “Oh. Yeah, right. Okay. Um, do you want Kassie to wait by the door?”

I fought a smile. He was taking his orders from Cruz seriously, not letting me out of his sight for even a second since we’d gotten here.

“I don’t particularly want Kassie hearing my digestive noises either,” I told him, giving his thick arm a squeeze. “I’m okay. I promise. I might take a shower too, so don’t call in the National Guard if I’m more than a couple minutes.”

He chuckled. “Sorry if I’m being a little over the top. We just want you to know you’re not alone.”

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