Page 1 of For the Love of Layla

Chapter one

Outside Looking In

Tonight You Belong to Me by Patience & Prudence

Thud!

“Fuck.” I curse under my breath as the flathead screwdriver tumbles to the balcony floor, taking with it my hope of getting into the house. The bedroom light flicks on as Peaches runs up to the sliding glass door, canines barred and growling. I jerk it up quickly before I vault over the ledge of the balcony. Barely lowering myself out of sight as the door unlocks and slides open. My heart hurls itself into my throat at our proximity, my skin heating and prickling in an all-encompassing way, my sweet Layla. I hear her footsteps creaking along the worn and faded white wooden boards as I dangle two stories up. My gloved hands straining to hold on to the ledge.

I need to get back to the gym, I’ve been so caught up in my… Extracurricular activities I diverged from my routine.

“Hello?” Her sweet voice wraps itself around me, bringing a smile to my face despite the circumstances. I pull myself up slightly, just enough to see her.

I have to see her.

My good mood is immediately diminished by the realization that she just marched her cute little ass out here at the first sign of danger.

What if some strange man was out here, lying in wait for you?

Blistering hot anger bubbles up in my chest at the thought of anyone but me putting their hands on her soft skin. Gripping the gentle slope of her neck. It seems lately anger has been my primary setting. She’s destroyed everything. Our life, love, my fucking sanity.

I miss you, little star.

I can hear the heavy fall of dog paws as Peaches pads along, walking straight up to me. Tail going a mile a minute, I shake my head, desperately motioning for her to go. “What is it, girl?” Layla calls out, her footsteps growing dangerously close. I stop breathing all together, letting go with one hand before reaching up and lightly flicking our dog in the nose.

Sorry girl, your mom would flip if she saw me.

Peaches sneezes in protest, backing up until she bumps into Layla, knocking her down, “Christ, Peaches! Get inside.” Peaches whines in protest, no doubt glancing back my way before trotting back through the door.

I trained her well, always on guard for Layla.

I know it’s not right, training a dog to be aggressive towards any man but me, but the ends justify the means. Layla is mine. My little star, my only fucking love. The reason my chest rises and falls. Why my eyes open every morning and my heart forces blood through my veins. It’s all for her. Her forgetting that fact could force me to do something horrible, something we would never come back from. An overly territorial one hundred- and twenty-two-pound bullmastiff is an effective failsafe.

My muscles strain as I lift myself up, peeking underneath the railing to see Layla run her hands down her beautiful face. Her legs spread apart, knees slightly bent inwards, exposing her panty clad sex. My mouth waters as I stare at the indent of her folds, pressed tight against the fabric of her underwear. My cock hardens despite my screaming muscles as she stands. The bottom of her ass showing slightly underneath the oversized t-shirt she’s wearing.

You know better than to walk outside wearing shit like that, Layla.

I don’t pull myself up all the way until I hear the door latch lingering off to the side of the sliding glass door until the bedroom light shuts off as well, plunging the house into darkness.

That was close.

I crack my neck, stretching out my arms and groaning slightly as I note how sore they are.

The things I’ll do for you, little star…

I'll wait another half hour before I try to slip in again, relaxing on the balcony. Pretending this was just a normal night, like she didn’t rip my heart from my chest and cast me away the moment I let myself slip. Let myself feel too much, too suddenly.

She’s so beautiful. I had no choice but to fall so dangerously deep into her orbit.

If I’m being honest with myself, something I’m making a point to do more of. Honesty is the best policy and all that. I’ve always had a habit of fixating. Granted, that always worked to my advantage. My attention to detail is in part what made me so successful. When I met my little star, I unknowingly turned that neurotic part of myself on her.

She consumed me. I would have it no other way.

I slip out of her bed gently, trying not to wake her as I bend pressing my lips to her forehead. She’s such a light sleeper, my little star. I let them linger there longer than I need to, inhaling her chamomile scent. She moans softly as I brush her curly ash brown hair from her delicate face.

“My Layla.”

I head out of the bedroom, unable to stop from pausing at the doorway. Her fair skin looks so much lighter wrapped in the light gray sheets, clinging to her mesmeric body. I smirk to myself, reaching down and petting Peaches as I slide open the glass doors heading onto the old porch…

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