Needless to say, the guys lost their shit. If Mace had given me a chance to speak, I would’ve gone much gentler than he had, but there was no turning back. The only saving grace was that the girls already knew, and they could help talk their men down… hopefully.

“He hit you?”

“Garrett,” Gwen started, hoping to contain the blond Viking’s rage.

“That motherfucker put you in the hospital?” That was from Killian, and he sounded just as threatening as Garrett had. Gina put her hand on his arm in an attempt to soothe.

Declan looked at Ian and ordered, “You track that cocksucker down. I want him found and brought here so we can fuckin’ kill him.”

“Enough!” I snapped, having reached the end of my rope. I pulled completely out of Mace’s arms and spun to face everyone. “Yes, Daniel beat me, and yes, it was bad enough that Will had to rush me to the hospital. It’s not my fondest memory, and I’d really like to stop reliving it if necessary.” I worked to soften my tone and calm my anger. “I know you guys care about me and I love you for that, and I’m sorry this isn’t something I shared with you sooner, but you know now. What he did then is in the past. This is now. I’ve finally started moving on from what he did, and that asshole rears his ugly fucking head again to try and ruin things when I finally have something to be happy about. I’m not going to let that happen. I won’t let him win. He isn’t taking another thing from me.”

“Of course not,” Tate stated firmly, shooting a silencing look at her Declan.

“I’ll get the restraining order taken care of so it’s valid here. I have some connections in the police department, and I’ll get that ASAP. In the meantime, I’ve put in a call to a buddy of mine in Virginia. His name’s Lincoln Sheppard. He can be here in a couple of days to install a new security system in the house.”

“But we already have a system,” I said.

“Not like this guy can provide. He’s an expert in his field, best I’ve ever met. He’ll make it safer here.”

“Set it up,” Mace answered firmly. “I don’t give a shit what it costs. Just get him here.”

“You got it.” With that, Ian disappeared into some corner of the house to resume his secretive phone calls.

With everything that could be handled that night taken care of, our friends eventually headed out. It was late, everyone was tired and overly emotional. I loved them all dearly for caring as much as they did, but I was exhausted, so when they left I was grateful. That meant I could sleep, hopefully without any nightmares. But I wasn’t holding my breath for that.

After the day I’d had and the ugly reminder that I’d married a narcissistic prick, I was sure my sleep would be plagued for god knew how long.

Fortunately I had the best man in the world to help me beat those nightmares back and heal my wounds.

He might not think that was enough, but I knew better.

* * *

Mace

Taking Lyla’s hand, I led her into the bedroom and stopped at the foot of the bed. “Stay here. I’m gonna check the doors and windows. Be right back.” I lifted her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles before dropping it and heading back out.

A storm was brewing beneath the surface, and I had a tenuous hold on the violent rage churning in my stomach. I needed a few minutes to get a grip before heading back to her. She deserved that much.

I went through every single inch of the house, upstairs, downstairs, and basement. I checked every door and window, double and triple checking the locks before finally going to the panel at the front door and setting the alarm.

When I finally thought I could go in without exploding all over the place, I headed back to our room.

She sat at the foot of the bed, a hesitant smile on her face as she asked, “You okay?”

“You’re asking me if I’m okay?”

Slowly standing to her feet, she came close and placed her hands on my on the sides of my neck. “You just look like you want to rip the head off someone is all.”

I appreciated her attempt at making a joke, but I wasn’t able to draw up a smile just yet.

“I do. Someone’s head in particular.”

That smile, as fake as it was, fell from her gorgeous face, and I hated that I was the one who’d taken it away. “Come on,” I said softly as I led her toward the bathroom.

Turning the tap of the tub on, I tested the temperature before pushing the stopper down, then went back to Lyla. I undressed her slowly before divesting myself of my own clothes.

“What are you doing?”

Climbing into the tub, I grabbed her waist and hefted her in with me, guiding her down until she was sitting between my legs with her back pressed against my chest. “We’re gonna take a nice, relaxing bath. Then we’re goin’ to bed, and I’m gonna hold you until you fall asleep.”

Her shoulders sagged in obvious relief, and her body finally melted into mine. “That sounds perfect.”

