Page 40 of Her Remarkable Protector

What I see stops me in my tracks. Honor is fully dressed and ready to leave, but she’s sprawled on the hospital bed, clutching a pocket mirror in her hand, as if sleep had claimed her mid-makeup. She didn’t even have the chance to conceal the exhaustion etched across her face. And yet, she’s mesmerizing.

I take a step closer, the sound of her slow, steady breathing a stark contrast to the frantic rhythm pounding in my chest. My gaze lingers on her lips, and an uninvited thought sneaks in. Dare I imagine stealing a kiss? Just one.

Heaven, if you’re taking requests, I’ve got a major one here.

But I already know the answer. I turn to the cot, where Laramie sleeps peacefully, curled up like the tiniest angel.

Knowing they’re both okay, I step away. They need this. Going home can wait. Sleep is more important right now.

I start to turn for the door when Honor stirs. Her eyelids flutter, and her voice comes out hushed and groggy, “Chase?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” I reply, stepping back to the bedside.

She pushes herself up on one elbow, blinking at me. “Sorry. How did I…?”

“Hey, it’s okay,” I say gently. “You needed it.”

“I’m ready to go,” she insists, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She reaches for Laramie and pulls her from the cot, and I’m quick to notice her slight wobble. Before I can think, I step in. “Here, let me,” I say, my voice softer.

Honor hesitates before passing Laramie to me.

The tiny weight settles into my arms, so light it feels unreal. She’s impossibly small, barely bigger than my hand. For a moment, I don’t breathe. My calloused fingers seem clumsy against something so fragile.

“I’m not going to crush her,” I say, more to calm myself than anything else.

Honor surprises me with a smile. “I know you won’t.” Her voice holds something new—trust. Not the tentative kind born of survival, but something deeper.

“Let’s put her here,” she says, gesturing to a pink infant carrier decorated with butterflies. She glances my way. “Thanks for this.”

“It was my colleague,” I admit. “He’s an experienced dad.”

“Ah, I see. Looks like I’m in capable company.”

“You could say that.”

Our eyes meet, and for once, I don’t look away. There’s something familiar there, a thread I can’t quite place.

“Here, let me,” she says, taking Laramie back and settling her into the carrier. With one swift motion, she lifts it. “I’m ready.”

I grab her bag, my hand brushing hers briefly. She sways again, just enough for me to notice. I reach out instinctively, but then I hesitate, withdrawing before touching her.

She catches the motion. “It’s fine,” she says. “You can hold me.”

It’s a simple statement, but it stops me cold. I wrap my arm around her waist, steadying her as we leave the hospital.

For most guys, falling for a woman usually starts with her looks. Guilty as charged—I’ve ticked that box. Then there’s vulnerability, and yeah, that’s hitting hard right now. She’s a fighter, no question, but after childbirth? It’s like seeing a whole new side of her strength—one that makes me want to shield her from anything that could hurt her. Not because she needs it, but because she’s already given so much of herself.

But honestly, it’s more than that with her. It’s her grit, the way she doesn’t let anything break her, and somehow still lets me in after the rocky way we started. There’s nothing that gets to me more than a tough woman showing just a little softness, like it’s something she doesn’t give to anyone else. That’s what’s different with Honor—it’s not just what I see, it’s what she makes me want to be for her.

Honor breaks the silence first. “I’ve been thinking,” she starts, “I can stay at a motel in Belgrade for a couple of days before making another move. The last place Damon will think to look is a tiny motel?—”

“Not gonna happen,” I cut in before she can finish.

“Chase, I’m not staying with you if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“You are,” I reply. I’m not usually the kind to impose, especially not on women, but this isn’t a matter of preference. It’s survival. “This is life and death, Honor. I’m not rolling the dice.”

She doesn’t back down. “I’ll disappear, not hide. Motel for a couple of days, then I’ll pick up Oakley, and we’ll go far. No one will find us.”

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