Page 12 of In the Cover of Darkness

“I understand what you're saying, sunshine, and yes, I'm okay with us touching,” he says, with a big grin plastered all over his handsome face. Rolling my eyes at him, I start climbing onto the bed to get comfortable, him doing the same beside me. We both end up awkwardly sitting next to each other with our arms and legs touching down one side, backs straight against the headboard. I look over at him and stare with what I know is awhat the fucklook on my face before he erupts in laughter, saying, “This is not going to work like that. Go on, stand up, get off the bed please.” I move off the bed and stare at him watching as he adjusts the pillows and lays on the bed so now his shoulders and head are resting on the headboard and motions me to join him.

“I don't understand where I'm meant to fit,” I say, looking at him. He's practically taking up the whole bed now.

“Come and lay here,” he says, patting the bed next to him.

"You said you might fall asleep so it's better if you’re lying down. I promise no funny business, just two people laying in the same bed."

Taking a big breath I sigh and climb on top of the bed with him as he grabs the TV remote and starts trying to find something to watch. I'm on my side with my head resting on his shoulder, my body pressed against him, tucked underneath his arm with my broken wrist resting on his chest. His arm curls around my body pulling me in even closer to him.

“You’re safe, sunshine, go to sleep. Rest for a bit. Tomorrow we will make our way to our fresh start,” his chest rumbles as he talks, and I feel my body relax against him as I shut my eyes.

“Dante, why do you keep calling me sunshine?”

“I didn't know your name when I brought you into the Medical Centre. I don't know how to explain it. You just have a light about you is all. Like sunshine, so I guess the name stuck.” He is a little reserved at this moment, so I don't push him for anything else. He's done so much for me already.

I can’t help the yawn that escapes, mumbling my thanks to him as I feel his warmth beside me.

“Just two people starting over,” he says quietly.

“Just two people cuddling,” I say softly, letting sleep take me.

???

When I wake up sometime later, I realise I'm still lying against him, except now my leg is also across him. Basically, I'm half lying on top of him. I start to move my leg off him and he stops me, gently placing his free arm in the crook of my knee, saying, “It's okay if you're comfortable. It's okay to stay like that.”

Taking a hitched breath, I don't say anything in response, but let my leg and body relax against him again. I feel his arm on my knee relax too so that it's just resting on top, not restraining me but leaving more of his body touching mine.

After a few minutes, I'm not sure what compels me to start talking. It might be the room now being dark. Only a small amount of light coming through the window from a nearby street light. I must have been asleep for a long time because there was daylight when we lay on the bed together.

“I'm not this person. I'm not this victim of his,” I whisper.

"I hate that he made me feel weak and I couldn't bring myself to leave after each time it happened. The first time he hit me I believed his apologies and that it wouldn't happen again. I was blinded by the lies he was telling and didn't think I could do better than him. Be better than him."

I feel Dante's breathing shift and his hand on my knee gently grips me again, letting me know it's okay, that I'm safe with him. He doesn't speak but I know he's still awake, listening to every word I say. I confess all my sins about Trevor to him, starting from the beginning of our relationship, right through to when I left a few days earlier. At some point, my eyes start watering but it doesn't feel like I'm crying, the emotion is just flowing out of me, as this weight of telling someone everything that has happened lifts off me. Sharing the load of my burdens. I don't know how long I talk for, but when I finally have it all out and it's just the sounds of my heavy breathing in the room, he moves slightly, placing a tender kiss on my forehead. We lay there, in silence again, and I feel myself drifting off, lighter in my heart and safe in his embrace.

Chapter 12 - Dante

Ifeel content, laying here in the dark with Mila cuddled into my side. Don't get me wrong I'm also planning one hundred different ways I can murder Trevor, and I'm sure almost all of them I can make look like an accident of some sort. I'll get Ace to help me if I need any assistance or backup. After the things she said tonight, he would be more than willing to get rid of another scumbag. I didn't say anything while she was talking because it felt like she was spilling all of her secrets. It's hard enough to admit the reality of her situation, but it was almost as if she was unable to stop once she started. I hope she feels better for it and knows I wouldn't shame or judge her for anything. I'll stay with her until she no longer wants me to. She will never have to be scared with me around. For now though, I'll keep her nightmares away and keep her safe by my side, ready to start our new beginning together.

???

I wake in the morning to find we have changed positions in our sleep, with her back pressed to my chest, spooning like that first night together. I know we need to start getting ready tomake the trip up the mountain pass. It will be slow, but I'm so content with her wrapped in my arms that I can't bear to move. I stay with her pressed into me until I feel her breathing change, and I know she's woken up.

“Good morning,” I say softly, pressing my mouth to the back of her head, taking in as much of her as I can. “We should look at heading out soon. It might take a while to get up the mountain.”

Taking a deep breath she softly says, “Okay,” and pulls my arm tighter around her. It's as if she's committing my body to memory before gently letting me go, and sitting on the side of the bed.

“You want the bathroom first?” I ask.

"No. No, you take it. I'm trying to get motivated and it might take me a few minutes."

Grinning to myself I make my way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to get started with the day ahead.

“It's all yours,” I say, motioning toward the bathroom door once I'm finished. She's standing by the window nibbling on a cold slice of pizza, giving me, what I can only describe as the perfect death stare.

Taking a step closer I can see the swelling in her face has almost all gone down, her eye will take a little longer to heal but overall she's doing well.

“Your face looks good.”

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