Page 152 of Their Reckless Thief
Within seconds, the door flew open, and he rushed in. His eyes were frantic as he took in the sight of me, trembling and gasping, clutching the sheets around me like they could shield me from the world’s terrors.
“Celeste, I’m so sorry. I thought you were sleeping peacefully. I only stepped out for a minute.”
I shook my head and reached for him. “It’s… it’s not your fault. I just… I can’t shake it. He’s there, Luca. The Shadow. He’s everywhere.”
Luca pulled me into him and stroked my head with a gentleness that contradicted his usually guarded demeanor. “I’m here. He can’t reach you, not while I’m here.”
The fear remained, though, as did the feeling of The Shadow’s grip around my throat. I clung to Luca, desperate for any sense of comfort, anything to push away the dark residue The Shadow had left behind. As he held me, his arms steady around me, I felt safe enough to let the fear fade away piece by piece.
I had hopedI could get a moment’s peace, a sliver of normalcy, after the nightmare, but Luca called me down to Vincenzo’s office. When I walked in, I saw the strain on his face, the way his hands flexed at his sides like he was barely keeping himself together.
The tension in the room was pervasive as I took a seat, and Dorian immediately stepped closer to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. Luca’s face was as rigid as marble, but I could see the regret beneath the intensity in his gaze.
“I didn’t want to bring you into this without warning, Celeste, but you deserve to know exactly what’s happening.”
I swallowed. “Tell me, Luca. I need to know.”
He nodded, exhaling as if he could release whatever anguish was building inside. “The mark… I’m afraid it’s more than just a tracking curse,” he said slowly, glancing at the dark markings staining my skin. “After your nightmare, I believe it’s designed to torment you, to sink into your mind until he controls every part of you. Physically, you’ll be unharmed, but mentally… The Shadow will use this magic to chip away at who you are.”
Dorian’s grip tightened on my shoulder, and I felt his rage rippling through his frame. Vincenzo, however, was anything but silent. He whirled around and slammed his fist into the wall, the force shaking the whole room. Dust fell from the splintered drywall, like pieces of his fury made visible.
“Damn him,” Vincenzo growled, his eyes blazing. “Damn him for putting this on you.”
The shock of his anger froze me, but beneath it was a rage born from fear, from knowing he was watching me suffer and feeling powerless to stop it. It made me feel cared for. Vincenzo was unhinged, as if the mere thought of me being hurt like this was unbearable.
Dorian turned me toward him, his expression filled with a fierce protectiveness I could feel in every inch of his body. “I’m not letting him win, love,” he promised, his eyes overflowing with warmth. “I don’t care what we have to do.”
Luca stood to the side, his gaze unflinching as he watched me, as if trying to memorize every piece of me before the darkness could take over. It held such ferocity I couldn’t quite meet his gaze without the risk of breaking apart. At the same time, it held such assurance that I couldn’t look away. They all cared for me so deeply, in ways that went beyond words, beyond any promises they’d made. They were here, each one willing to protect me at any cost. I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around that.
“I hate this,” I said quietly, the shame coating every word. “I hate that I’m putting you all through this and burdening you. Complicating your lives.”
Dorian cupped my cheek, his touch gentle as he guided my gaze back to his. “Celeste, you are not a burden. You’re ours.”
Vincenzo turned, fury still simmering in his eyes, but when he looked at me, it softened into something raw and unguarded. “We’ll handle this. There’s no other way.”
Luca inclined his head, and I saw the conviction in his gaze, the absolute commitment. He wouldn’t leave me alone, even if he had to shadow my every step.
“Come on, love,” Dorian said. “Let’s get you back to bed.”
I nodded, the exhaustion seeping back into my bones. This constant parade of fear, pain, and now the threat of what this mark could do was too much. I wanted so badly just to rest, to be held, to feel safe, even if it was just an illusion.
Once we reached my room, Dorian tucked the blankets around me, then brushed an eyelash from my face. The tenderness in his touch was almost too much, and need vibrated through my core.
“Stay with me, Dorian. Please.”
Dorian nodded and got into bed beside me, his body a warm, solid presence that calmed the chaos in my thoughts. He wrapped his large arms around me, drawing me close. It felt like he could ward off the darkness simply by being near, and finally, the terror that had gripped me began to fade.
Dorian pressed a kiss to my forehead. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
I allowed myself to sink into his embrace, to let his warmth shield me from the nightmares clawing at the edges of my mind. I clung to him, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart, letting it guide me back to a place where, at least for tonight, I could believe I was safe.
Another nightmare had pulledme so deep, tangled me so completely, that when I finally awoke, I could barely tell where it ended, and the real world began. My screams echoed in the stillness, tearing through the quiet night like jagged glass, until strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, grounding me.
“Celeste, I’m here,” Dorian murmured. He switched on the lamp, and the soft light banished the last shadows of my nightmare. I was still gasping, struggling to pull oxygen into my lungs, my pulse racing as though I’d run a marathon.
“Shh, I’ve got you,” he whispered, tucking my head under his chin. His warmth flowed into me, bit by bit, pushing back the icy grip of fear still clinging to my bones. “You’re safe, love. You’re safe.”
Gradually, my breaths began to slow, matching his, and my vision cleared enough that, when I looked up, I could see his face properly. His gaze was soft and patient, the kind of steady calm I desperately needed.
