“That’s an understatement,” Layne grumbled. The breeze blew his bangs over his eyes, blocking the irritation they contained, but Heaven could sense it.
She bit the inside of her cheek in order not to laugh at their bantering. “Hey,” she whispered, jabbing Dylan in the side. “Be nice.”
The dumbfounded look on Layne’s face squeezed her heart. He was just like a puppy, off doing his own thing, playing, growing, and learning about the world. Then she caught his attention, and he wanted nothing more than hers, would beg for it if she didn’t speak to him.
She gazed at Dylan, who shook his head at his friend. “Guess you need to talk to him, huh?”
“I think so. You know, you could stay and help me.”
“Soon,” he whispered, gazing down at his hands as he rubbed them together. Regret pulsed within him, along with frustration.
After five months on the island, she thought he would be dealing with everything better. Granted, he had made improvements since they’d arrived in Jamaica. It took him a month before he could stay in the same room with Layne for more than five minutes. Another month passed before he’d leave them alone, and an additional month to explain why.
It’s not that I don’t trust you. I know you love me, that the kiss upset you, but I know his feelings are more complex. Partially because of what he is to you. Partially because he’s a man.
Remembering her husband’s words, she met his gaze, stroking the side of his face. He looked as though he wanted to say more. Probably would have if the phone hadn’t begun ringing. His eyes darted to the cottage door, then back to hers as they widened.
“We haven’t heard that sound in a while. I better go see who it is.” The heat of his body left hers when he stood. Walking off, he mumbled, “Maybe one of our parents found something.”
“Hurry back. I want to know what’s going on.”
He gave her a thumbs-up before taking off in a jog.
Finding Layne’s eyes again, she motioned for him to join her, not that she had to. He would have walked over a second later. Anticipation burned in his eyes and his soul.
“Have a seat.” She patted the cushion beside her, hoping he’d lower himself to the bench.
He didn’t acknowledge her at first, kept looking back toward Dylan, who’d just made his way through the door. “Wonder who’s on the phone.”
“I don’t know.” She gazed up at him, waiting for him to sit. “As long as they have good news, I don’t care who’s on the other end of that call.”
Taking a deep breath, she inhaled his citric, yet woody scent. Layne always smelled good, regardless of where they were. Even after a long day of practicing, including those days where he came into the cottage dripping with sweat.
An array of images played through her mind, causing her cheeks to heat. She pushed the thoughts away, focusing instead on the kink in her neck as she rubbed it. “I didn’t ask you over to chat about the call.”
He ignored the cushion she patted and found her eyes again. It didn’t take him long to kneel in front of her, or curl his fingers around her arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Layne, but you aren’t.”
Guilt washed over his face. He couldn’t hold her gaze any longer and lowered his eyes instead. “I was hoping you wouldn’t sense that. Guess I should have known better.” Shifting his focus to the ocean, a long sigh slipped past his lips. “I’m worried, Heaven. I can’t get anything right with my abilities. I’m beginning to think Delia was wrong about me.”
“No, she’s not. Trust me. Your hand bears the same mark as Dylan’s and mine. Besides, I feel you. Your energy speaks to me.”
A half laugh passed between them. She sensed the ache in his energy, and his heart. Whatever emotional attachment bound them, it ran strong.
Her fingertips caressed his chin as she urged him to look at her. While he gave in and faced her, his eyes remained lowered. Then she stroked his cheek with her thumb, noting the line of fire coursing through his body. That same line reached out to her, circling her waist, pulsing stronger with each second.
“Layne,” she whispered. “You’re sad… Why?”
She finally gained his attention. The more his eyes burned into her, the hotter her skin grew.
“Because I’m failing you.” His voice, barely a whisper, shook with emotion. “If I don’t figure out my abilities, what good am I to you?”
“You protected me before, with your mind. Your abilities are just an enhancement of that. I trust you to keep me safe.”
