"I've checked the boathouse, shed, and everything around the house; there's no one there. Whoever it was is now gone," Ray said calmly and firmly. He hoped this would at least relieve some of her tension - even if it didn't really ease his. Now he had one more reason to kick Dylan's arse.

"That doesn't make it any better,« he heard the young woman mutter as she stopped before him without looking his way. She held a blanket she must have retrieved from the chamber in her arms. "Maybe I'd better load the rifle and keep it within reach."
As if on cue, her gaze flickered to the door, which was now closed.

Ray saw Kay narrow her eyes, and for a heartbeat, he thought he was facing a lioness instead of the gentle mother he'd come to know. Indeed, she wondered, she hadn't been hard enough on Dylan, or she regretted letting that damn craftsman into the house in the first place all the more.

"You're soaking wet..." she mumbled, pressing one of the grey blankets against his chest. Their fingertips touched momentarily as he took the blanket from her hand. Her fingers were ice cold—even colder than his own skin—and they were shaking almost imperceptibly.

Ray knew Kay was trying to appear strong and not allowing herself to give free rein to her true feelings. It was like the day he arrived. She had rebuilt the wall he had painstakingly torn down over the days. She would probably sit in her room again later and cry ... alone. And that was worse for him than the slap he had received a few hours ago.

His gaze followed her as she withdrew her hand from his and turned restlessly away to return behind the kitchen counter. He watched as she took a cup from the kitchen cupboard. Her usually gentle features were tense, her grip cramped.

She couldn't fool him that easily. He knew she was scared and that something inside her was screaming that she had to flee - escape, as she had done once before. Far away, somewhere where she and her son were safe. And he understood. But what kind of life would that be? Constantly on the run, just because of her ex-husband. She would always feel unsafe, consistently followed, and never really get anywhere. And what would it be like for Liam? Ray knew one thing for sure: if he found Kaylen and Liam, someone else would too in time—especially someone like Dylan, who had connections in all corners of the world.

A soft sigh left his lips before he walked around the kitchen counter and approached Kaylen from behind. Even though she hated herself for her figure, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world in his eyes. He wanted to protect her ... and the thought of leaving her here alone with her fear and these psychos was driving him crazy.

The rough fabric tickled his fingers as he opened the blanket and spread it in his hands. Although he longed for the warmth of the wool, he wrapped the soft fabric around her shoulders instead of his own. Careful not to let the cup fall from her hand again, he placed his arms around her and gently pulled her back against his chest.

"Kaylen... please..." he whispered, watching a drop fall from his chin into her beautiful red curls. Ray knew he was wet and perhaps the last person she wanted to see. But... he just couldn't bear to look at her. Her pain, her fear...

In his arms, the young mother tightened immediately. »Let go of me, Ray. Or Ryker. Or whatever your real name is.« She slammed the cup down on the counter a little louder.

"Kay..." Her words hit Ray like a punch in the gut.

She pushed against him, and he relaxed enough for her to turn around and face him. She finally raised her eyes to his. Her beautiful, otherwise so gentle green eyes sprayed sparks.

But Ray let the distance melt away as he reached for her again, wrapped her tighter in the blanket, and pulled her back into his arms. She pressed against his chest ... but he sensed that her resistance was only half-hearted. She was angry... But she longed for him, just as he longed for her.

"Please... at least listen to me. I know you're angry—and you have every right to be. But please, at least let me explain," he pleaded softly, wrapping his arms around her even more firmly. Under the blanket, he felt her shoulders shake, and Ray watched as she pressed her beautiful lips together. She was hurt, but she seemed to be listening to him, for she didn't push him away.

So he wasted no time and continued, »Kay, it's not what it seems. Yes, I was hired to find you. Yes, I called Dylan and led him here. But that was before...« He faltered and bit his lips anxiously. Eve ... or Kaylen ... didn't move in his arms. Her eyes were still glued to his chin. Ray couldn't look away. If he had to go, he wanted to feast his eyes on her, savour every second. She chewed bitterly on this, trying to keep a stern expression on her face, and he could see the cute little wrinkles on her forehead before he swallowed harder.

"Dylan would never have allowed another man to get close to you. To touch you, let alone kiss you. Please, we both know him well enough ... He's a jealous ox," he said pleadingly, hoping that she would put aside her resentment and perhaps show some sense. That was his only chance. And maybe ... her heart? If she loved him... Like he loved her...

