Page 61 of Yuletide Hero

Someone wanted Hayley dead, and he had just taken her out of the one place she was actually safe.

Brady, Adam, and Jessica had all agreed that this was their best move. Possibly their only move if they wanted to end this quickly. None of them believed they were bringing Hayley into a situation where she would be in danger.

None of them except him.

“We’re just going to talk to Maria,” Hayley continued. “She just needs a little reassurance. She wants to do the right thing for herself and her little girl, but she’s scared, the hold that Jay has on her is tight, but she’s trying to shake it off. As soon as she gives us the address of where Jay is hiding out, you and Brady will take me to the police station and Adam and Jessica will go and arrest Jay. Then this will all be over. We can go home, tell our families about us, and then celebrate Christmas with the people we love. Everything is going to work out just fine, there really isn’t any need for you to worry.”

He wished he had even an ounce of Hayley’s optimism.

Because he didn't want to worry Hayley, they needed her calm so she could get out of Maria Turner what they needed. He forced himself to relax, at least outwardly. He took Hayley’s hand, lifted it to his lips, kissed the back of it then set their joined hands on his thigh.

“I guess you're right,” he said. “This is the best way to end this, I just don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to. You just have to be here with me.”

Brian had to admit he loved Hayley’s fierce determination to do what she thought was the right thing. As worried as he was about her, he was also pretty damn proud. She was the one whose life was in danger, yet all she could think about was doing what she had to to make sure that little Kinsley Turner was safe.

How could you not love a woman like that?

“I am here with you, always,” he promised. There wasn't anything that would tear him away from her side.

“I know.” She squeezed his fingers tightly, letting him know just how much his support meant to her.

Adam and Jessica were already at the Turner house. As far as they could tell, Jay wasn't there. Cops had been posted on the house since Jay ran, and they hadn't seen him come back, so he knew they weren't walking into a trap, and yet still this feeling just wouldn’t go away.

Maybe if he stopped focusing on the next hour or so and on what would happen after he’d start feeling better. As soon as Jay was in police custody they could go home. Part of him was a little sad about that. He’d gotten used to having Hayley around twenty-four-seven and he didn't really want to see it end.

“So …” he said slowly.

“So, what?” Hayley asked with a smile.

“I was just wondering, once Adam and Jessica arrest Jay and we go home, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come and stay with me?” Brian held his breath as he waited for her answer.

She took her time giving it.

Seconds ticked by into a minute and still she hadn't said anything.

“You really want me to move in with you?”

“Of course.”

“What, like permanently?”

“Yes.”

“So, you want the two of us to live together?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Even though we’ve only been a couple for twenty-four hours.”

“Well technically, but it’s not like we don’t know each other.” If she wasn't ready, he would respect that. They’d live in their own places, have the occasional sleepover, he’d go to her house to pick her up for dates, and spend every spare second he had with her. But going to sleep each night with her in his arms and waking up each morning with her curled up beside him would be amazing.

He turned into the street the Turner house was located on. They only had four blocks to go before they got there and waited to hear Hayley’s response.

She drew in a long, slow breath, he could practically hear her mind ticking over.

“I think that—”

---