The boy, appearing dazed, said, “She wouldn’t let me help.She wouldn’t let me.”He looked from Knox to the cops to the men now on the ground in handcuffs, then to Laylee.“She kept trying to protect me.”And then, in an insulted tone, “I’m bigger than her!”
Knox understood pride when he saw it, so he nodded at the kid while he cinched his arms more tightly around her.“Thanksfor staying with her,” he said.Then he told the boy, “Your mom’s waiting for you.She has to be frantic by now.”
The reminder startled him, and he turned in a rush.
Marcus told another cop, “Stay with him,” before he explained to Knox, “Bray’s here.He has the dogs now.”
“How?”
“I called him on the drive here.”
Knox merely nodded.“Thanks.”It’d probably be a while before he could get Laylee home and settled.When paramedics closed in on him, he knew he was right.The day had gone completely off the rails—and they still didn’t know if Laylee was pregnant or not.
CHAPTER4
Laylee had never been so afraid in her life.Now, hours later, she still couldn’t stop shaking.The worst fear hadn’t been for herself, though the thugs had definitely frightened her.She’d been mostly afraid for Knox.When she’d realized he planned to face off with all three men, she’d badly wanted to intrude, to try to help, but the boy, whom she now knew was named Wade, had wanted to do the same, and she couldn’t allow it.
So she’d prioritized and urged him out of the line of fire.All the while her heart had tried to beat out of her chest.
Now, as she and Knox were finally able to go home, it was all she could do not to cry.Knox looked so beaten up.
Her voice sounded hollow when she said to Marcus, “He fell off the roof, you know.”
Marcus, who was driving them home, said, “Uh, no.Didn’t know that.”
He’d accompanied them to the police station—after the EMTs had given up trying to get Knox to go to the hospital first.Bray, who apparently had some knowledge of first aid from being inmixed martial arts, had declared that Knox would be colorful but overall he seemed fine.
His poor face, though …
A black eye, a busted lip, bruises everywhere—he looked more like a fighter than Bray did.
Sitting beside her in the back seat, Knox put his arm over her shoulders and held her close.“That was earlier today,” he explained to Marcus.“I got a few scratches, that’s all.”
“Then this,” Laylee said, laying her head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth, his vitality.He’s okay.She had to keep telling herself that over and over again.
Guilt ate at her.It was her call that had caused his earlier fall, and if she hadn’t needed another test, they wouldn’t have been at the pharmacy when troublemakers came in.
She’d told Knox so earlier, but then he’d asked who would have protected the kid if they hadn’t been there.Yes, Wade probably would have reacted differently, so for that reason alone, she was glad she’d been there.
“We haven’t eaten,” Knox said.
“The gang’s taking care of it.”
Dropping his head back against the seat, Knox asked, “The gang?”
Marcus laughed.“Don’t say it like that.You’ll have Laylee thinking you don’t love us.”
Knox cocked open his one good eye to glare at the back of Marcus’s head.“She needs food and rest, and the dogs—”
“The dogs are fine.Concerned, I’m sure, but Bray, Karen, and Lucy are with them.Lucy drove over after she got some food together.”To Laylee, he explained, “Lucy loves to cook for everyone.No idea what we’ll be having yet, but I’m sure it’ll be good.”
Laylee’s smile was only partially feigned.She did appreciate Knox’s friends, but right now she was having a hard time fighting tears.
They wouldn’t help though, and crying would certainly bother Knox.
“That kid, Wade, was so pumped about meeting Bray,” Marcus continued.“His poor mother was rattled, but Wade was getting everything autographed.”
“Everything?”Knox asked.
