Chapter 838

When he finished, I found myself curling even tighter. Hayden shifted closer, his hand brushing mine. “Are you scared of what I’ve told you so far?”

The truth was, not really. So far, it was just a rundown of shady deals and insane tests he’d endured. But my mind had already spun it into something straight out of an undercover spy movie—life-or-death situations, impossible choices, brutal sacrifices.

“Hayden,” I whispered, cutting off my own spiraling thoughts. “Hold me.”

He hesitated, his grip on my hand firm but cautious, like he wasn’t sure if I’d pull away again. I didn’t. Instead, I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around him.

His chin came to rest lightly on the top of my head, that small, familiar gesture unraveling the doubts still clinging to me. This wasn’t Xander, wasn’t some stranger. This was Hayden. My Hayden.

Without thinking, my hands slid under his shirt, gliding along his waist.

“Kiki,” he said, his voice tight, “there are no injuries.”

I kept going. “Let me see for myself.”

“Are you sure?” His lips twitched like he was holding back.

“Yes, I’m sure,” I said flatly. I mean, I was pregnant—he wouldn’t dare try anything sketchy now.

“Still bossy,” he murmured, his tone indulgent. Then, with one smooth motion, he pulled his shirt off.

I blinked. Every nerve in my body short-circuited at the sight of him—the sculpted muscles, the sharp lines of his abs. For a second, I just stared, completely forgetting why I’d asked him to take it off in the first place.

“Weren’t you checking for injuries?” he teased, his soft laughter snapping me back to reality.

Heat rushed to my face. “I am!”

My hands moved over his skin, careful and focused. No fresh cuts, no bruises—nothing but the old scars I already knew. He really hadn’t lied.

“You’re incredible,” I said, exhaling in relief. “Whatever you’ve been through… I can’t even imagine. It’s like something out of an action movie.”

Without realizing it, my hand brushed his abs again, the memory hitting me hard. Back when we used to fall asleep together, my hand would always end up resting on his stomach, like it was the only way I could settle. It had been so long since I’d felt this.

Hayden didn’t push me away. He just sat there, letting me touch him, letting me take my time. The silence grew, but it wasn’t heavy. If anything, it felt peaceful, like we’d both finally found something we’d thought was gone.

Then he pulled me into another hug, his arms tight around me. “I thought you wouldn’t recognize me,” he admitted. “Figured you’d chase me out.”

Hayden had caught me totally off guard by showing up out of nowhere. I’d sworn a million times that if I ever saw him again, I’d punch him. But when the moment came? I just couldn’t do it.

Even with all the tension hanging between us, lashing out felt pointless. Maybe I’d grown up. Maybe I’d finally learned not to let my emotions run the show.

“You sound disappointed,” I teased, poking him lightly. “Want me to make up for it?”

“We’ll keep a tab and settle it later.” His tone was light.

But my smile faded as I straightened, my voice serious. “Hayden, if Lena doesn’t come back, or if anything happens to her, I won’t forgive you. I don’t care what your reasons were for taking her.”

I needed him to understand there was no wiggle room here. Earlier, he’d explained it was a strategic move, something about needing Aaron’s influence to pull off his plan. He admitted Aaron’s help was the only reason he’d made it back so quickly.

“I get it,” Hayden said softly. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his hand resting gently over my stomach.

The call came in the middle of the night, jolting me awake. The second I saw Lena’s name on the screen, sleep was a distant memory.

“Lena!”

“Did I wake you and my godchild?” she teased.

“This is the best interruption of my life,” I said, laughing as tension melted from my body.

“Really? I figured with Hayden there, you’d be too busy enjoying your little ‘love paradise’ to care about my call,” she quipped.