***Trigger Warning***

It takes hours for Brexton to catch me up on the material that was on my homework. Partly because it is challenging, partly because we were distracted. The distraction part is mainly my fault. It could potentially be our last night together for a long time and I can't help but be all over him. I will say though, studying has never been more fun.

"I think that's the best we're going to get." I close my book and stretch. "Thanks for helping me. I'm sure this is the last thing you wanted to be doing tonight."

He takes the book from my lap and sits it on the nightstand beside him. "Are you kidding me? It's exactly what I wanted to be doing. All of the advanced anatomy talk really took my mind off of tomorrow."

I crawl onto his lap. "You're sweet, but you're a liar." I say as I push him back onto the bed. "Now, get some sleep! I might have to bust you out prison tomorrow so you've got to be ready."

He shakes his head, kissing me softly. "No! If this is my last night alone with you, I am staying up all night. I don't want to waste a second."

I press my hands against his chest. "Don't tempt me! Falling asleep in court isn't going to convince anyone you're innocent."

He plays with my hair. "Ugh, but you look so good."

Butterflies awaken in my stomach but I try my best to suppress them. This is serious, Inara trusted me and I will not let her down. "Have you told them what really happened? Like, the police and your attorney and stuff?"

"No. I have no proof that that's how it happened. Inara is the only other person who was there and I refuse to let her testify. Making her talk about it again would be torture. Not that she has a choice."

He pauses, debating whether or not to continue. "That's the deal I made with Brant; if we keep our mouths shut, he leaves her alone. He let her live, but he has so many people on his side, dangerous people that could track her down in a matter of seconds and finish what he started. Plus, I have you to protect now too."

I sit up, processing this. "He's the one responsible for all of this, he should be the one who's afraid. I guarantee you're smarter than he is and I'm crazier. I think you should tell them everything. It'll be us against him and I like those odds."

The look he gave me when I yelled at Jessica was back. Pride shines in his eyes. "That's too easy. After all he's done, he's earned the right to be accused of something terrible that he didn't do."

I lay across his chest and look up at him. "I love the way you think. It's too bad he doesn't care about anything except himself. That's the only thing he has against you, you care about people."

"Hmm, but that's also his downfall. He's not loyal, so all we have to do is get him to cross one of the people protecting him. I'm sure this isn't the first time he's done something like this, someone somewhere is holding back information that could bring him down."

His words give me an idea that I know he won't like, so I don't say it. "You're seriously so smart! We're going to make him pay, but right now my priority is getting you through this trial."

He sighs. "You're going to tell me to go to bed again, aren't you?" 

I reach over and turn the lamp off, surrounding us in darkness. "I'm sorry, I don't want to sleep either, but tomorrow is really important. I won't loose you."

"Come here." His voice comes out raspy.

I inch closer to him.

He kisses every inch of my face, sending waves of desire through me. "Nobody can take me from you. I'm yours Lyra."

I kiss his neck, earning a groan from him. "You know, it's only fair that I get to please you too."

The green of his eyes is the only light in the darkness around us. "Mmm, that sounds dangerous. If you do that, I'm not so sure I'll be able to stop myself."

"You don't have to stop yourself as long as you promise me that one day you'll be my boyfriend."

He squeezes my thigh. "You act like there was ever any doubt of that."

That's all I needed to know. I kiss him like it's the last time. We may not be able to kiss like this for awhile depending on how tomorrow goes. I want to be confident and say he's coming home with me, but at the same time, I don't want to get my hopes up. I have to prepare myself for the possibility of Brexton getting arrested. I release all of my fear into this kiss.

Just as I'm untying his sweatpants, my phone starts ringing. I ignore it at first, but it keeps ringing, making me start to worry. Who could be calling me this late at night?

"It's okay, answer it." Brexton says against my lips.

I huff and pick up my phone. It's amazing I didn't throw it. I check the caller ID. The name that pops up on my screen is the last person I expected to hear from.

"Jessica what do you want?" It's so strange to see her name pop up and realize she's not calling me to come into work. I forgot she was fired for a minute.

I hear loud crying on the other side. "There's somebody here, he says he's looking for you and if you don't come he's going to kill me." More crying.

My heart stops. Inara wasn't kidding, Brant wants me. What I don't understand is why.

I hesitate. As much as I can't stand Jessica, she doesn't deserve to die. I can't sit back and do nothing. "Okay, text me your address. I'll leave now."

Brexton looks at me, concern glistening in his eyes. "What address? What's going on?"

I stand up and go to my closet, searching for a hoodie and sweatpants to throw over my silk nightgown. "That was Jessica, I think Brant got to her. She said he requested me."

Brexton is in front of me in no time. "What?! You can't go. If Brant wants you, then you need to be as far away from him as possible."

I find an outfit that I find suitable and start throwing it on. "If I don't go, she's going to die."

He starts trying to lift the hoodie back over my head, but I swat at his hand. "If you go, you could die or worse. Please strawberry shortcake, don't make the same mistake I did."

I run my hands down his arms in an attempt to soothe him. "This is different, I told you about where I'm going."

He gently removes my hands and grabs his shirt. "Then, I'm coming with you."

I stand in the doorway, stopping him from leaving. "You can't, you're under house arrest! Not to mention court in a few hours!"

For the first time, Brexton looks angry at me. "You seriously think any of that matters more than you? I mean, what do you want me to do? Do you really expect me to just sit here knowing that you're out there with a serial killer? I'm coming and that's that."

The intensity in his gaze lets me know not to argue with him. He's coming.

I step out of his way and we walk to my car silently.  When we get to the car, he reaches a hand out for my keys. I give them to him.

He surprises me by opening the passenger door for me. I thought he was too mad at me to do that. I mumble a thank you and crawl in.

We don't speak for the first half of the car ride. I'm grateful when he finally breaks the silence. "I'm not mad at you, I just don't like this. Brant is psychotic and I really don't want you anywhere near him."

"Hey." I put my hand on top of his. "It's going to be okay. We have each other this time, you're not alone in fighting this monster."

He smiles at me as we pull into the long driveway of Jessica's house.

Brexton turns off the engine. "Okay, what's our plan here?"

"I have a gun in my glovebox. I'm going to take it and go through the front. You take the one I have in
the center counsel and go through the back."

He raises an eyebrow. "How many guns do you have in your car?"

I pull out my pistol, shrugging. "Jeremiah told me someone was coming to murder me and my entire family, let's just say I've been waiting for this moment."

He looks at me sympathetically before we simultaneously hop out of the car.

He walks over and hugs me. "Be careful."

"You too." I say, not feeling afraid at all knowing he's beside me.

I hide the gun in the waste of my sweatpants and walk up the sidewalk. I take a deep breath and bust though the door.

The first thing I see is Jeremiah holding a gun to Jessica's head.