Page 4 of Don't Let Go

Very attractive.

“I’m going to sit up, Sugar Bear.”

Sugar Bear?—

“You know,” I said. “I never told you that you could call me that—” Then I hesitated. I hadn’t told him that was okay, right?

The murkiness discoloring everything was like trying to stare through sooty pinholes to what happened over the last few weeks. One minute, I was in my home working, doing my job. The next I was in a clinic, with three men I’d only ever spoken to on the phone hovering over me.

It wasn’t just days that were gone, it wasweeks. Whole chunks of time I couldn’t account for but that couldn’t have been fun based on my injuries. Even more, based on how Remy, McQuade, and Locke behaved around me.

Something terrible had happened and I couldn’t access it. I hated the not knowing almost more than I hated the visceral physical reactions I kept having.

“Just because you didn't tell me I could, doesn't mean I won't do it,” McQuade said, a smile curving his well-formed mouth. The stubble on his face was also kind of charming, and emphasized his more rebellious side.

As interesting and handsome as he was, hadn’t I gone to bed on my own the night before?

“You were having a nightmare," McQuade said, the ease with which he spoke so damn familiar.

More familiar than the flirtations on the phone. This had substance and texture. It made me want to lean on him

“I know you said you wanted to sleep on your own. I heard you last night. And I heard your nightmares. When you're having nightmares, I'm going to show up. You sleep better when I'm here.” He delivered the information with all the confidence of being straight facts.

Hard to dispute facts. Even if I didn’t quite remember the nightmares. I remembered… The shadows slipped away before I could get a grip on them.

It wasn't like I could argue that point. He seemed to be speaking from experience and, frankly, I had slept. So I just kind of nodded, but I couldn't go back to sleep now. He seemed to understand, because he motioned towards the bathroom. Despite the gesture, it wasn’t until he kept that long stare fixed on me that I finally forced myself to get out of the bed.

A split-second’s hesitation marked me pushing back the blankets. What did I go to bed in? It took a moment to register that I did have on a t-shirt and panties. It covered everything important. Relieved by that much, I headed for the bathroom.

McQuade said nothing until I flipped on the light in the bathroom and began to close the door.

"Patch," he said in a very low voice. It was the kind of cadence I couldn’t ignore. No one could. He only used it when he wanted you to pay attention to him, because it was serious. He needed you to listen and believe him.

Over the past few years I'd only ever heard him use that tone a few times. Then it was only to those people he’d rescued and he still needed to get out. Hearing him use that tone with me offered both comfort and the most disquieting unease that I'd ever experienced.

Licking my very dry lips, I steeled my shoulders and lifted my chin. As much as I wanted to escape everything his voice implied, I refused.

I wasn't a child. I wouldn’t run away from what went bump in the night, even if I didn’t know what that bump was or who caused it. The man sitting on the bed we’d ended up sharing was no stranger. I’d known him for years, even if we’d never met in person until…

Well, I couldn’t actually remember meeting him the first time at the moment, so I’d just go with recently.

McQuade continued to stare at me until our gazes locked. He raised his eyebrows, was I paying attention to him?

I nodded in response to the silent question. "I'm listening," I added while trying to infuse those two words with every bit of confidence I could. It still came out weak, but whatever.

"It's going to be fine.” Five words delivered in a manner that said there were no other options. Everything would work out. It was going to befine.

Because he said so dammit.

“That's what you know?” I asked and maybe I was daring him a little to prove it to me. “I mean, is that really what you know?”

Grinning, he flipped back the blankets revealing the rest of his very well-muscled, trim, and fit form, that was damn fineif you didn’t mind all the scars. I definitely didn’t mind them. Every single one was?—

He cleared his throat and I jerked my head up to meet his incredibly amused gaze.

“That's exactly what I know,” he said. "And you can look at me anytime you want, Sugar Bear."

My face flamed. Choosing tactical retreat, I shut the door then turned to lean with my back against it, eyes closed while desperately trying to ignore the masculine laughter wrapping around me from the other room.

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