Dunking a washcloth into the water, I slowly dragged it over her shoulders and arms. The soothing gesture was just as much for me as it was her.

We stayed in the bathtub until the water eventually turned cool, and I was just about to get us out when she spoke again. “I’m sorry.”

“For what, baby?”

“For today.”

“Lyla, what that bastard’s doin’ isn’t your fault. You don’t need—”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the bottle. I saw it and automatically thought the worst of you.”

I looped my arms around her and pulled her tighter against me. “There was an empty bottle of booze in our house, Goldie. What else were you supposed to think?”

“I should’ve believed in you. I should’ve trusted that you wouldn’t do something like that.”

“I don’t blame you, so get it out of your head,” I commanded on another squeeze. “Let it go, baby. I mean it.”

She turned to look at me over her shoulder, a sincere smile finally stretching across her face. “Sir, yes, sir.”

And just like that, I had my girl back.

* * *

Lyla

“You didn’t really think you could get away from me that easily, did you?”

My eyes shot open just as Daniel’s hand closed over my throat and squeezed, cutting off my air.

“You stupid bitch,” he hissed, leaning into my face as his grip tightened. The rancid smell of the whiskey on his breath filled my nostrils as I struggled, thrashing on the bed and clawing at his hand and arm.

I couldn’t breathe. God, I couldn’t breathe. I fought to pull air into my lungs, but it wouldn’t come.

“Please stop,” I rasped, somehow managing to push the words out by sheer will.

“You’ll never get away,” he continued as I gasped. “Never. I’ll always be here.”

“Lyla, wake up!”

I shot up with a sharp cry, sucking in one huge lungful of air after another as I slapped at the hands trying to grab me.

“Baby, stop. It’s okay. You’re okay. It was just a nightmare. Calm down. Breathe, baby. Breathe.”

I stopped fighting as the horrid dream loosened its clutches and reality sank back in. I didn’t realize I was crying until Mace took my face in his hands and wipe at the tears pouring down my cheeks.

“Shh. It’s okay. I’m here.” He pulled me into his lap and held on.

“Mace,” I panted, clutching him tighter as I tried to shake off the fear.

“I’m here. I’m here, baby. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

A sense of desperation stronger than I’d ever felt before consumed me. I needed Mace more in that moment than I ever had before. Shifting in his lap so I was straddling his legs, I pulled his face to mine, planting frantic kisses anywhere I could reach.

“I need you,” I pleaded anxiously. “Need you, Mace. Please.”

He fisted the material of my nightie in his hands. “What do you need?”

“Everything. I need everything. Just… take it away. Please, honey. Make it go away.”

“I’ll give you everything you need. All you have to do is take it.”

And I did exactly that. Lifting up, I pulled my panties down my thighs and shifted to yank them all the way off. Jerking the drawstring on his pajama pants, I untied it and pulled his cock out.

Lining it up with my opening, I drove myself down onto him, crying out as his thick length stretched me.

“Take it, Lyla,” he grunted, snapping his hips to force himself deeper. “Take everything you need from me.”

Bracing my hands on his chest, I rode him hard and fast, pushing myself closer and closer to that precipice. It was coming fast and strong, threatening to overwhelm me.

“So good,” I panted, rocking my hips back and forth, grinding my clit against the base of his shaft. “Always so good.”

Mace shot to sitting, wrapping one arm around my waist and tangling the other in my hair. He used his hold to force my face down and took my mouth in a hard, claiming kiss.

“Love you, Lyla.”

“Love you too,” I breathed, only seconds away from exploding.

“Do it, baby. Let go.”

On one last downward glide, I detonated, throwing my head back on a long moan as I came.

I was still coming as Mace took over, flipping me to my back and powering into me. He followed closely after the same way he always did, burying his face in my neck as he groaned out his release.

It took a few minutes for us to come down from the blissful high, and once we did, Mace lifted his head to look into my eyes. “I’ll always give you what you need, baby. Never doubt that.”

I reached up to brush the hair off his forehead. “I know,” I said softly. “And that’s only part of the reason I love you so much.”

After I cleaned up and came back to bed, Mace pulled me against his body and held tight as the minutes ticked back.

And as always, with him holding on to me securely, I fell asleep feeling safe and complete.