Page 87 of Twisted Hearts

He covered my hand with his. “Nothing to be sorry for. I’m sorry it’s taking so long to get you safe.” He really meant it. Beneath my palm, his heartbeat was a steadying pulse to my overwhelmed senses and frayed nerves. “Bathroom. Wash your face. I have extra toothbrushes in a drawer. Do what you need to do, and tomorrow we’ll replace anything you need, okay?”

Right. He was in a hurry to get this done and check in. I needed to let him do that.

“Okay,” I muttered, brushing hair off my face and peeling it from where it’d stuck to my tear-stained cheeks. “Go. Do what you need to. I’ll be all right.”

He waited like I knew he would until I was behind the closed bathroom door.

I trusted him. Shawn was the first decent guy I’d ever had in my life, and I trusted him to not only do whatever it was going to take to keep me safe, but with myself.

My body. My life. And my heart.

And that revelation was almost as earth-shattering as the mess I’d seen earlier.

* * *

I woke with a start,gasping and clutching blankets that didn’t feel like mine. The bedroom was completely dark, and my heart raced.

Strong, warm muscles wrapped around me and held me tight. I thrashed in his hold until Shawn’s voice penetrated.

“Shh, you’re okay. It’s me. You’re safe.”

“Shawn.” I covered his hands with mine, needing to feel him.

“I’m here.”

Twisting, I turned until I faced him, burrowing into his hold. I didn’t stop until my cheek was at his chest, my arm wrapped over his stomach. I clung him to me as tightly as he held me to him, and finally, finally I was able to take a deep breath.

“What time is it?”

“Four.” His hand ran down the back of my head and through my hair. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be here.”

“Did you check in with Jaxon?” My voice was muffled by his chest and sleep was pulling me back under, but I had to know.

“Addi—”

“Please.” I squeezed his side. “I need to know.”

“Mason found something after we left. Jaxon’s on it. Mason’s out searching, and Jaxon has Briggs in Charleston to follow Daniel, which means he isn’t in town. It just means we need to figure out who did that to your place.”

“I need to work.”

“You’re taking the day off if I have to tie you to this bed myself.”

At the threat, a warm, delicious shiver slid through me and made me tremble.

“We’ll discuss tying you to my bed further when I’m not worried about your safety, honey. Now go to sleep.”

“I don’t think I can anymore.”

“You can.”

I opened my mouth to argue, to say I was already awake and I was worried, but Shawn started humming. I didn’t know the song, didn’t recognize the tune at all, but the gentle, quiet rumble of his voice vibrating against me and the way his chest rose and fell in a soothing, calming motion helped me relax.

So much so that I closed my eyes, pressed my lips to the shirt he’d worn to bed, and fell back asleep.

I woke again, this time to opened curtains, the bright sun shining through making me flinch and a cold spot on the bed next to me where Shawn had lulled me to sleep with a song.

Everything came rushing back to me in the blink of an eye, and I jumped out of bed, not the least bit sleepy, and hurried to the bathroom. I had no idea what time it was, if I was late for work, or what Shawn was doing, but the day was going to be hellish, and I needed to be awake and strong enough to handle whatever came my way.

---