Page 59 of Her Remarkable Protector
Honor doesn’t flinch. “I know you would’ve tried,” she replies, her tone firm yet understanding. “But I wouldn’t let you. You can’t come with me, Oak, and I don’t even know where Chase is taking me.”
A heavy sigh escapes him, frustration pouring through the line. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t. Just listen,” she insists. “Your parents will expect me to keep you close, to keep you in my shadow. So let’s outsmart them.”
A long silence stretches between them, taut with unspoken emotions. Finally, Oakley mutters, “Okay.”
Honor’s stance softens, just enough to show she knows how much this costs him. “Oak, tell me honestly. What do you really think? If you’re not okay with this, say the word. Chase and I will come get you.”
In the background, muffled noises filter through the call—kids shouting, followed by a deep male voice barking something. There’s a round of laughter, Oakley’s included.
“What’s going on?” Honor asks, frowning in curiosity.
Oakley chuckles, the first genuine sound of relief. “Noah tried to ride one of the llamas. The twins just laugh their pants off!”
I mouth to Chase, “Twins?”
“Oh, Ivy and Mark have twins,” I murmur.
“Geez, Noah boy!” Oakley exclaims into the phone, his laughter carrying as he calls out to someone nearby. A brief exchange follows, then he’s back to his mother. “And the man, he’s Ramirez.”
Faintly, I hear that man’s voice again, ‘This is a farm, not a rodeo!’ and Noah soon replies, ‘Well, llamas look like rodeo rejects anyway!’
Even I can’t suppress a laugh.
Honor rolls her eyes but her lips twitch. “Glad to see you’re in good company. Now, what’s it going to be, Oak?”
“I’ll stay,” he says at last. “But you stay safe, okay? This isn’t goodbye. Promise me.”
Her voice stumbles. Perhaps catching the depth in his tone, the unspoken proof of how much she means to Oakley. But her resolve doesn’t waver. “It’ll never be goodbye.”
The call ends, and before I can say anything, Huxley approaches. “Do you two need anything before you, well, jet?”
“I think we’re set,” I say.
“Thanks for everything, Huxley,” Honor says, her tone sincere.
“Hey, anytime.”
She offers a small, apologetic smile. “Sorry about your car.”
“Now don’t be silly. It’s insured,” he replies, brushing it off with a laugh.
I step forward, clapping him on the shoulder. “Thanks, partner. I mean it.”
He smirks, giving me a once-over. “Go now. You need a break. Those eyebags? Not sexy.”
I snort, shaking my head as we prepare to leave.
23
HONOR
The top-secret getaway Chase promised turns out to involve a private plane—courtesy of Red Mark. I shouldn’t be surprised by their resources, but still, it feels like stepping into a world I don’t belong to.
“Just a few mini must-haves for Laramie,” Ivy Connor says, handing me a bag as we wait at the airport.
A few?That thing could fit an entire toddler’s wardrobe.
