amount of pain he would inflict on the person who tried to take her away.
Though he didn’t know how to prevent the dream from happening, he knew one thing for sure. Layne needed to quit being a jackass. Had he not been so stubborn in the dream, they would have escaped.
He held on to that very thought as he spun on his heel, facing his friend. Layne hadn’t moved from his position. He stood with his back to Dylan, hands resting on the rail. One leg continued to shake, a telltale sign that he wanted to get something off his chest.
Perfect. Dylan had a few things to get off of his, too.
Clearing his throat, he took a step forward, searching for the right words to say. He could think of plenty of wrong ones, ones that would send Layne off the edge and ready to fight. Not that it would do either of them any good. Heaven would sense their anger and be back to berate them.
Before he could come up with something suitable, Layne’s eyes fixed on the torch near his arm. “Are we going to get this over with? I’m a little pressed for time, seeing as how I need to pack for a trip I don’t want to make.”
Dylan clamped his jaws together until they burned like the skin on his newly formed fist. He’d love nothing more than to knock the arrogant attitude out of Layne’s system, fought real hard not to give into the urge. But he’d made a promise to his wife—to always put her first. Layne needed to do the same.
“Get used to doing things you don’t want to do. This isn’t about your wants. It’s about her needs and what it takes to keep her safe.”
“I’m well aware of how important her safety is.”
“Then get on board with this decision. She doesn’t need the stress, Layne. Her contractions are getting worse.”
Layne stilled his leg. He turned his head, though he didn’t fully look in Dylan’s direction. “Did she have one tonight?”
“Yeah.”
The flame above shadowed Layne’s face, but it didn’t hide his grimace. His eye twitched before he refaced the ocean. “I’m not surprised she had one,” he grumbled. “That dream would stress anyone. Be grateful it wasn’t real.”
Freaking idiot. He still couldn’t see the whole picture. That his actions caused a chain reaction that resulted in his death as much as—
“Why do you think it got to that point? We would have been safe if you had done as she asked and left with us. She stayed because of you. She died for the same reason.”
“Stop it.” The words left Layne’s mouth in a hiss, but Dylan ignored him.
“That dream was more than a warning to leave the island. It showed that we’re not ready to protect her at the level she needs. You have to start listening to what she says.”
Layne pushed off the rail, taking hasty steps in Dylan’s direction. “I do listen to her.”
“Really? Then why are you arguing about leaving? You did the same thing in the dream. All because you wanted to prove a point.”
Layne narrowed his eyes as he stopped a foot away. “I was trying to protect her.”
“Well guess what, hero. You failed. We both did.”
Pressing his lips together, Layne brushed past Dylan, knocking his shoulder when he did. He had a lot more that he wanted to say. Dylan didn’t need to sense his energy to know that. The way his gut knotted was a good implication.
He waited for the onslaught of sarcasm his friend was dying to spew. Even turned to face him so he could return the favor, but Layne’s focus had moved to his hand. He twisted it back and forth, as though he were expecting to see something. Perhaps a flame…
“Are your dreams always that intense?”
It wasn’t the response Dylan expected. He repeated the question in his head, watching a flash of heat lightning spread across the sky. “Yes, they are, but it’s positive intensity when it’s just the two of us.”
“What do you mean?”
He met his friend’s gaze, surprised to see that the anger within them had switched to curiosity. “There are no
Though he didn’t know how to prevent the dream from happening, he knew one thing for sure. Layne needed to quit being a jackass. Had he not been so stubborn in the dream, they would have escaped.
He held on to that very thought as he spun on his heel, facing his friend. Layne hadn’t moved from his position. He stood with his back to Dylan, hands resting on the rail. One leg continued to shake, a telltale sign that he wanted to get something off his chest.
Perfect. Dylan had a few things to get off of his, too.
Clearing his throat, he took a step forward, searching for the right words to say. He could think of plenty of wrong ones, ones that would send Layne off the edge and ready to fight. Not that it would do either of them any good. Heaven would sense their anger and be back to berate them.
Before he could come up with something suitable, Layne’s eyes fixed on the torch near his arm. “Are we going to get this over with? I’m a little pressed for time, seeing as how I need to pack for a trip I don’t want to make.”
Dylan clamped his jaws together until they burned like the skin on his newly formed fist. He’d love nothing more than to knock the arrogant attitude out of Layne’s system, fought real hard not to give into the urge. But he’d made a promise to his wife—to always put her first. Layne needed to do the same.
“Get used to doing things you don’t want to do. This isn’t about your wants. It’s about her needs and what it takes to keep her safe.”
“I’m well aware of how important her safety is.”
“Then get on board with this decision. She doesn’t need the stress, Layne. Her contractions are getting worse.”
Layne stilled his leg. He turned his head, though he didn’t fully look in Dylan’s direction. “Did she have one tonight?”
“Yeah.”
The flame above shadowed Layne’s face, but it didn’t hide his grimace. His eye twitched before he refaced the ocean. “I’m not surprised she had one,” he grumbled. “That dream would stress anyone. Be grateful it wasn’t real.”
Freaking idiot. He still couldn’t see the whole picture. That his actions caused a chain reaction that resulted in his death as much as—
“Why do you think it got to that point? We would have been safe if you had done as she asked and left with us. She stayed because of you. She died for the same reason.”
“Stop it.” The words left Layne’s mouth in a hiss, but Dylan ignored him.
“That dream was more than a warning to leave the island. It showed that we’re not ready to protect her at the level she needs. You have to start listening to what she says.”
Layne pushed off the rail, taking hasty steps in Dylan’s direction. “I do listen to her.”
“Really? Then why are you arguing about leaving? You did the same thing in the dream. All because you wanted to prove a point.”
Layne narrowed his eyes as he stopped a foot away. “I was trying to protect her.”
“Well guess what, hero. You failed. We both did.”
Pressing his lips together, Layne brushed past Dylan, knocking his shoulder when he did. He had a lot more that he wanted to say. Dylan didn’t need to sense his energy to know that. The way his gut knotted was a good implication.
He waited for the onslaught of sarcasm his friend was dying to spew. Even turned to face him so he could return the favor, but Layne’s focus had moved to his hand. He twisted it back and forth, as though he were expecting to see something. Perhaps a flame…
“Are your dreams always that intense?”
It wasn’t the response Dylan expected. He repeated the question in his head, watching a flash of heat lightning spread across the sky. “Yes, they are, but it’s positive intensity when it’s just the two of us.”
“What do you mean?”
He met his friend’s gaze, surprised to see that the anger within them had switched to curiosity. “There are no
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