“It won’t be enough next time. Your father said that we would encounter really powerful psychics. I have to learn how to protect you with every gift I have. Do you think Dylan’s the only one who would suffer if something happened to you?”
“Layne, I never said—”
The heat of his palms scorched her arms when he drew her closer. “I may not be bound to you like he is, but I am bound to you. I’m your Keeper, Heaven, and you’re my world. My life holds no purpose if you’re gone.”
“And that’s how I know you’ll figure this out. You’re devoted to Dylan and me. You won’t let us down.”
So much loyalty burned in his eyes, yet something burned brighter, something that scorched his soul every day. His adoration. She refused to call it anything else. Doing so wouldn’t help either of them, especially Layne. Not to mention it would embarrass him. She didn’t doubt for a second that he thought he hid his feelings well. He succeeded somewhat with Dylan, but not with her.
The fire in his eyes faded as they dropped back to the ground. She wished he would trust her, wished he would believe in himself as much as she did.
Dark blonde hair draped around his face when he shook his head. “Quit looking at me like I’m a hero, Heaven. I’m not. If you only knew the things I—”
“There is only one thing I need to know, Layne. That you’ll protect me when the time comes.” She pressed her hands to his face, forcing his head back until he met her eyes. Then she leaned in closer. “I don’t need to be convinced that you’ll succeed at keeping me safe.”
“You have too much faith in me. I’m going to let you down. It’s who I am—a failure.”
Cupping her hand, she placed it over his mouth. “I don’t want to hear those words pass over your lips again. Do you hear me? You’re not a failure. If you were, I’d either be dead or in the hands of whoever wants me dead. We both would be.”
His gaze lowered, along with her hand, to her stomach. The moment she touched it, he brought his hand forward, as though he wanted to join it with hers. But something in the distance gained his attention.
Dylan. He’d come rushing out of the cottage.
She would have sworn he was angry with Layne for being so close to her, but fear jolted through their connection like shockwaves.
His lips moved in slow motion, leaving one word ringing in her ears.
“Run!”
An odd swooshing sound spread through the air, as though something went flying past them. Then silence reclaimed her ears. A mixture of sand and rich dirt filled the air a second later. Dylan disappeared. So did the ground, the scenery, and every sound but one.
BOOM!
Her mind spun, along with her body. It made her head ache but not as much as when it collided with another. Her knees gave, sending her to the sand.
Dull aches surfaced throughout her body. The only comfort worth claiming came from the warmth wrapping around her. It soothed the pressure in her back, and her belly, which was the one part of her that didn’t pulse with pain.
She lifted her eyes, trading glances with a set of caramel ones. It wasn’t until Layne said her name that she realized she was cradled in his arms, on the ground. He shielded every inch of her body from above.
“Are you okay?” His fingers traced over her face before moving to her shoulder.
She nodded, gripping onto his arm. “Layne, what just hap—”
“I don’t know, but we can’t stick around to fin
d out.” He pulled her to her feet. “We gotta go! Now!”
Heaven had just enough time to gauge her surroundings, though seeing anything past the smoke and dust proved difficult. She wasn’t sure how they’d managed to end up several feet away from the patio, but the source of the smoke came from a spot not far from where they were standing.
Layne clasped his hand around her arm. He pushed her in front of him, forcing her to run. They didn’t stop until they met Dylan near the edge of the patio.
“What the hell just happened?” He reached for her, pulling her to his chest, but Layne didn’t release her arm. He kept his fingers curled above her elbow.
“What do you think happened?” Sarcasm drenched Layne’s words. He pushed past Dylan, tugging on Heaven’s arm until she stepped toward him. Not that Dylan would let her go. He tugged back, shooting Layne a look donned with folded brows.
“Where are you going?”
“Our location is compromised.” Layne’s eyes moved over the horizon, landing on a thick patch of trees and ferns. “It’s time for Plan B…me.”
