Page 158 of Body and Soul

“I could sleep for a week,” I muttered, my eyes heavy.

Annie smiled at me sympathetically. “Get some rest if you need it. We’ll watch over you.” She glanced over at Dani. “All of you. You're safe here with us.”

I nodded gratefully, my throat feeling tight. I wasn't used to people being so nice to me, especially not after everything I'd been through. It was almost too much.

Theo returned from the kitchen area, carrying a plate of what looked like sandwiches and some chips. He set it down on the coffee table. “Here, you must be starving.”

My stomach growled at the sight of the food, reminding me I hadn't eaten anything substantial in God knows how long. I reached for a sandwich with a muttered thanks. I groaned as I bit into it. It was just peanut butter and jelly, but after not eating anything decent for so long, it tasted like heaven.

Dani picked up half a sandwich too, balancing Noah in one arm as she took a small bite. She chewed slowly, like it was an effort to even eat. I got that. Sometimes, even the basic shit felt impossible, especially the first few weeks after I’d gotten out of the cult. I wouldn’t have survived on my own if Cherry and Ketchup hadn’t taken me in.

“It gets easier,” I told Dani, reaching across to take her hand. “Having people there to back you up helps. Me and Shepherd will be with you every step of the way.”

Her jaw quivered, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Thank you.”

We lapsed into silence again, both of us lost in our own dark thoughts. I was just starting to drift off, exhaustion pulling me under, when the door suddenly burst open.

I jolted awake, heart pounding with terror. But then a familiar figure filled the doorway and everything else faded away. Shepherd. He was here. Larger than life and twice as solid, his broad shoulders straining against the fabric of his t-shirt, dark hair tousled like he'd been running his hands through it.

His intense gaze swept the room, landing first on Dani and then locking with mine. The raw emotion in his eyes stole my breath - relief, joy, pain, and half a dozen other things I couldn't even name.

“Dani,” he choked out, voice cracking. “Eli.”

“Shepherd,” Dani sobbed, struggling to her feet with Noah in her arms.

Shepherd crossed the room in two long strides, catching Dani up in a desperate embrace, mindful of the baby between them.He buried his face in her hair, shoulders shaking. “Thank God. I thought... fuck, I was so scared I lost you.”

“I'm here,” Dani murmured through her tears. “We're okay, Shepherd. We made it.”

Shepherd pulled back enough to cup Dani's face in his big hands, eyes roaming over her like he was trying to memorize every detail. “Are you hurt? Did they...”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. We’re both fine.”

Shepherd's gaze dropped to the baby and his breath hitched. With shaking hands, he gently brushed a finger over Noah's tiny brow. “Is this...?”

“Your nephew,” Dani said softly. “Noah.”

A wounded sound escaped Shepherd's throat, and he closed his eyes for a long moment, overcome. When he opened them again, they were wet. “He's perfect, Dani. Absolutely perfect.”

I watched the touching family reunion, my chest aching something fierce. Seeing Shepherd so vulnerable, so human...it threw me for a loop. This was a side of him I'd never witnessed before. The infamous Shepherd Laskin, brought to his knees by a woman and a baby.

After another long moment of just staring at Noah in wonder, Shepherd seemed to remember I existed. His eyes cut to me and I found myself pinned in place by the intensity of his gaze.

“Eli,” he said again, his voice low and rough with emotion.

I swallowed hard, my mouth going dry. “Hey.”

He released Dani and crossed over to me in two long strides. Before I could even react, he was hauling me up off the couch and into his arms, crushing me against his solid chest.

“Fuck, Eli,” he growled into my hair. “If anything happened to you, I would've burned the whole world down.”

I froze for a second, stunned by the intensity of Shepherd's words, his embrace. Then I melted into him, my hands fisting in the back of his shirt as I clung to him just as fiercely. Iburied my face in Shepherd's neck, breathing him in. It was the most comforting thing I'd ever smelled. I couldn't stop the small, desperate sound that escaped me, muffled against his skin.

“I got you,” Shepherd murmured, one big hand cupping the back of my head. “I’m not letting you go ever again, Eli. I love you.”

I pulled back just enough to look up at Shepherd, meeting his intense gaze. My heart was pounding so hard I swear he could feel it where our chests were pressed together. “I love you too, Sir,” I whispered, my voice rough with emotion. “So fucking much.”

The words had barely left my mouth before Shepherd was kissing me, deep and desperate. I kissed him back just as fiercely, pouring all the fear and longing and relief I felt into it. His lips were chapped but soft, and he tasted like coffee and something uniquely Shepherd. I never wanted to stop kissing him.

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