Sara scuttled back a few inches, panting heavily, her hair scruffy and her clothes in a mess. A thin trail of blood ran down one cheek.
“Oh, I’d stay right there if I were you,” Savi said fiercely. Lila glanced over to find Savannah holding the gun, aiming it right at Sara.
Lying back, Lila gave a sigh of relief, trying desperately to catch her breath, her whole body aching. Holy hell, she’d be lucky if her men ever let her out of their sight after this.
*****
Lila lay in bed that night, completely surrounded by warm, protective bodies. Her men had pulled up outside Laken’s store just as the Jake had been taking Sara away in cuffs, the crazy women screaming expletives, all aimed at Lila.
After the paramedics had checked Lila over and given her the all clear, they’d gathered her up, holding her close. Much as Max and Logan were doing with Savannah.
Duncan Jones had even shown up, dragging Laken into his arms, despite her protests. Poor Laken, she was furious at herself for leaving the back door unlocked while she went upstairs. She’d only intended to get the wine and come straight back but her phone had rung while she was upstairs and she’d gotten caught up, allowing Sara, who must have been watching, to sneak in.
After she’d answered a few questions for Jake, her men had taken her home, treating her like fragile glass the entire time. And she had to admit that she’d felt kind of fragile. She had a swollen eye and bruises over most of her body.
“I can’t believe she tried to kill me,” Lila said, still in shock.
“Shh,” Gavin said, kissing her gently. He ran his hand down her body. They hadn’t stopped touching her since they’d gotten home. “It’s over now, you’re safe.”
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Colin told her from her other side. Trace lay across her legs.
“I don’t think I can sleep,” she confessed. “Every time I close my eyes I know I’m going to see her standing there with that gun.” She let out a sob.
“If she visits you in your dreams then we’ll be here, chasing her away,” Gavin murmured.
They held her as she cried, loved her when she begged them to, held her as she slept and shook her awake when she cried out.
They were everything she could ever want and more.
Epilogue
“Lila Stacia Richards,” Gavin boomed, his voice shaking the ho
use.
Lila jumped up as Trace and Colin turned to look at her in interest. Colin leaned forward and switched off the movie they’d been watching. Gavin had gone to the study to do some work earlier, leaving them to lounge on the sofa.
“Uh-oh,” she said. It had been three weeks since Sara had tried to kill her and Lila was finally starting to sleep without nightmares. But it was a slow process. And she knew Laken and Savannah still had nightmares as well.
Lila stared around, looking for a place to hide, futile as she knew that move would be.
“Lila,” Gavin growled, walking into the room, his face thunderous.
“What did you do?” Colin asked with some amusement. He’d had his own nightmares about what had happened, and she’d often had to wake him up, hold him tight until he could sleep again.
“Umm,” she hesitated, looking at Gavin. “I was just trying to do something nice,” she said desperately, guessing what the issue was.
Gavin placed his hands on his hips. “What have we told you about your money?”
“I didn’t try to give it to you,” she said, stepping back, moving her hands to cover her backside.
“No, but what did you do?” he asked quietly.
She bit her lip. “I paid some bills.”
“You more than paid some bills, Lila. You paid every bill,” he roared. “Come here.” He crooked his finger at her.
Stepping over, she expected him to immediately pull her over his lap and start spanking her. Instead, Gavin surprised her by tipping her face up and kissing her gently on the lips. “I appreciate the thought, baby girl. I know you just want to help out. But you know we didn’t want you trying to pay us back and we told you what would happen if you did, didn’t we?”