Page 57 of In All My Dreams

The electricity in the air buzzes louder around us as she stares up at me. I sit up quickly, forcing her to sit up with me.

“Are you saying what I think you might be saying?” I ask. “And before you answer that, you swear nothing is going on between you and your delivery boy?”

She giggles and shakes her head at me. “Matty and I are just friends. I’m not really his type.”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “I find that hard to believe. You should be everyone’s type.”

“Matty would prefer someone who looks like you,” she says, raising an eyebrow right back at me. “Now, enough about Matty. Right now, there’s only you and me.”

Her tongue darts out, licking her lower lip as she stares directly into my soul. Her cheeks are flushed, making her look more beautiful than I’ve ever seen her.

“I think we’ve waited long enough. Don’t you think so?” Her voice is low, almost husky sounding.

I reach out and pull her closer to me, kissing her hard as she climbs into my lap.

“We’ve only waited our whole lives for this,” I agree between kisses, making her gasp and melt into my arms completely. “I love you, Georgia. It’s always been you.”

She pulls away, just far enough so we can look each other in the eyes. “It’ll always be you,” she says before placing another kiss on my lips. “I love you, with my whole heart.”

I spend the rest of the night showing her just how much I’ve always loved her. How much I’ll always need her, much like the way I need oxygen to survive. Our movements were clumsy at first, but once we got past the awkward part, it was everything I’d always hoped it would be. It was perfect, because it was with her.

My eyes fly open when I hear a strange noise. I reach over, feeling for Georgia, when my hand hits empty space next to me. I look at the alarm clock that’s across the room, and it saysit’s just past 3:00 am. Reaching for the other side of the bed, I pull the metal chain that turns on the small lamp on the bedside table.

Once my eyes finally adjust, I see Georgia standing at the large window in her room. She’s wearing a purple nightgown, and she’s muttering something under her breath.

I pull my boxers on and cross the room. “Georgia?” I ask softly. “Are you okay?” I place my hand on her shoulder and squeeze gently. I’m not sure if she’s stuck in a nightmare or if she’s awake. Every time she’s had a sleep spell, she’s looked completely awake. But I’ve watched my mother soothe Georgia back to bed several times over the years, and I know I’m not supposed to jar her awake if she is stuck in a nightmare.

“She’s back, she’s back, she’s back,” Georgia whispers, her eyes locked on something in the distance as she stares out the window. The city is lit up around us, but when I try to follow her gaze, I see nothing that stands out.

“Georgie, are you in a spell again?” I ask gently, rubbing her shoulders up and down softly from behind her. I can see her reflection through the window. She looks so far away, so I know she’s asleep. “Okay, Georgie, let’s get you back to bed.” I try to steer her toward the bed, the same way I’ve watched my mother do.

But instead of Georgia moving toward the bed, she turns completely around, forcing me to release my gentle grip on her shoulders.

She opens her mouth and brings her arm up, pointing directly at me as her eyes stay unfocused on something past me. “Your fault. Your fault. Your fault,” she says, her voice hollow, almost lifeless.

My heart is pounding in my chest as I look behind me nervously. I fully expect to see Caroline’s ghost standing behindme, but I’m surprised to find nothing but Georgia’s belongings and my duffle bag sitting by the bedroom door.

I turn back toward Georgia and gasp loudly when I see that her gray eyes are focused completely on mine now, and she’s stuck in a silent scream, while pointing at me. Something about this seems familiar...

No.

It can’t be.

“Georgia,” I plead, unable to take my eyes off of her. “Georgie, please wake up. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Because now I know why this sight of her looks so familiar...

It’s the same way she described her mother’s ghost looking any time she came to haunt Georgia. AfterItold Georgia to go into her mother’s office for solace. After I screamed into the lake and begged the heaven’s to bring Irene and Caroline back to us.

Georgia told me she hadn’t had a night terror or seen her mother’s spirit since she left Crane Manor. But what if it’s not because of Crane Manor that all these horrible things have happened to her?

What if Georgia is being haunted and tortured with these nightmares because ofme?

I thought leaving Crane meant that we could finally escape the binds that held us there, but I think the only thing Georgia needs to escape...is me.

Her arm drops back to her side, and she shakes her head in confusion, looking around her room in panic before her eyes land back on mine. “Ian?”

I force a smile on my face. “You were sleepwalking. Let’s get you back to bed,” I tell her as I step forward and wrap my arm around her, steering her back toward the bed.

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