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After everything he had been through, she didn’t want him to hurt anymore.
She had always thought that her life had been rough, and it definitely had been. Parents who didn’t want or care about her, being forced to act even though she hated it, the paparazzi following her all the time, and printing made-up stories about her and her family. Then being basically sold off to a man old enough to be her grandfather just so her parents could advance their careers. Raped and left pregnant, forced to give her baby away. Her life had been rough, but she’d also had the luxuries that came with wealth. It wasn’t enough to make up for what she had endured, but at least it was something.
Christian hadn’t even had that.
Where she’d had a nice house to live in, good food to eat, brand-name clothes, a private tutor when she wasn’t working on set, toys, a pony, and her own car when she turned sixteen, Christian had been hungry, dirty, basically living off the street. She had lacked love and people to care about her but not material possessions. Christian had lacked both, and she desperately wanted to make it up to him.
As he took her hand and guided her out of the cave they had spent the night in and they began another long day of trekking through the forest, she wondered how she could do that. She had access to all the money she’d earned on various TV shows and movies. When she’d run from her old life Lila had wanted to make it on her own, so she hadn’t used it. It had been well-invested, and she’d made a lot more.
She could buy them a house, take them on vacations around the world, buy him a car,a motorbike, or a boat, whatever he wanted. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t give him, it might not make up for what he’d had to live through as a child, but at least for the rest of his life he would be well taken care of.
“What are you thinking about so hard over there?” Christian asked. He’d kept his hold on her hand, and they walked side by side, the pad of his thumb brushing almost absently across her knuckles.
Lila hesitated but decided if they were going to build a future they had to be honest with one another. “I was just wondering how I could make up for everything you suffered. I have money. More than we could ever need. I can buy you anything you want. A house, a …”
Her words were cut off when Christian spun her around and crushed his mouth to hers in a powerful and steamy kiss that made her wish they were somewhere with a bed.
“Silly girl,” he whispered against her lips. “Don’t you know that I don’t need things? What I need is your love. You and our baby. People. That’s all I ever needed.”
Choking down a sob, Lila carefully threw herself into Christian’s arms, not wanting to hurt his shoulder. “You have that,” she cried, burying her face against his neck. “You have my love, you have our baby, you have both of us forever. We will always love you, we’ll never hurt you, never judge you, never want anything but the best for you. I love you so much already, and we haven’t even known each other for more than a couple of months. I can’t imagine how much I’ll love you tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or a lifetime from now.”
Betrayed by the people who were supposed to love and protect them had shaped both of them and the people they had become. Was love enough to undo that damage? Heal those wounds? Lila had to believe that it was.
“Sweetheart, I already love you and our little one more than I thought it was possible to love anyone. You two are my everything, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to protect either one of you.” Leaning back, he cupped her cheek with his large hand. His calloused palm reminded her how strong he was, a true warrior, yet his green eyes were almost impossibly gentle. “No one will ever hurt you again. No one. Not on my watch.”
She believed him.
His fierce protectiveness enveloped her like a warm hug. Comforting and soothing. When he touched her like that and looked at her like that, Lila felt like anything was possible. She felt like she was starring in her very own movie, only this one wasn’t pretend, it was as real as it got.
“I believe you, and it makes me love you even more,” she admitted as she reluctantly took a step back. As much as she wanted to curl up in Christian’s arms, she wanted them both safe, and the only way for that to happen was to get out of there.
As she moved, her bad ankle gave out, causing her to lose her balance.
It happened in slow motion.
Lila stumbled backward, her arms swinging wildly as she tried to regain her balance so she didn’t land flat on her back.
Instead, her landing was wet.
And cold.
Christian had reached for her. She could almost feel the air move as his hand came millimeters from hers.
But he was a split second too late.
The river seemed to swallow her whole.
The cold stole her breath and froze her muscles, and Lila was completely helpless to stop it from sweeping her away.
Chapter Fourteen
November 20th
9:24 A.M.
Surf watched in horror as Lila’s head went under the water.
The last thing he saw was her eyes, wide with pain and terror, too big and stark in her pale face.
