Page 58 of Saved By Two

I thrash out my arms and legs, kicking with all my might, but they connect with nothing, an empty space.

I’m being suffocated. Is this how I die?

Suddenly the hands around my throat are gone, replaced with a heavy weight bearing down over my entire body, hands now pinning my shoulders.

I try to lash out again, but my hands are pinned above my head as I thrash back and forth.

“Jessica.”

“Please don’t do this?” I plead, but my voice is hoarse even to my ears.

“Jessica, it’s me, Noah.”

My body stills,Noah.

“That’s it, sweet girl, wake up, come on, you’re safe, I promise.”

His words coax me back as I blink, his face coming into view, a frown marring his forehead, full of worry.

He lets out a heavy sigh.

“There you are,” he says, releasing my hands and stroking my cheek.

He stares at me, his eyes filled with concern. My heart is racing, my breaths coming out laboured. I ground myself as I study his features—the flecks of green in his eyes, the way his nostrils flare ever so slightly, and the tiny scar above his right eyebrow.

His thumb wipes my cheek, and I realise they’re wet with tears.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

My first instinct is to shut him down and evade the question, but a part of me knows that to truly heal, I need to stop hiding the darkest parts of myself. I look past him and realise I’m in their bedroom—the vague memory of being carried makes sense.

“He was strangling me,” I say, my hand automatically moving to my throat as I shudder, the remnants of a cold, callous touch. “It felt so real.”

The bed dips, and I turn my head as Caleb lays on his side, resting his head in his hand as he peers down, his fingers stroking up the length of my arm.

“But it wasn’t. You’re safe with us. This, this is real,” he says.

I swallow as he trails his fingers up and down my arm. Noah continues to caress my cheek, spreading warmth throughout my body, chasing away the ice that had settled deep in my core.

“It’s just you, me, and Noah, little one. You’re safe with us. You can feel us, yes?”

Clearing my throat, I nod and allow these two men to ground me.

“It just felt so real. I couldn’t breathe. I thought he found me,” I admit. I’ll never forget waking up my first night here with Noah spooning me, keeping me safe in his arms.

We’ve talked over the last few weeks, and I thought my nightmares were becoming less frequent because I haven’t even been able to remember some of them.

“You’re safe, little one. But if we’re moving too fast and you need us to back off, we can do that. Your comfort is what’s most important to us.” Caleb leans over and kisses my forehead softly, the brush of his short beard against my skin.

As he draws back, I panic and reach for his wrist.

“Please don’t ask me to leave.” I’ve never felt as needy as I do at this moment. Maybe it’s my connection to them both after such a short time. Who knows?

“We won’t, but we can if you need space. You can stay in here, and we’ll take your room.” Noah glances at Caleb and then back to me.

Right now, the last thing I want is space, and maybe that’s me being co-dependent. But after having their mouths on me, them touching me intimately, I want more to know I’m not this broken shell of a person, that my ex hasn’t ruined me.

“Kiss me.” My voice comes out strained, but I don’t care. I need to feel them, know this is as real as Caleb assured me.

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