“We can’t go to Plan B,” Dylan yelled. The spark of his touch spread over her hips, keeping her body pressed to his. “You can’t control your abilities yet. We just witnessed that. Do you even remember how you killed Marco?”
“Quit arguing with me! We’re wasting time. We could escape without—”
Another whooshing sound filled the air. Heaven didn’t have time to react. Dylan shoved Layne away. His arms curled under her legs as her feet left the sand. She held her belly, trying to keep it from jostling each time Dylan’s feet connected with the ground.
Groans echoed from the earth as sand and dirt flew toward the sky. Then the ground rumbled, knocking Dylan off balance and them both to the ground. She didn’t know how he’d managed to spin her around so that he landed first, but his arms wrapped around her, cradling her to his chest.
“Are you okay?” He waited until she nodded before the worry left his eyes. “I’m going to get us of out of here. Just relax.”
She wanted to believe his words, wanted to believe that they’d get out of this mess without harm coming to any of them. The possibility seemed grim, and only one thought played through her mind.
“Who is doing this?”
She choked back a sob, hating herself for putting them in this position. Someone wanted her dead, not Dylan or Layne. If anything happened to either of them, she’d never forgive herself.
“I don’t know, Heaven. We can’t worry about who it is right now. We have to get you out of here.” Still cradling her close, he pulled them to a sitting position just as Layne joined them. He extended his hand toward Dylan, motioning for him to grab it.
“Get to your feet. We have company.”
CHAPTER 2
Heaven’s eyes darted across the beach, noting a dark-haired man heading their way. Five men followed close behind him. All were dressed in dark clothing, just like something she’d seen in a movie. But this was no movie. She couldn’t leave the cinema to escape the way her heart pounded.
Layne blocked most of her view and pressed into her just as Dylan’s chest warmed her back. She stood there, caught between them, unable to do anything but pray they made it out of this, alive. So much unfamiliar energy thumped through the air. It made her stomach roll, especially when the dark-haired man raised his hand.
One quick flip of his wrist sent another whoosh zipping by them. Then the ground shook. Water spewed toward the sky, at least a hundred yards, before falling to the sand like raindrops.
“What the hell is he shooting?”
Dylan’s voice shook with anger as he took a few steps back. The more determination pulsed within his energy, the closer he held her. He would do his damnedest to protect her, even if Layne failed.
One thing she knew for sure. Both men would do hand-to-hand combat to keep her safe. With six men advancing on them, it didn’t seem the best choice, even if it was the only choice.
Unless they wanted to run.
Layne remained in front of her. The heat of his energy built around her like a thermal shield. “I don’t know what he’s shooting, but he’s pissing me off.”
His voice hit a low tone, one that made Heaven’s heart squeeze. She knew what that tone meant. Logic and reason no longer existed in his mind. One thing did—defending her.
“Layne, please,” she whispered, clutching his shoulder. “We’ve planned this out. Let’s get to the Jeep and get out of here.”
“I have to do this,” he grumbled, keeping his eyes on the group trekking across the sand.
“No you don’t. This isn’t about proving something. It’s about being safe.”
“It’s okay. Watch this.”
Layne faced their adversaries. Taking in a deep breath, he drew his hand to his waist, palm toward the sky. Heaven sensed his energy change. The stronger his vibrations grew, the more sweat built at her neck.
She hoped like hell this worked, his plan to draw forth a flame, just like he had earlier. But a few seconds passed with nothing accomplished except those wanting to hurt them gaining ground.
Dylan choked back a laugh from behind. “Watch what?”
Cocking his head to the side, the dimple in Layne’s cheek deepened. Then fiery eyes swept past her, landing on Dylan. “Think you can do something better, bro? What can you bend? Oh! That’s right. You can’t bend. You can only sense people, or is that just Heaven?”
“I may not be able to sense energy like my wife, but my gut tells me things about people, even situations. So yeah, I guess I can sense a person, especially their bullshit, so stop yours and let’s get out of here.”
