Page 64 of Dreadful
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” I shift and lift myself off the bed, careful not to put weight on my injured foot again as she gathers the rest.
“Sorry about what?”
“I got blood everywhere.”
She pauses and looks up at me with a bewildered expression.
“You nearly bled out, Sev. Who the hell cares about a fucking comforter?”
She’s so matter-of-fact with her explanation, as if I was crazy to worry. An ache appears behind my sternum out of nowhere, and I rub it. After she trashes the comforter, her eyes lock on my fingers kneading my chest.
“Are you okay? Do you hurt there, too?”
“What?” I glance down and drop my hand immediately. “No. I’m fine.”
She frowns like she doesn’t believe me, but eventually she continues to make the bed.
“Settle in, and I’ll put on a new comforter. It gets chilly in here at night.”
“Ma’am, yes, ma’am,” I chuckle. She only rolls her eyes, but I catch her shy smile.
I carefully remove my socks, shoes, and jeans before getting under her sheets. Once I’m comfortable, I shift my arm on my uninjured side to stretch behind me so I can rest my head on my palm and watch her better. She glances at me as she drapes the comforter over the bed, then quickly looks away. Satisfaction warms my chest, but I don’t show it.
As she continues, I mentally take note of her nightly routine. When she turns off the lights, the orange city lights filter through the windows, outlining her shadow before she tucks herself under the thick comforter. The pillow wall between us is effective at hiding her from me, and I silently curse it. Granted, it’s probably for the best.
Ever since I was young, I’ve had nightmares that are impossible to wake from peacefully. Sleepovers were a blast for my prankster cousins…until I woke up in a violent fit and broke one’s nose.
Although it’s been years since I’ve reacted that way, I still wince at the thought. Lately, my dreams have been far from nightmares, with Tallie in the starring role, but I’d willingly take another knife to my chest rather than accidentally hurt her.
“Hey, Tallie? I, um, sometimes have vivid dreams. So, if I have one…don’t wake me, alright?”
She’s quiet for a moment before whispering, “I have bad dreams, too.”
Fuck, if her nightmares are anything like mine, I’ll tear the world apart to destroy anyone who caused them. I’d ask her, but I can’t explain my own, so I leave it be for now. Instead, I sink into her bed and soak in her floral-sugary scent.
“Goodnight, Sev.”
“Night, Tallie.”
With my injury, my feet dangling off the end of the bed, and my wide body on the small bed, it takes a while to figure out a comfortable position. Tallie, however, is out in no time, and her breaths are even on the other side of her pillow wall. Meanwhile, my mind won’t shut up.
I’m not sure why I came here. All I know is that I somehow made it to the North End on my motorcycle, parked in an alley across the street so I didn’t lead Claudio straight to the Amorettis, and stumbled my way to the bakery.
I could pretend that the reason I stopped at Sweet Tallie’s was due to blood loss screwing with my mind. I could pretend that it was only because it’s a shorter distance from Beacon Hill. I could pretend that it’s because I know Raze will be at the barbershop waiting for me, and I’d sooner punch my best friend in the face than talk to him right now.
But truthfully, it was none of those things. If I’m honest with myself, it was because Itrusther.
Considering the betrayal that litters my past, it’s hard to believe that I’d trust anyone, let alone a near stranger. And yet, it has to be true. There’s no reason my addled mind would come here if I didn’t. But it seems that trust doesn’t go both ways. I was out of it, but I do remember her split second of hesitation when hernonniasked for her help.
She hesitated like that just yesterday, when Percy’s life was in her hands. Was that why she second-guessed saving me? Did she weigh the pros and cons of me dying, just like she did with that asshole that hurt her? I don’t know what her reasoning is or if my hazy memory is making all this up. The way she acted afterward has me leaning toward the latter, but if she entertained the thought of letting me die, I need to find out why.
A heavy sigh leaves my chest, and I grimace as my skin pulls my stitches. Now, that was a stroke of luck. I hadn’t considered that she might be able to stitch me up. All I’d been thinking about was seeing her. Holding her.
And that kiss…merda. She moaned just like she did during her shower last night. What I wouldn’t give to have her melt in my arms the same way she did then. So far the only place I’ve been able to give her that pleasure is in my dreams.
With that in mind, I finally shut my eyes and hope it’ll be another sweet dream. If sleep is the only place I can see her unfurl for me, then I’ll take it. For now.
It’s a promise to myself. A silent promise to her.
