Page 48 of Bound By Fate
“That did feel good,” she contested.
“Come on.” I walked around the island and held out my hand. She paused, staring at it for a few beats, but I didn’t push her. She needed to do this on her own time. Thank God she slipped her small hand into mine.
I didn’t lace them together or pull her hand up to my lips, even though I wanted to. Instead, I kept the same grip all the way to the living room, only releasing her when she bent to get on the couch. I sat at the other end and pulled out the remote.
Picking up her feet, I maneuvered us and got comfortable. “What sounds good?”
“Umm…Bridgerton?”
“No. Ensley made Micah watch it, and he bitched about it for a month.”
She started giggling. “I have no idea why?”
“Horses and dancing. Not my thing.”
“Okay, how about The Handmaids Tale?” I began rubbing one of her feet with my free hand as I switched the channels.
“We moved from before the beginning of time to the death of America.”
This made her laugh. The sound coming out of her mouth was something I hadn’t heard directed at me in far too long. It was happiness and carefree. Before I could soak it in, she covered her hand over her mouth and muffled the sound.
“Alright, how about Squid Game?”
“Squid Game? What the hell is that?”
She smiled. “Good, then you don’t know what it’s about. It’s on Netflix.”
“This better not be a combo deal from the first two.”
She laughed again, covering up the sounds.
I had no idea what I was getting into. She didn’t warn me one bit.
“Red light,” the ugly as hell big doll said on the screen. Then it started, one after the other shots fired in rapid succession, killing people on a whim who moved the slightest millimeter.
“Holy fuck, Katie.” I felt my heart race.
“Yeah, if they don’t get over the line, they die too.”
We got to the third episode when Katie fell asleep. Truth be told, I loved rubbing her feet and even watching whatever the hell this was; she was comfortable enough to fall asleep with me.
Turning off the show, part of me was twisted and actually wanted to finish it, but I didn’t. Instead, I focused on Katie.
She was adorable in sleep. Peaceful. Serene. Happy. I wished like all hell she felt that all the time. Not just when her eyes were closed.
Picking her up bridal style, her head landed on my chest. I couldn’t help myself. I kissed the top of her head and smelled her hair. Closing my eyes briefly, I remembered a time when it was a given that I’d be smelling her hair. Now it was a luxury.
Carrying her to the guest bedroom, I was able to maneuver her on the bed. Her head touched the pillow, and she roused, looking up at me and smiling softly. “Is this a dream, Dryerson?”
Good to know she was dreaming about me. “Nah, it’s just me. Get some sleep.”
She rolled over and tucked her hand under her face and went back into a deep sleep.
Everything inside of me screamed to lay down with her. To hold her in my arms. To keep her safe, happy. But I knew if she woke up and found me there, she’d be pissed and it would only set us back. We weren’t going back anymore. We were only moving forward.
I left the room and closed up the house, turning off the lights, TV and setting the alarm for nighttime.
I stopped at Remy’s door and opened it, seeing the little princess sound asleep. Her arms were above her head, and she was in a very awkward position with her legs bent at angles. Whatever it was, she appeared to be comfortable.
