Page 36 of Surrender
“I know you are, and I’ve already forgiven you. Shh. Don’t cry.” He rubbed her back and buried his face in her hair. When she finally calmed down, he pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. “I would be devastated if something bad happened to you. You have become my whole world, Betsy.”
Chapter 20
You have becomemy whole world.
The confession echoed in Merokk’s head as he gazed upon his sleeping wife. The words had escaped his lips without thought. As he’d sought to soothe her, he’d spoken from the heart. And it was true. The little human hadn’t just grown on him, she’d indeed become his whole world.
He couldn’t imagine life without her, and he sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the ancient gods of his people. He stroked a hand through her hair, and she released a soft sigh, a look of contentment on her face. But the peacefulness of her expression morphed into one of dismay as a strong storm rolled into the city.
Rain pounded the roof, thunder rumbled overhead, and lightning flashed outside the window. The noise of the storm became deafening and Merokk watched as Betsy curled into herself, wincing in her sleep, as if she were in pain.
“No, no, no,” she said. “We have to run. We have to get out.”
She thrashed about under the covers and he was quick to wake her, grasping her by her shoulders and giving her a shake.
“It’s all right, little one,” he said. “It’s just a dream. Wake up, Betsy. Wake up.” He called out a verbal command for the lights to come on, not wishing for the darkness to scare her, and the room was soon flooded with brightness.
Her eyes fluttered open and widened as she met his gaze. A loud crack of thunder sounded, and her face went white. She started shaking and peered cautiously toward the window. She exhaled a shaky breath and shuddered. When thunder sounded again, she flinched and snuggled closer to him.
“Thanks for waking me up,” she murmured. “I was having a bad dream.”
“What were you dreaming about, Betsy?”
She appeared to hesitate, but she finally answered. “I was dreaming about the war. About the bombs. I guess it was the thunder.” She smiled, though it looked forced, as it didn’t reach her eyes. “I feel a bit silly.”
He sat up fully against the pillows and drew her into his lap. Then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to his chest, longing to comfort her. She winced and shifted upon his lap, no doubt in discomfort due to her recent spanking. He’d applied a balm to her tender backside, but the numbing effects of it must have already worn off.
“I’m sorry you had a bad dream.” He paused and considered what her biography had said about her time during the war.
After being evacuated from her home in Los Angeles, she’d spent most of the war in a bunker deep beneath the White House, along with her father and a slew of government officials. As far as he knew, she hadn’t actually been in danger during the war, let alone close enough to a battle to hear a bomb go off. The American soldiers had kept the White House well-protected, even against the Kall, and the building was still standing, having sustained little damage, after Earth surrendered to his people.
“During the war, could you hear the bombs being detonated in the city, even in the bunker?” he asked.
She gave him a confused look. “What bunker?”
“The one beneath the White House, the one you spent months hiding in during the war.”
“Oh,” she said quickly, an uneasy look entering her eyes. “Thatbunker. Well, no, I couldn’t hear the bombs down there, but sometimes we would feel shudders, and I watched plenty of footage about the war on television.”
He nodded, satisfied by her explanation. He hoped she didn’t have another nightmare when she went back to sleep, but if she did, he would be right here, by her side and ready to comfort her. The raw fear in her eyes when she’d awoken had shaken him. He didn’t like to see her afraid.
But as the storm raged outside, he held her close, continuing to stroke her hair and her back. She placed her hands upon his chest and closed her eyes, though he could tell she wasn’t sleeping yet. He enjoyed this closeness with her and hoped the intimacy between them only kept growing.
When she squirmed on his lap, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is your bottom sore, little one?”
She nodded and flushed. “Yes, sir.”
He lifted her off him and placed her on the bed, stomach down. “Stay right there. I’ll be back.” Before he headed to the bathroom, he took a moment to flip up her nightgown, revealing her red punished cheeks.
He returned with the soothing balm and removed the lid, sinking down on the bed beside her. She peered at the jar of salve and flushed, no doubt realizing his intent. But she didn’t argue or try to hide under the covers, even if his attentions did embarrass her. This pleased him, and he scooped up a generous dollop of the cream. He set the jar aside and proceeded to rub the salve in his hands before he started caressing it into her reddened bottom cheeks. Once he finished, he reluctantly put her nightgown to rights, covering her nudity.
“Thank you,” she murmured sweetly, casting a shy glance at him.
“You’re very welcome.” He left her briefly, just to wash his hands in the bathroom, then returned to her side and tucked her against his chest.
He would keep her close all night and watch over her, this little human who had captured his heart.
Chapter 21
