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Layke was striding purposefully towards the door, intent of hunting down the little witch that had tried to hurt his wife. Belle dashed after him and leapt onto his back, locking her arms around his neck and her legs around his middle. “Layke, listen to me. No, you can’t go after her, it’s what they want. You’ll be walking right into a trap. They knew there was a chance that creep wouldn’t return. They knew there was a chance he would be caught. And if he was, then you’d go in guns blazing.”

He continued onwards as if Belle wasn’t even there, completely undeterred by her weight – though it was fair to say she didn’t weight that much. Deserting her plan to placate him, Belle took to another approach. She kicked her legs madly and bit his ear. “Layke, do not do this! For fuck sake, will you listen!”

Layke halted abruptly and shifted her so that she was wrapped around his front. He held her gaze as he growled. “Don’t, Belle. Don’t ask me to ignore this. You’re my wife and she sent some