Page 83 of (Un)Expected

If that fucker ever put his hands on her again, he’d lose them.

After the doors opened, I released her, leading her into the hotel room she shared with Adam. Mine was a few floors below, but I couldn’t leave, not yet. Once she was settled and asleep, I’d head back. The last thing she needed was for Theo to find out about us, opening another can of inconvenient worms.

Once she was asleep, once I knew Adam was back in case Alex needed something, I’d force myself to my room.

At least, that was what I told myself.

I opened the door, leading Alex over to the bed and helping her sit on the edge, trying not to growl when she grimaced in pain. She didn’t even seem to notice; instead, she just stared off into space. She fidgeted with the pendant around her neck, trapped in her head, so I knelt in front of her, taking her hands in mine. “What do you need, sweetheart?”

She blinked a couple of times before her eyes finally focused on me. As soon as they did, they filled with tears, and she broke, lifting her arms around my neck to hold me close. Her body shook with the force of her cries, and I felt entirely helpless as I held her, rocking her slowly in my lap.

When her sobs started to fade, I leaned back on my haunches, lifting her chin so she was looking at me. My thumbs brushed away the trail of her tears as I smiled softly at her. “Let’s get you ready for bed. Sleep away the rest of tonight.”

She stood and turned in front of me, a silent request to help her with her dress. My throat bobbed as I touched the slick metal clasp, unhooking it before pulling the zipper down her back. It tookeverything in me not to reach out and touch her, knowing that would be the last thing she needed right now.

Once the dress pooled on the floor at her feet, I turned, facing the opposite wall while she grabbed an old shirt and leggings and climbed into the bed. Glancing over my shoulder, I made sure she was fully covered before turning to face her. I found Alex snuggled up on her side, curling the blanket around herself. Coming to her side of the bed, I leaned down, pressing a feather-light kiss on her forehead.

Without another word, she pulled back the blanket, silently willing me to join her. Shit. I should say no. The past two days had been emotionally draining. She was in a vulnerable state, and I needed to give her space.

I was also a man on the edge, and the need to be next to her outweighed everything else.

Kicking off my shoes and my suit jacket, I climbed into the bed next to Alex. Only a few minutes. Once she was asleep, I’d head into the living room and let her rest—an hour max.

As I listened to her breathing start to slow, my eyes closed for a moment. That was all I could allow myself. Yet as soon as they fully closed, I drifted off, plagued with dreams of what could have been.

THIRTY-SEVEN

It was still dark when I woke. It took me a minute to realize that I was back in my hotel room, my brain still too worked up to make out many of the details. My entire body ached, as if I’d run ten miles over the sand.

One thing it did instantly realize was that there was a heavy arm draped over my stomach, and someone’sveryprominent erection pressed into my backside.

What the fuck? I instantly stiffened, thrown back to when it was Nate holding me like this, overwhelmingly possessive, even in his sleep. The clawing smell of his sterilized apartment made my stomach turn, and I shut my eyes tight to keep out the fears. As my mind started to panic, my fight or flight instinct pushing me to look for the closest exit, the sleeping man next to me whispered in my ear.

“It’s just me, sweetheart.”

Cole. The tension instantly left, replaced by an overwhelming sense of comfort. As my heartbeat slowed, the nightmares faded away. The sterile smell that made me gag was replaced by the familiar aroma of leather and citrus as I shifted in the bed to face him. He was still in his suit from earlier, nowrumpled from sleep. His messy hair covered part of his face, and I leaned down, brushing it back. His eyes reluctantly opened, giving me a soft smile when I buried myself in his chest.

This was precisely what I needed.

“How are you doing?” he said, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ear. The gesture alone made me want to cry. After years of feeling lost, he was the first person I felt entirely safe with. Cared for.Loved.

Flashes of last night popped into my mind, from Nate’s furious scowl to Cole’s heavy-handed punches and kicks. My body must have tensed, because he pulled me closer. “Hey, you’re okay. I’ve got you, I promise.”

I knew. Even when I was terrified last night, there were no doubts Cole would come. He had proven time and time again that he’d keep me safe, that he’d find me if I needed him. It made me want to hold him forever, to keep him from harm for the rest of his days, to love him for as long as he’d let me.

The words didn’t come. Instead, I gingerly pressed my lips to his and whispered, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving me.”

He ticked his tongue, “Don’t thank me for that.” He abruptly sat up, running his hand through his hair. “You never should have been out there by yourself at all. It was my fault for losing track of you.” He sighed, whispering to himself, “I fucked up.”

I popped up to my knees, taking his face in my hands. Forcing him to look at me, I made my voice as stern as possible. “Don’t you dare, Cole Campbell. You are not responsible for what happened.Noneof this is on your shoulders. It’s all on Nate. Besides, I’m an adult; I chose to go out into the alley, and I’ll probably hate myself for it for a long time.” I stared into his dark chestnut eyes, praying he heard me. “It was not your fault.”

“You could have been hurt.”

“I wasn’t,” I said. “Nate tried to grab me, and I fought back, Cole. I knew you’d be there, that you’d realize what was going on.”

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