"I wouldn't have let anyone see my ... my weak side just to disguise myself. Especially not my disability or my past," Ray whispered more quietly and closed his eyes.
He couldn't think about the fact that time was working against him and that his departure was imminent. He had to convince her. "Not everything was a lie—neither my past nor my feelings for you. Please give me one last chance to explain everything to you. I'm begging you ..."

"Haven't you done enough already?" Although he could hear a slight tremor in her voice, the words remained sharp and harsh. "Everything you've said ... Everything you've done ... all lies. Ever since you arrived here, you've only been fooling us. So why should I believe a word you say? How... how could I believe you?"

Everything she said hit him right in the heart. She ... had every reason to be upset. He carefully rubbed her arms under the blanket to warm and perhaps calm her down.

"But that's not true." Ryker barely recognized his own voice. The deep bass notes sounded a whole octave brighter and only came faintly from his lips. The situation was horrible for him. It sounded as if a small cricket was trying to drown out the roar of a lioness with its chirping - and that was exactly how he felt at that moment. Like a small animal trying to hide from an angry huntress by ducking its head. Her anger swept the strong man aside and made him feel smaller and smaller because he knew she was right.

He had lied to her. And above all ... he had done so for far too long. Ray should have told her the truth long ago - at the latest, when the files from the hospital had fallen into his hands. He knew that. Because then she could at least have prepared herself for Dylan's appearance or thought of a solution. As much as he wanted to bang his head against the wall for this stupidity ... it was too late.

"Kay, I know I made a mistake."

Kaylen, in front of him, snorted in a less-than-ladylike manner and crossed her arms in front of her chest under the covers as she continued to chew him out with her stares.

"Okay, more than one..." he relented and nervously ran a hand through his wet hair. "I'm asking you anyway: listen to me this once. Let me explain everything; then, you can kick me out and send me packing. But please let me explain to you how it really was."

Only the rumbling and howling of the night storm interrupted it occasionally. It may have only been a few minutes, but each one was torturous. And yet ... there was a hint of hope that made his heart beat faster.

'Please. Kay, please. Give me this one chance. I would do ANYTHING to make it up to you,' he pleaded silently.

Kaylen's fingers now peeked out from under the blanket as she tightened it around her shoulders. Her gaze was fixed on his chest, but he could see the wild roar of emotion and anger in her eyes. A churning sea of blue that he could sink into even now.

Anything could happen. Ray expected her to turn away, throw him out, or tell him she didn't want to listen to his lies any longer. Instead, after what felt like an eternity, she expelled the air and sighed heavily. If Ray had been a puppy, he would have been wagging his tail hopefully and excitedly, but more importantly, madly.

"All right," she finally relented, and Ryker thought he felt a vast rock roll off his shoulders. It might not have been the whole mountain, for the moment's heaviness still weighed him down. Nevertheless, a hint of a smile played around his lips. But then she continued: "But for the record, I'm just going to listen to you. No more and no less. That doesn't mean you can stay."

The hint of his smile faded a little, but simultaneously, he realized that he couldn't expect anything more. The wound of betrayal he had inflicted on her was fresh and deep. He was lucky the young mother still gave him this chance after all she had been through. She hadn't spoken to him for hours, and... if he didn't resolve this, he had no choice but to leave in the morning and never see her again. No... He would take whatever she was willing to give him. So... talk. That was a start.

"Here?" Ray asked after managing a tentative nod, letting his gaze wander around the brightly lit kitchen. He didn't mind standing. Perhaps it was even better this way because the adrenaline of excitement made him even more restless than he already was. He was as nervous as a small child caught stealing sweets. Standing upright, it was less noticeable when he shuffled his feet or took a few steps to give the wild storm inside him an outlet. However, this weird little yellow packet was tightening his nerves like a fly whose buzzing gave him no peace of mind...

His gaze slid eagerly from the yellow box back to Kay and lingered on her features. She twisted her lips from right to left, and an invisible battle played out on her face. Anger versus worry, he deduced, as her gaze lingered on his soaked clothes.
Finally, she shook her head.

"No, you're still completely soaked," she said while Kay was already walking past him and heading for the living room with long strides. "The wood logs in the fireplace should still be glowing. I'll rekindle the fire. At least you can warm and dry yourself a little."

'She cares about me, ' Ryker realized, which planted a warm spark in his chest. 'Maybe not all is lost.