SWNOVELS Runner: Chapter 40
“You were supposed to leave hours ago,” Kade grumbled, coming into the kitchen and rubbing his eyes.
“He’s been watching her sleep for the past hour,” Gray said from the chair. “It’s creepy.”
“I have not been watching her,” I snapped.
“You could go home and sleep,” Gray responded. “You shouldn’t even be here right now.”
The only light in the house was the glow from the TV while a movie played. The volume was quiet so we didn’t wake her. She’d fallen asleep hours ago. It was clear that after almost four weeks, she was better, but her body still craved sleep. As if she never got enough. She mentioned before not being able to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. She seemed to pass out fine here. I wondered if it was because she felt safe.
I bit back my anger that I couldn’t be with her as often as Gray and Kade were. They told me about the scene they found her in, and if men were really after her, then she needed to be where she could be protected. Which was here.
She jerked in her sleep, her brow pinching and her lips pressing together. She shifted again, her body going rigid. A small cry broke the silence, and she rolled over, curling up.
“A nightmare,” Gray said gruffly, sitting on the edge of the chair. “She had one the night we were in her apartment.”
“That fucking asshole wrecked her,” Kade growled. “I hope his death was painful.”
Before I could continue the conversation, Mili suddenly rolled again, this time screaming like she was in terrible pain. My stomach clenched, and I stepped forward, only for Kade to grab my shoulder.
“Isn’t it bad to wake someone when they’re having a nightmare?” His eyes darted between me and her.
“I don’t give a shit,” I snapped, yanking out of his grip.
I already felt guilty enough that I couldn’t be there when she’d called for help. I wasn’t about to let her get swallowed in more pain, even if it was a nightmare.
I sat at the edge of the bed and gently pulled her into my arms. She flailed, her hand catching the side of my face. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, as if it were impossible to open them. She cried out again, and I tugged her closer, realizing she was trembling.
“Mili, wake up,” I said, raising my voice. “Wake up.”
“No. Don’t.” She thrashed, and I moved farther onto the bed. “Stop. No!”
Her screams were shrill, and my heart broke, knowing the horror in her past was probably even worse than her nightmares. Gray and Kade were standing at the edge of the bed, looking like they wanted to intervene, but I shook my head.
I shook her. “Mili. It’s okay. It’s not real. Wake up.”
Her eyes finally snapped open, and it took her a few moments to focus on me. She stopped moving, her chest heaving as she gulped in lungfuls of air. Her fingers wrapped around my arm, her nails digging into my skin. She looked behind me, seeing Kade and Gray, and her jaw snapped shut. Her cheeks turned pink as she let go of my arm and rubbed her face.
“I’m fine,” she grated out through her hands. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
It was easy to tell that she didn’t like looking weak in front of anyone. But I still didn’t move.
“Do you want to talk about it—”
“No,” she cut Gray off sharply. “I don’t remember it anyway.”
None of us called her out on her lie. She dropped her hands from her face, frowning when she saw us all still staring at her. She looked a hell of a lot better than she did when she first got here. The bruises were nearly gone, and she was getting around easier. She could leave any day now. Which was why I didn’t want to leave. I was worried I’d come to see her, and she’d just be gone.
“Let me stay with you,” I murmured. “In case you have another one.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“I can’t go home. My house flooded,” I said, hearing Gray snicker behind me.
“You’re lying,” she mumbled.
“Nope. I was going to check into some dingy hotel when I left here.”
“You’re the mayor. You don’t stay at shitty hotels.”
“Please, Mili. Let me crash here. You’d be doing me a favor.” I grinned when she met my eyes. “Just for tonight.”
“Fine.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Kade, and he jerked a nod before heading to his room.
“Can you sneak out in the morning?” she mumbled, scooting over to make space for me.
“He hasn’t had a problem sneaking out yet,” Gray piped in. “He’ll be fine.”
Unknotting my tie, I pulled it off and tossed it on the chair Gray had been sitting in. I slid under the blankets, and after a moment of hesitation, she lay down next to me. Not close enough to be touching, but I could still feel her body heat.
“You don’t have to do this,” she said as she yawned.
“Do what? I told you; you’re doing me a favor.”
“Whatever you say, Rylan.”
I stared at the ceiling, listening to her breathing even out as she fell asleep. The days of her being here were numbered, but I couldn’t seem to distance myself from her. Especially since the night we’d shared at my office. I fucking wanted her.
And I wasn’t the only one. Kade and Gray were hiding her from the crew, which was something new. They were choosing to protect her over the men who’d practically raised them. Because they wanted her too. Between me and them, they obviously had more in common with her. I didn’t care.
I’d keep trying to see her until she told me she didn’t want me, which hasn’t happened yet.