"Lydia."
Her breath caught.
He crossed the room in three long strides, hands skimming her arms, her shoulders, her face, checking for blood, for wounds, for anything wrong.
"You okay?"His voice was rough, almost broken.
"I'm sorry,"she mouthed.
He pulled her into his chest, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other gripping her waist like he was never going to let her go.
Lydia's hands trembled when Baddy loosened his hold enough to look her in the eyes.Guilt hit her harder than the gunshots had.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, voice cracking."I should leave before anyone else gets hurt."
Baddy's brows snapped together."Leave?You think going back to Sonny is gonna make you safe?"
She shook her head so fast her vision blurred."No.I'm never going back to him.Ever.But I can't stay here and put everyone else in danger.Patty gave me a job, a place to sleep, and now look what happened."
Baddy opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the diner door swung open hard enough to rattle the frame.
Kodiak strode in, gaze scanning the room until they landed on Baddy—and then on her."It was Cusclan," he announced."Got them on the camera outside the compound.They rolled by in a Chevy pickup."
The floor tilted underneath her feet.She hung on to Baddy.There was no denying who was responsible.Sonny's club had come after her.
Her stomach dropped, heavy and sick.She sank lower against the counter, wishing she could disappear into the tile.Hannah put a hand on her shoulder, but Lydia barely registered the touch.
This was her fault.All of it.Someone could've died because of her.
If she hadn't come here, the diner would be fine.If she hadn't taken the job, the others wouldn't have been put in harm's way.If she hadn't let herself believe she could have something normal, her heart wouldn't be breaking.
The window wouldn't be shattered.Customers wouldn't have been screaming.Duke wouldn't have had to throw himself on top of her.The girls wouldn't be hiding in the kitchen.
And Baddy— she swallowed hard.Baddy wouldn't look like he was one breath away from tearing the world apart.
Her vision blurred."This is my fault."
Baddy turned toward her sharply.She held on to him, making him listen.
"They're doing this because of me," she whispered."And I won't put anyone else in danger because I stayed."
