Lara (Reynolds Ranch)

Chapter Seventeen

Landon

Her parents arrive, and I’ve been asked to wait outside the room while they talk. Fucking hell, I feel like my world is imploding, and there’s not much I can do. I sit there with my elbows on my knees and hands in my hair. “Son, I want to have a word with you.” I look up to see her father take a seat next to me.

“I didn’t hold up my end like I promised.”

“Did you cheat on my little girl?”

“God, no.”

“Then all I see is a miscommunication in a world that’s harder for most people to understand. You were serious about her protection for a reason. Lara’s a bit confused at the moment. You both rushed into this marriage. Like they say—fools rush in. We all do. Thankfully, I did too. I would have been upset to even have lost a day pursuing Lara’s momma. I love her more than anyone can ever understand.”

“I shouldn’t have gone on that trip without her.”

“She said you thought that’s what she wanted.”

“Yeah, well. You’ve noticed my attentiveness. It’s gotten a little out of hand now that the morning sickness has kicked in, and well, she’s been getting annoyed with me. I thought she wanted me to give her some breathing room, to trust her to be okay with just the usual security.”

“You are her security. Maybe don’t ask fifteen times a day. Hold her when she’s not well. Tell her she’s beautiful even if she looks exhausted, because that light in her eyes will show and she’ll be as lovely as you had just pronounced. Those women who held her captive, wherever they are, told her lies, and well, on top of her already frail emotions, she lost it.”

“She took off her rings. She ran away from me.”

“She didn’t take them off. They did.”

“What?”

“Yes. That’s how she knew she had to escape by herself because all her trackers were gone.”

“Shit. I thought she didn’t want me to find her. Not that I would have stopped.”

“She loves you. Go in there and figure it all out. You’re good for her, and I know she’s good for you.”

“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Thank you, sir.”

“Anytime.”

I push off my knees and stand. Shaking his hand, I walk into my wife’s room. “Mrs. Reynolds, I need to speak to my wife.”

“Sure, Landon.” She kisses my cheek and then leaves the room.

“Lara Black, we need to have a talk.”

“Landon, I…”

“No, you need to listen.” She clamps her mouth shut. “I fucked up. I should have dragged your ass to L.A. with me whether you liked it or not, or sent Danny on my behalf to handle the deal. I can’t change that, but I will be making sure that from now on, I don’t make a dumb mistake like that again. If you need me to leave you alone, I’ll shut my damn mouth, but I won’t leave your side. I can’t risk that shit. Not again.”

“Well, can you shut it now?” she asks with a smile coming over her face.

I nod. “Good. I wanted to say that I love you and I’m sorry that I let you think I didn’t want you around. I do. I always want you around, and that’s my problem. I don’t care that you ask me all day if I’m okay, even if it gets annoying sometimes. I’m moody, and I feel like a bitch every time I’m snippy with you, and then that bitch at your work only made it worse. The last time I came to your office while you were in a meeting, she sent me away.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought it’s what you wanted.”

“Sweetheart, never. You’re my queen. You come first. Always.” I’m thinking of all the ways that bitch is going to pay for trying to destroy my world. I can’t believe how insane she is to think that she could get away with this. The police are on the hunt for the two of them, but I doubt they’ll find them easily.

“Landon, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner what was bothering me.”