Page 59 of For the Love of Layla

I tuck myself behind the door, my eyes glued to the dark bedroom as she uses the bathroom, not bothering to wash her hands. As soon as she steps out of the doorway I grab her tightly, my gloved hand gripping her mouth and nose as she kicks wildly. No doubt trying to rouse her husband’s attention. “No worries, we’re going to wake him together.” I assure her as I drag her into the bedroom with me. Shifting her to one side and tucking her underneath my arm as I flick on the bright overhead light. She whimpers beneath my hand as he shoots up in bed, his dark eyes bulging with alarm as he takes in the scene before him.

“Sorry to wake you, but it seems we have a score to settle.” I say, plastering a comically fake smile on my face. Not that I’m not happy to be here doing this, I am. It just shouldn’t have happened in the first place. I should have never let it happen, they will pay the penance for me. Seems fair enough.

“Now let’s calm down, let her go. Do you know who-”

“Of course I know who you are. You’re the stupid fuck that put his hands on my girl. That’s why I drove all this way. Nobody. Fucking. Touches. Layla.” The next smile that drags across my face is genuine as I watch his eyes widen further, putting all the pieces in place. The recognition flashes in his eyes. I can’t wait to watch my cute little star do the same. “There you go. I trust you realize who I am now?”

“Please, let my wife go.”

“I asked you a fucking question!” I snap. This is getting tedious. I just need to fucking kill you and be on my way. Tomorrow is a big day for me. His wife screams as I force her to the floor on her hands and knees. Stomping hard on the middle of her back until she collapses to her stomach, crying softly.

“Fuck, stop! You’re Liam Curran, we met briefly. You assaulted me, but I let it go, remember that? You’re Layla Burke’s fiancé. You… you seem like a good, reasonable guy.” His eyes slide towards his bedroom drawer where I’m sure he has a gun tucked away. I snap the clasp on my holster, unsheathing my knife pointing it at him, “The second you reach for that gun I drive this knife through the back of her skull. I think that’s a fair trade, but it’ll be difficult to explain that one to my girl once she learns of my little road trip.”

“You’ve been stalking her. It was you.”

I scoff, “Of fucking course it was me. Imagine how I felt when I saw what you did tomyLayla. If anyone is going to hurt her, it’s me.”

“She attacked me-”

“Because you refused to fucking help her!” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Look, it’s been a long day, so here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to dislocate both of your wife’s shoulders, then maybe I let you live. Okay?”

“Okay. Okay.” She frantically mumbles from beneath me, tremors racking her body. I meet his eyes, smirking as I bend down, jerking one of her arms free from underneath her. I don’t look away from Officer Daniels as I place my boot on her shoulder, pulling back hard until her arm pops loudly, giving out and going limp in my hands. He makes a disgusted sound in the back of his throat, looking away as she screams. I make quick work of the other arm before I drop it, letting it thud to the floor. Tears well in his eyes as he stares at her, leaving himself open.

Distracted.

I step forward, slashing through his throat in a matter of seconds, his shocked expression peeling away from his sobbing wife. “You shouldn’t have fucking hurt her.” He slumps over on the bed grabbing at his open throat. I lean over him plunging my blade into his stomach over and over again until I’m panting and the blade becomes slippery. Turning my attention back to her, I sit heavily beside his body trying to catch my breath, “I don’t want to kill you, but it just occurred to me you could put a serious dent in my future with Layla.”

She sobs, “Please, please, I won’t talk.”

She might be telling the truth.

Rocking to my feet I walk behind her. Bending to grasp her black hair in my hand, I jerk her head back, running the blade across her throat, “That won’t kill you, not if you hurry. But let me make one thing fucking clear: if I catch wind you so much as muttered a word to anyone about this I’ll slice until it pops clean off next time.” I glance over at the nightstand as adrenaline pumps through my veins, jerking the phone from the charger and tossing it to the floor a little ways in front of her.

Might be a little unfair without the use of her arms, but her husband signed their fate the moment he put his hands on Layla. My Layla.

Layla

I run my fingers over the sculpted freckled planes of Liam’s face as he sleeps beside me, his breath spaced and heavy. For the first time in a while I feel some semblance of safety.I know that will end the moment I turn on my phone. What will he do this time? How far will he go to punish me for my disobedience?

How will he punish Liam for keeping me from him? Does this truly hurt him… me being away?

I quickly remove my hand from his face, turning towards the ceiling, guilt flooding through me for even caring, especially laying here. Despite all of his faults, the odd backwards parts of his personality, I fell hard for this man. Despite six months of distance, I stayed planted firmly where I fell, where he left me and now here he is. All of my reservations were laid to rest, my reluctance stowed away and I’m still thinking about my tormentor.

“What are you thinking about?”

I sigh, turning back to him, his deep blue eyes searching mine as he tugs me closer. I snuggle up reveling in his warmth. Inhaling him, “What awaits me when I turn on my phone.” I mumble, pressing my face into his chest, frowning when I encounter his t-shirt and not his skin. It’s weird for Liam to sleep in a shirt.

“How about I make us some breakfast? You can snuggle up on the couch and turn it on. If it’s too much or you don’t like what you find, we can go from there.” I pull back, slightly alarmed by the change in his voice.

You need to stop. Liam is not him for Christ’s sake. Stop this.

I nod, giggling as he stands lifting me from the bed with him. His lips find mine, kissing me deeply as he walks with me to the couch. I feel my core tighten as his tongue teases my bottom lip. It doesn’t take me long before I knot my hands in his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss. He groans as he breaks away, “Phone first, little star. We can’t put this off. It’s important.”

I frown as he sits me down on the couch, “What do you mean by that?”

He bends, gripping my chin lightly, “Avoiding everything that’s happened in the past ten months isn’t going to end well. You said you were mine, that you’ll stay, right?”

“Right…”

---