Page 154 of My Ruthless Opponent

Gripping his shoulders, I shake him. My voice doesn’t reach him. My lips tremble as I witness him living a nightmare.

He is suffering and it’s killing me to see him like that.

Adrenaline hits me and I stagger up, reaching for the mini-fridge in the room, I open it and pull out a bottle of water.

Unscrewing the bottle cap, I climb on the bed again. I pour some water in my hand and splash on his face.

“Raleigh! Wake up, please…” Tears slide down my face as I repeat the process. On the third try, Raleigh gasps awake.

His eyes open slowly. Abandoning the bottle, I take his face in my hands, my gaze moving over his features frantically. “Raleigh… it’s me.”

He looks around, disoriented. His blue eyes are open but he doesn’t seem to be looking. It’s like he is still trapped in his head.

“Raleigh?”

He blinks twice before he sits up sharply. Then lifts his hands which are trembling and bends his head down to stare at them.

I palm his cheek and make him look up at me. “Hey,” I murmur.

When his blue eyes connect with mine, I suck in a breath. They’re so empty. Blank. As if he doesn’t recognize me or himself. Whatever the nightmare was about, it has wrenched him away from reality.

I touch my forehead to his. “It was just a bad dream. Come back to me, Raleigh.” I whisper.

He makes a pained sound before burying his head in the crook of my neck. I wrap my hands around him, urging him to lie down.

I put us under the covers, then with his head on my chest, I gently run my fingers in his hair.

I press my lips against his forehead and rub my hand up and down his back.

His fingers are digging in my skin, I look down and find his eyes screwed shut. I tighten my arms around him. “Shh. It’s over now. You’re okay.”

My bedside lamp is still on and up close, I see small scars under his tattooed sleeve. It goes down to his hand. What happened to him?

Watching him tonight devastated me. My heart is still thudding in my chest. I am so confused and scared for him but I won’t voice it.

I can feel small tremors in his body. I won’t hurt him by asking questions right now. Because he is hurting.

He is hurting really bad. And it’s hurting me. It’s breaking my heart.

Minutes ticked by and slowly, Raleigh begins to relax. I don’t stop caressing him, pressing kisses on top of his head until his grip on my maxi dress eases.

I lay awake long after his breathing becomes deep and even.

I couldn’t sleep. My hand continues to gently pat him even when he was deep asleep.

My mind is filled with questions. So many questions. I will ask him when he is himself again. Maybe tomorrow.

Raleigh has his own demons troubling him. Even he pretends and puts up an image of this easy-going man when he is suffering inside.

This strong beautiful man was hiding something painful. I know it because I have suffered from nightmares too. I still do.

After Mom died, I had trouble sleeping. That time, for me sleep meant only one thing. Nightmares. And although they are now less frequent, they still torment me.

I stare down at him. He is not pale anymore. Reaching to my side, I turn off the lamp.

“I’ll protect you,” I whisper in his hair and close my eyes. How will I do that? I don’t know. What I do know is that he will never be alone to fight off his demons. I’ll be there for him. I want to be there for him to soothe him. If he’ll let me.

???

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