Page 48

I don’t know how long we lie like that, trapped somewhere between exhaustion and desire, before her voice cuts through the dark.
“Brody?” It’s soft, barely a whisper.
“Yeah?” My voice comes out raw.
There’s a moment when I think she might back out and say nothing else. Maybe I can pretend she never said my name. Then she shifts again, and her hand brushes my arm under the covers, just the lightest touch, as if she needs to know I’m really there.
“I didn’t want to be alone,” she says, her voice low and a little shaky. “I’ve been having horrible nightmares about everything that’s happened.”
Something in my chest pulls tight. I turn my head toward her, even though I can barely make out her features in the dark.
“You’re not alone, Harp,” I say. Not tonight. Not ever, if I have any say in it. “I’m here. Always.”
I’ll make sure you’re never alone again.
It’s a promise that locks itself into my bones.
“You’re safe,” I reassure her.
Harper makes a soft sound, something like a sigh, and drifts closer, but doesn’t fully touch me. She’s close enough that I can feel her warmth beside me. I sense her breathing eventually even out, and it’s steady against the hush of the room. She’s already drifting, trusting me to hold the line between us. Trusting me to keep her safe.
I lie there, wide awake, staring into the dark, and make a second promise. One that’s just for me.
If anyone tries to hurt her again, they’ll have to go through me first.
What Harper deserves is protection, and it’s the one thing I can offer her without failure.
* * *
The first thingI notice when my eyes flutter open is how perfectly Harper’s body fits with mine. Her arm is draped loosely over my stomach, and the weight of her head rests just above my heart. I don’t shift, not wanting to disturb this fleeting moment. My breathing aligns with hers, each inhale and exhale blending together in unspoken harmony. The early morning sunlight slips into the room, washing everything in golden hues, and it’s almost too dreamy.
Today, I have to face reality, and I’m already dreading it.
Harper mutters something in her sleep, snuggling me tighter, as if she knows how temporary this might be. She’s never seemed more delicate than right now, and I want to shield her from the world that awaits beyond these cabin walls. But I know we can’t stay here, wrapped in something that feels so fragile that it could snap like a thread at any moment.
Exhaling slowly, I slide out from under her, careful not to wake her. She groans, her brows furrowing before relaxing again. A few seconds later, she slips back into her peaceful oblivion. I pause to watch her, memorizing her pretty face in the muted morning light and the way her long lashes curl on top of her cheeks. My heart beats unevenly, already mourning the loss of this moment. It’s one I’ll treasure for a long damn time.
I reach for a fresh T-shirt and slip it over my head. My footsteps creak over the old wooden floor as I make my way into the kitchen, the air growing cooler and emptier with each step away from her.
Before I settle myself at the small table, I make coffee and open my laptop. It’s something I’ve avoided for the last few days while Harper became more comfortable in this space. Truthfully, I needed a break from the bullshit too.
The sudden brightness of the screen is harsh. I type in Harper’s name, and the articles about her flood in relentlessly. The words that fill the page shatter the calm I felt just minutes ago.
HARPER ALEXANDER MISSING, FEARED IN DANGER
MICAH RHODES ISSUES DESPERATE PLEA FOR HIS FIANCÉE’S SAFE RETURN
REWARD FOR ANY LEADS TO FINDING HARPER ALEXANDER
MICAH RHODES BELIEVES HARPER ALEXANDER IS PREGNANT WITH HIS BABY
My pulse increasesas I scan the headlines. I click on a video where he’s acting like the upset man in love, but I know better. His grief is manufactured, and watching him turn Harper’s escape into a performance makes me fucking livid, especially after what he did to her.
“If anyone knows anything, please, bring her home safely,” Micah pleads, his eyes wet with perfectly timed tears. “Harper, I just want you back. I just want my family. I told you I would never let you go. I meant that.”
The last sentence is a fucking threat, and an intense rage builds so quickly that I can barely breathe. The media feeds off his lies, tearing apart Harper’s dignity and turning her into something she’s never been—a weak, helpless woman.
My knuckles strain against the tight fists I’ve formed. I slam the laptop shut, and the sudden sound cuts through the silence. Leaning forward, I place my palms flat against the table and take a deep breath. I need to calm down, but seeing him makes me want to drive to the city and rip his fucking face off.