The Cutting Edge

Distractions

She could've been hurt...or worse.

He felt his shoulders begin to shake from how tense he was and the stress of emotion warring within him.

"Liam?"

He looked up, head turning toward the door. His eyes landed on Paige, her tiny frame still enveloped in a blanket, her eyes were still sleepy, and her hair was messy. "Hey, mini."

She was looking at him, concern lining her brow. "What's wrong?"

His clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to find and punch something in order to vent all his pent up rage. How dare someone try to harm her.

She walked over to him, looking up into his furious eyes. Gently, she reached up and stroked the side of his face.

The anger instantly melted away, and he sighed, leaning into her touch.

She stretched up on tiptoe and placed a soft kiss against his lips before leaning up against him, curling into his warm embrace.

He wrapped his arms securely around her and rested his forehead against the top of her head. "I...I'm sorry."

Paige frowned. "For what?"

"For...for not protecting you." He sounded so pained, so guilt ridden.

Paige pulled away slightly and forced him to meet her eyes. "Liam, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known."

He brushed the hair out of her face, fingertips stroking her cheek as he stared at her with pain filled eyes. "I can't help feeling...I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

She fought the swell of emotion in her chest, she wouldn't cry, not now. "I'm safe, we know he's out there now."

He sighed and buried his face in her hair. "That's what worries me."

She gently rubbed the back of his neck, soothing the tension in his muscles. "I know you'll always be there to protect and save me, you did tonight, didn't you?"

"Well..."

"You kept me safe tonight, and I know you always will." She smiled. "You're my knight in shining armor."

He chuckled, his breath brushing across her neck and sending warm shivers down her spine. "A knight, huh? Benny might get jealous of that."

Paige kissed the side of his head. "Well he'll just have to get over it."

Liam lifted his head and let out a sigh, keeping his arms locked tightly around her. He liked the feeling of having her wrapped up in his embrace, as long as she stayed right there, she would always be safe. But unfortunately they couldn't stay that way forever.

Paige was a little disappointed when he released her, but comforted by the fact that he kept one arm around her shoulders.

"I called Beth, by the way."

Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh...I totally forgot about telling her about everything!"

Liam rubbed her arm and pulled her against his side. "Don't worry about it, you were a bit distracted. She's going to come take you back to her place to stay for a little while."

Paige shifted from one foot to the other. "Is...will...I don't know if I can go back to my house." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He knows where I live..."

Liam's arm tightened around her for a moment. "We'll get your window repaired, and put a security system in, I can have officers posted outside as an extra precaution, but if you don't feel comfortable or safe going back there for a while, you won't have to."