“No,” Layne barked. “It’s too late to go anywhere. I don’t know who or what they are, but I know if we try to run, they’ll kill every single one of us.”
“They’re going to kill us if we stand here too. At least we’ll have a chance if we go now.”
“Fine,” Layne huffed. He shifted his eyes to Heaven before moving them to the approaching group. “You and Heaven go. I’ll hold them off.”
“No!” The words flew from her mouth as she gripped his shoulder. “We’re not leaving you here to die. You have to go with us, Layne. I need you.”
A twinge of jealousy fluttered in her bond with Dylan. She’d do her best to relieve his mind when they were safe. For now, she had to make sure Layne joined them in that safety.
“You need to go, Heaven. Let me do what I’m meant to do. Let me protect you.”
“If you die now, who will protect me later?”
Layne’s eyes flashed to hers, holding her gaze for a moment. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted her to know. Then he looked back to his friend. “Your husband will.”
Heaven’s retort clung to her throat. She couldn’t form any words, could only watch Layne turn his attention back to the band of psychics heading their way.
“Come on, Hev.” Dylan tugged her arm. “We gotta go.”
“I can’t leave him.”
The words left her lips in a whisper. She wished Layne would look at her. If he could sense the fear in her soul, would he still refuse to leave with them?
Dylan pulled her arm a little harder this time. “He’ll be fine.”
“You’re just saying that, Dylan. I feel you. You know he’ll die just as much as I do.”
“Get her out of here, Dylan, before this gets worse.” The urgency in Layne’s voice resonated as if he’d shouted. No matter how steady his voice remained, it didn’t hide the coldness it contained.
She blinked back the moisture in her eyes just as the warmth of Dylan’s hand increased. He drew her toward him, though she didn’t accommodate him by any means. For each tug he gave, she rebuffed by pulling away.
Or at least trying.
After the third time, he tightened his grip. “Heaven, please. I can’t lose you, or her.”
His words sank in, churning their way into her heart. She wasn’t being fair to him. All
he wanted was a life with her, a life with their child. Instead, he’d been given a life on the run, constantly looking over his shoulder.
Despite the unfairness of the situation, they still had each other. Layne didn’t get anything from the new role he’d accepted. He didn’t have his soulmate or a child. Faith made sure of the latter. Doing his job and staying behind gained him nothing but a guaranteed death sentence.
Dylan’s last tug brought her a step back. She waited for another, but none came, just one word. “Shit.”
Heaven’s heart dropped. The thump of their connection had her sucking in a deep breath. Their chance to escape just decreased. She didn’t know how much until she turned in his direction. Ten yards away, five more men approached them.
Reaching behind his back, Dylan’s hand connected with her arm. “Turn around. Now.”
The second she faced Layne, she noticed the crease in his brows. Pressing his lips together, he met her gaze, shaking his head. It wasn’t the disappointment in his eyes that fed her guilt. It was the way it burned from his soul, lashing at her like an adult scolding a child. She’d endangered all of their lives by arguing with them, even the innocent life nudging her stomach.
Dylan pressed his back against hers and then blocked her sides with his arms. A few strands of his hair swept over her shoulder when he leaned back.
“We’re not upset with you. Relax. We’ll get out of this. I promise.”
She sent an encouraging pulse back to him before touching his hand. “I trust you. Both of you.”
Neither he nor Layne gave her a response. She sensed what she needed from their energy, including the fact that their enemies had closed in.
Sneaking another glance toward the leader, she noticed how close he stood. Close enough that she could smell the musky scent of his sweat.
“If it isn’t the elusive Heaven Lewis.” Dark, beady eyes glared at her. “And they said you’d be hard to find, though I don’t know why. The trail to find you blinked like a neon sign.”
He raked his eyes over Layne as his lips began to stretch in what should be a smile. But smiles normally warmed the heart. His made Heaven’s skin crawl.