Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 57943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
I hadn’t even told him about that terrible night, but somehow, he understands me as if he does know. And I knew that, once I did tell him, he’d be my biggest supporter. I was just afraid to relive it again. I’d feared for my life that night and it wasn’t something I wanted to go around thinking about all the time.
That’s it. I am going to tell him tonight.
With that thought, I stood up to get out of the tub, causing Cale to do the same.
AFTER A BATH where I poured my heart out to Lia and she silently listened, we finally got out. I could tell that she had a lot on her mind with the whole Sam situation. Even though he said that he’d see her on Friday, I didn’t trust his words at all and would still watch her like a hawk. She didn’t know it yet, but I planned on taking her to work in the morning so I would know she made it safely.
We brushed our teeth, wrapped up in our towels, and went into the bedroom. She looked so exhausted and sad.
Pulling the covers back, I told her, “Come on, get in.”
She was completely exhausted—I could see it all over her face. I smiled when she dropped her towel and crawled into the bed because I was awarded a view of her nice, round ass. It caused my dick to flinch with excitement, but it needed to chill the fuck out for the time being.
I turned off the lights everywhere except the bedside lamp and scooted in next to her. Ever since the events from earlier in the evening, Lia was almost in a catatonic state and it made me nervous. I pulled her over into the crook of my arm, and she snaked her arm across my chest. We sat staring, lost in our thoughts for a while, before she spoke.
“Cale,” was all she said. It wasn’t a question, so there wasn’t a need for an answer.
I kissed the top of her head. When I finally heard her quiet, rhythmic breathing, I turned off the lamp and quickly fell into step behind her.
I woke to thrashing in my arms.
What the fuck?
“Get away from me, you bastard!” she screamed in the darkness, slapping at my chest. Her struggles to get away completely startled me. “He’s coming!” she continued to panic.
In a flash, I reached over and switched on the lamp. Her tear-stained face was haunted as she was clearly still trapped in her nightmare.
I sat up, shaking her. “Lia! Wake up. It’s me, Cale!” I shouted at her.
She opened and closed her eyes a few times as if to blink away the fog of her bad dream. As if suddenly realizing that it was just a nightmare, her eyes filled with fresh, hot tears and she threw herself at me in a tight embrace.
“Shhh, I’ve got you,” I cooed into her hair, pulling her to lie back down. After a few moments of silence, I spoke again. “Want to tell me about it?” I asked, stroking her hair.
“No,” she hastily whispered. “I’m sorry.”
I wished she could open up to me. She was whimpering in fear in my arms and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I knew she was just upset about Sam, but if she didn’t talk about it, she was suffering with it alone and I fucking hated that for her.
She was tracing her fingers along my bicep when she finally found her voice again. “Tell me about your tattoo.” She looked at me and her green eyes caught me in their trap of wonder like they always did.
“Well,” I began, “it’s of my guardian angel. She’s always watching me. Keeping me out of trouble. Reminding me of the right path to take.” I could have told her the whole story about almost dying because of drunk driving on my part, but for some reason, I didn’t feel like presenting her plate after plate of my past when she couldn’t even give me a morsel. I’d tell her everything the moment she gave me something. Anything.
“Hmmm. I guess that’s fair,” she murmured softly, still lazily running her finger over the outlines. The tone of her voice let me know that she knew that there was more of a story with my tattoo but I wasn’t going to tell her just yet. I really wanted to open up to her, but she needed to feel how it hurt to be shut out. It fucking hurts.
Not long after, I heard the quiet sounds of her breathing indicating that she was asleep. I stroked her hair, attempting to comfort her even in her dreams. Eventually, slumber sneaked in its slippery tentacles and pulled me into its blackness as well.
THE NEXT MORNING, I woke early, which was unbelievable considering the lack of sleep I’d had. Cale’s beautiful form was stretched out beside me. The early morning sun had crept in, lying across him like a jealous mistress, marking him for herself. His face had grown stubbly over the past few days, but it was sexy. Cale’s perfect mouth was slightly open as he breathed softly in a quiet cadence.