Page 62 of Sanctuary (The Wanderers 1)

“I’m okay,” she whispered to the collective group. “I promise.”

They needed reassuring. They needed so much more. If they weren’t standing in the forest in the middle of the fucking night, Ledger would probably strip her clothes off and flatten her to the nearest surface. He was desperate to show her how he felt. He wanted to make her writhe until she had no doubt in her mind how important she was to them.

“Where’s Jay?” she asked.

Gatlin stroked her cheek. “Dealing with the man he captured.” Gatlin flinched, a frown forming. “Isn’t there another prick still out here hunting us?”

Layla shook her head.

Gatlin lifted a brow.

Ledger chuckled. “Layla took him out.”

A grin formed on Gatlin’s lips. “Did you now?”

She groaned and rolled her eyes. “Let’s not throw a party, guys. I killed someone. I’m not proud of having to do so.”

Ledger tugged her head back so he could look her in the eye. “You had no choice, princess. It was him or you.”

She swallowed. “I know, but it still gives me the chills.”

The crunch of twigs and leaves under feet caused all four of them to glance toward the road as Jay approached. He was alone, and the look on his face was fierce, as if he refused to believe Layla was okay until he set his gaze on her.

Jay was a large man, but he was beyond formidable when he was worried about one of his own. That included the men. His broad body nearly blocked the light from the moon as he approached. His brow was furrowed.

Ledger wasn’t the only one who released Layla to take a step back. They all did, giving Jay space to haul her into his arms and lift her off the ground. “Scared me to death,” he murmured.

Ledger watched their exchange, nothing but love in his heart. Perhaps in another world in another life, he would have wanted her all to himself, but they didn’t live in that world. It was a distant memory, so foggy that it blurred and shimmered.

In this world, Ledger would share Layla with his three other partners. They would love and protect her until the end of time.

Jay lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently before he finally set her on her feet and reached for the rest of them to pull them in tight.

“What did you do with that asshole?” Nile asked.

“He’s in the trunk of his own car. I didn’t want him to have the pleasure of setting eyes on the woman he’d been tracking.”

Layla shuddered. “Unless you told him otherwise, he still had no idea I really existed. They were guessing. Salivating over the idea that maybe a woman was running from them.”

The sound that came from Jay’s throat was inhuman. A growl. “He’s lucky I let him live after terrorizing you.”

Layla jerked, her spine stiffening as she stood taller. “Jeremy and Tarin?”

Ledger reached for her hand. “They’re fine. Probably freaking out with each passing moment. We should get back to the cabin.”

Jay’s gaze narrowed. “You’re certain this asshole’s friend is no threat?”

“Positive.” She shuddered again. “Lost my favorite knife in the center of his chest though.”

Jay grinned. “Good job.”

Ledger considered the value of doubling back and finding the man, but it might be hard in the dark, and he wasn’t about to drag Layla back into the woods just to reassure himself the asshole was well and truly dead. He trusted her. They needed to get going. They could come back later and deal with the body. Another day.

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