Chapter 39. You Can’t Escape This

Layla’s POV

Using his body as a shield, we stood with our chests pressed together, an emotional barrier I desperately needed. I looked at Ezra with silent appreciation in my eyes; he was a calming presence amidst the storm of my fears.

The thought of Orion meeting me here had shattered my resolve, and I felt myself crumbling under the weight of that impending confrontation.

The woody scent of the cologne on Ezra calmed me just a bit; it was grounding, a reminder that I wasn’t entirely alone in this moment, even as my anxiety threatened to engulf me. Something was soothing about standing so close to him, the warmth radiating off his body offering a form of comfort I didn’t realize I needed.

As Orion reached the landing, I couldn’t help but notice the way his gaze hardened as it landed on us. I felt my breath hitch in my throat, that familiar sense of dread rising within me.

Ezra tightened his hold on me, our bodies forming a makeshift barrier agai