Chapter 15
I need you … Lachlan.
Lachlan fought every urge to grab her and never let her go. From the minute she walked into the Stingray compound, he knew it was her.
Britt was here with him, beautiful as ever. Adrenaline raced through his veins. She wasn’t a mirage or a fantasy. She was real.
His chest constricted painfully as three years of grief crashed into the present moment.
Every night, he'd dreamed of her being alive, only to wake to crushing emptiness.
But now ... now her scent filled his nostrils, her voice caressed his ears, and it took every ounce of his military training to maintain his composure.
The love of his fucking life. The mother of his adorable little hen.
The woman he couldn’t save when the car bomb exploded before his eyes.
Going through the motions of life with a gaping hole in his heart.
His only joy was the daughter she’d blessed him with.
The little angel whose face was the perfect blend of each of theirs.
Britt Freeman was alive.
She hadn’t died in that car bomb.
But she had amnesia.
She didn’t remember her life.
Didn’t think it was hers.
And she didn’t remember him.
For now, that didn’t matter.
He couldn’t deny that it was blissful torture—having her so close yet unable to hold her, to tell her about their beautiful daughter, to remind her of their love story. Each moment felt like walking on a knife's edge between professional distance and desperate longing.
But he’d take an alive Britt with no memories over the hell he’d lived through, thinking she was dead.
And his hell was nothing compared to what she’d endured, held against her will by a man who now wanted to kill her.
As he listened to her harrowing story, rage warred within him at the bastard who’d taken her away from him and their little girl.
Lachlan would never let anyone hurt Britt again.
He’d find the fucker and destroy him—no matter how long it took.
Britt rubbed her thumb in the palm of her hand, staring down at the floor.
How many times had he watched her do that?
The sign that she had something on her mind but wasn’t ready to say what it was.
She wasn’t sure she should risk sharing her thoughts or feelings.
He’d helped her trust him years ago and prayed he could do that again.
“So, what are the next steps?” Britt licked her lips slowly as her dark eyes caressed his face.
His answer couldn’t be what he wanted—to kiss those luscious lips, losing himself in her touch and the feel of her body next to his.
As gorgeous as she still was, she’d lost a lot of weight.
The curves that delighted him were nearly gone, replaced with a thinner version crafted from deprivation and fear.
“You’ve been through hell, Britt,” Lachlan said, raking his hand through his hair.
“I think the best thing is for you to go through a thorough medical evaluation just to make sure …” his words faltered as anger raced along his skin.
The unconscious fear surfaced with a vengeance as he clenched his hands into fists.
“Oh no,” Britt said, shifting closer to him. “I was never beaten or violated in any way. It was all psychological. Not physical.”
“Glad to hear that.” His words betrayed everything he felt for this woman.
Lachlan’s shoulders slumped. If she’d been physically or sexually assaulted, there was no limit to how he’d burn the world down to kill the bastard who did it.
“The attempts to make you remember Brittany Freeman’s life could have negative impacts you don’t realize. ”
“Like stopping me from remembering who I am?” Britt asked.
But you are Brittany Freeman. You are the love of my life.
You are back home. The words rattled in his brain, screaming to come out.
But he wouldn’t let them. Britt had spent years with someone trying to force memories on her.
She needed the right environment and conditions to remember who she was on her own.
He couldn’t force that on her. He wouldn’t.
“We partner with a psychologist who can evaluate you. There could be ways to unlock your memories safely or help us get clues about who held you captive,” Lachlan said. “Once we identify who he is, we can devise an appropriate strategy to eliminate the threat to your life.”
“This all sounds ridiculously expensive. I’m not sure all of this should be done for me.”
“Will ye stop worrying about the cost?” Lachlan snapped. For as many ways as Britt hadn’t changed—her mannerisms, determination, fearlessness in the face of overwhelming odds—he’d have to get used to this less confident version of the woman he loved.
Britt Freeman had demanded control and was a reckless spender, never denying herself or those she loved with whatever money could buy. More importantly, she was the last to turn down gifts of any kind. She was raised knowing her worth and ensuring others knew it, too.
This version of his love standing before him didn’t remember those things. Lachlan softened his voice. “I will help ye, Britt. That’s a promise. I will stop the man who is after ye.”
“Why?” Britt stood and stalked toward the door. She dragged a hand down her face, then pivoted to stare at him. “Why are you so willing to help me?”
Because I love you wasn’t an answer he could give. He wouldn’t lie to her, so he gave the only answer close enough to the truth. “Because ye tole me ye needed me. Ye can’t get out of this alone, Britt. You’ll have to trust someone. I want it to be us. To be me.”
“I trust you.” The words slipped from her lips.
Her eyes grew wide as if her statement shocked her with the truth of it.
She had no clue that the feeling was bred from their deep connection.
One that permeated between them even though she didn’t remember who he was.
How important he had been in her life. It gave him hope that she’d come back to him in her own time and on her own terms. He just had to be patient.
“That’s a good start,” he said, unable to stop himself from moving closer to her. Only inches separated them. “For now, you’ll stay here at the compound—”
She reached for him, her hand landing on his arm.
Her caress, so achingly familiar, yet now given without recognition, sent fireworks shooting through his body.
The hand that used to trace patterns on his skin as they lay in bed now rested innocently on his arm—trusting him as a stranger when once she'd known every inch of his soul. Britt’s words were laced with concern as she asked, “Will you be here?”
“I won’t leave ye,” Lachlan said, choking the words out through the haze of love he felt for her.
She had to know he’d protect her with his life.
She had to feel his devotion to her. How much she meant to him and how he wouldn’t fail her this time.
He wouldn’t let anyone take her from him again.
Lachlan allowed himself to place his hand on hers.
The smile she gave him instantly filled the hole that had been in his heart for too long.
“And you’ll be my bodyguard? I mean, can you? Nothing against the other guys, but you’re just a lot easier to talk to,” Britt said with a nervous chuckle.
“The team will handle the investigation, surveillance, and intel.” Lachlan stifled a laugh. As if he’d ever let any of the guys protect his woman. “But I’ll be the one by your side, watching over ye. Day and night. As close as I need to be to make sure ye never feel afraid again.”