Page 41 of In My Blood
“I can understand you,” she shrugged.
“Good. Now tell me what yer wantin’ to do? Do ye want to get back to yer bed?”
“No!” she squeaked as she held me tighter. “Here is better…please.”
“Okay,” I soothed. “Do ya want me to get yer brother?”
“Stay…please. I know you don’t know me, but please….just a little longer,” she pleaded and I couldn’t have denied her if someone had put a gun to my head, which her brother likely would when he came and found us cuddled up as we were.
“Sshh now. I’m goin’ nowhere as long as ye want me here.” I held her tightly to me and ran my hand over her shiny dark hair again and again. She calmed down so much in the silence around us, her grip on my shirt never once relenting. She was leaning into me heavily, not that she weighed a damn thing.
She just felt right there though, and I knew only moments into holding her that my attraction to her was already exceeding my initial appreciation of how cute and petite her sexy body was, when she stepped off of that plane earlier. There was no denying she was beautiful with her dark Italian features and her milky white, pale skin. She was thin, but in a feminine way, and Iloved how small she was, with those huge eyes that seemed to take in everything around her. Now I had seen this vulnerability in her too, my protective instincts were going wild inside of me, and I was already falling for her. I needed to feel needed. That was my kink, as people called it nowadays. I had deep protective instincts, and feeling needed was a huge turn on for me. I felt like Cara could give me that, but also retain a fiery side that would argue with my need to control, and keep me on my toes.
But those feelings needed to be ignored and fought for many reasons, including the fact that Rafe would have me hung, drawn, and fucking quartered if he knew I was lusting after his sister. But mainly I needed to move on because I absolutely did not need or want a relationship. I never had, and I was convinced I never would either. My parents had been the epitome of a toxic relationship, and all seeing that had done, was make me sure that I would never get tied up in a romantic relationship beyond a single night of sex, ever. These feelings for Cara didn’t even make any fucking sense.
“ARRAN?!” Rafe’s voice boomed through the house, and Cara jolted badly in my arms. She clung even tighter to me and started to lift herself from the ground until she was actually sitting on my thigh, both of her hands now frantically grasping handfuls of my shirt, her trembling ratcheting back up again.
“Steady lass. It’s just Rafe,” I tried to soothe her, but it was like she wasn’t listening, or didn’t want to. She pressed her face into my chest and I could feel every panicked gasp for air as all of her anxiety took a grip again.
“Arran? Where the fuck a….” Rafe stopped ranting as he marched into Cara’s room and glanced into the open doorway to where we sat. “What the fuck?” he ground out.
“Rafe,” I said keeping my tone calm and low. “Ye need to calm down. Ye just scared the shit outta her. I had her calm before.” I was pissed with him for upsetting her again, but I kept it back for Cara, only showing him with my eyes as I glared at him.
“What happened?” he asked after taking a deep breath to calm himself.
“A nightmare. Cara feels safer in here. She doesnae like the big space out there right now,” I explained gently.
“Cara?” Rafe dropped to the floor beside me and pushed some of her hair back in an attempt to see her face. Of course he couldn’t, because she was hiding against me.
“She was talking before, but her anxiety took a hold all o’er again when you started yer shoutin,’”
“Hand her to me,” Rafe demanded, and Cara instantly squeaked in fear or protest, I wasn’t sure which. She clung even tighter to me, curling her legs up against her and into my side.
“She asked me to stay wi’ her. I promised I wouldnae go anywhere until she was ready,” I told him flatly. Rafe was a brother to me, and I loved him, but right now Cara really needed me to keep my word to her, and I wouldn’t break it for anyone, even if he threatened to kill me, which looked like a distinct possibility with the rage on his face.
“Cara, can you talk to me, Sweetheart?” Rafe asked, bypassing the anger he was obviously feeling. I reminded myself again what a shitty idea it had been to try and flirt with his sister the second I met her earlier. That was why Rafe was treating me like I was going to eat Cara alive. He thought I wanted to treat her like every other woman who came into my life – a quick fuck.
“Talk to Rafe, wee one. Tell him what ye need right now. He’s worried about ye,” I encouraged.
“I’m okay,” she uttered shakily. “I just…I need to stay here.”
“You can’t be comfortable there,Gioia Mia. At least come back to your bed,” Rafe suggested and Cara instantly started to shake her head violently.
“I can’t…not now…not yet.” I knew her panic was on the rise again as the hands she had in my shirt bunched the fabric even tighter, then she was gasping for air again and I hated it. I wanted nothing more than to throw Rafe out and go back to the silence that had calmed her before.
“She needs this small space right now Rafe, and calm, so she can feel safe. She’s having a really bad anxiety attack,” I explained, since he didn’t seem to get it yet.
“I’m alright,” she panted.
“I know, lass. Just slow down that breathin’ for us now, though, if ye can,” I coached. “Shall we let Rafe sit here with ye? Would that help?”
“I can’t move!” she panicked. “If I l-let go…I…don’t know….I can’t!”
“Alright, sweetheart. It’s alright. You’re fine right there with Arran. I’m going to stay close too though, okay?”
“Yes please,” she whimpered as she turned her face against my chest like a little child and looked at her brother. “I’m s-sorry,” she sniffled.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. Don’t even say it, Cara,” Rafe assured her as she moved close enough to us that he could lean in and wipe a tear from her cheek.
