Page 118 of Not How I Saw That Going

“Rodney!” I bolt upright. The elephant doesn’t appreciate it and drives a tusk into my skull. I clutch my head, baring my teeth until the pain subsides. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lights.

Oh no. I’m still in the alley. Or worse, in Rodney’s stash house. The last thing I remember is him tugging me through the rocks. Where did he take me?

Did he find Crew? “No, please.” I whimper. He can have me but—

“Lyndi, it’s okay.”

My head whips in the direction of the voice, but lightning cracks in my brain. I brace my head between my hands.

“Hey, you’re safe.” Two warm hands cover my own. They aren’t the hands of my ex. They are calloused and bandaged, but warm. Safe.

I look up, moving my head slowly this time. “Ward, what’s going on?”

“You’re in the hospital. You have a concussion and a sprained ankle, but you’re safe.”

It takes my brain way too long to register his words. When I do, I realize there’s one thing he left out.

“What about Crew? Where’s Crew? Did Rodney take him?” My heart pumps so hard each pulse floods my head with increasing pain.

“Shh, sweetheart,” Ward presses a light kiss to my temple. “He’s safe. Caleb took him and Maddie back to my place to spend the night, and Rodney is back where he belongs. Everything is okay.”

He gently rubs my back and my whole body relaxes under his touch. Everything is okay…right now.

Right now, my son is safe. Right now, my son still has a mother, but earlier tonight, those thoughts were nothing but a prayer.

My mind replays the events from the evening and my body shakes. Tonight could have ended so differently. What if Crew and I had been home alone when Rodney found us? He could have taken us both. I struggle to catch my breath.

I could have lost my son.

Chills course through my body.Rodney almost took me from him.

I squeeze Ward’s hand. “Thank you for saving me, and for keeping Crew and Maddie safe.”

He shakes his head and rubs his chest, his eyes downcast. “I should have come looking for you sooner. I’m so sorry you got hurt. I never should have left your side tonight.”

The compassion in his voice breaks me. My chin quivers and I ache to lean into the safety of his embrace. But this was never his battle to fight.

“I should have known my past would come back to find me. I was the one who dated him.”

He frowns. “No, Lyndi. You did nothing wrong. You didn’t know who he was.”

My eyes sting, sending shards of glass through my brain. “But I should have.”

I should have been protecting us better. I should have found a better job, hired a lawyer, and installed security cameras. I should have been doing anything and everything to ensure my child would always be safe.That’swhat I should have been doing instead of faking a fairytale with Ward.

Fake relationships weren’t meant to last forever.

Crew is all that matters. He’s always been my focus, until… until Ward showed up. It was nice, fun even, to play dress up and make believe I could forget about my past and be with someone like Ward, but that’s all it had been: make believe.

I pull away from Ward and straighten my back as much as I can.

“None of this is your fault, Lyndi.”

He’s probably right. But there was more I could have done to protect myself and Crew. I have to do that now.

I look up into his warm brown eyes and swallow. “Ward, I can’t be with you. For real or for fake. I have to put Crew first right now. He’s my whole world, and I can’t let him down.” My shoulders can hold me up no longer and I slump back into my pillow. I open my mouth to say more, but emotion clogs my throat.

His eyebrows furrow as he takes a step back. I expect him to be angry. He just risked his life to save me, only for me to push him away. Instead, he nods.