Protecting Her Always: Everything and Always

By Mia Echo

The worst night of her life set in motion events that both haunt and heal her broken heart. Too afraid to go to the authorities after being attacked, Melody turns to Ransom for support and comfort.

Ransom will do anything to protect Melody, even if that means he can't be with her. Battling her demons was the easy part, but when she finds out the truth of what he's done, can she live with the guilt of his sacrifice?

Will her Christmas wish come true?

Will he be able to gain her family's trust?

Or will the past he's been trying to protect her from continue to keep them apart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kayla Galla
• Release date: Feb 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201750893

Book preview

Prologue

Ransom

Melody is late.  She has never been late for one of our dates.  Something is wrong.  She would have messaged me if she was running late.  I know I haven’t known her that long, but she has quickly made her way into my heart.  At first, I tried messaging her then calling her, but there’s been no answer. 

The knot in my stomach grows as fear begins to weave its way into my thoughts.  At first, I worry that she doesn’t want to see me anymore but is too afraid to say it to my face, but then I remember how we spent the past few days wrapped up in each other’s arms.  Then my concern and worry turns to her health, what if she’s come down with the flu that’s been going around? or maybe she fell or got hurt somehow in class today?  Grabbing my car keys off the table, I hurry to my car.  Her apartment isn’t far.

When I left the service, I never thought I’d find myself working construction on a college campus, and I definitely never saw myself falling in love with one of the students who passed the site every day.  Her spunk and love for life drew me in like a moth to a flame.  Every day for a week, she turned me down when I asked if I could take her for coffee.  As I readied myself for yet another of her rejections after a weekend spent dreaming of her, she walked right up to me smiling wide. 

Holding her hand up, stopping me from saying anything, she says, Before you ask me to go for coffee again, I should probably tell you that I hate coffee, but I do love tacos and my last class is cancelled tonight so if you’d like to ask me to dinner tonight, you might find you get a better answer today. 

My jaw hangs open as I realize I’ve just been asked out by the woman of my dreams.

She smirks at me when I don’t respond.  I’ll take your silence as a yes.  Pick me up at seven?  She hands me a piece of paper with her address and phone number on it before sauntering off to her first class of the day. 

Pulling myself back to the present, I run up the stairs to her second floor apartment and knock on the door.  When there’s no response, I knock again, then listen for any movement inside.  After the third time I knock, I call her name, hoping she’s in there.  Hearing a soft whimper on the other side of the door, I try the door but it’s locked.  That’s not the sound of a person who is healthy and happy.  My mind is racing with terrifying possibilities.  She could be sick or hurt.  I have to get to her.

Melody, baby, please open the door, it’s me. 

It feels like forever before the door slowly opens to reveal a distraught Melody.  I rush in, closing and locking the door behind me.  Turning to her, I notice all the lights are off in the apartment except the one in the bathroom. 

Melody stands several feet away from me with her head down and her arms wrapped tightly around herself.  From the entryway, I can see blankets and a pillow laying on the floor of the small bathroom.  Is she sick?

Walking toward Melody, I don’t miss the cringe and slight whine of fear.  Straightening my