Page 95 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

Chapter Eighteen

Aiden

Bliss. I felt blissfully free from the nightmares and terror I usually felt when I fell asleep. Except my bliss was being disturbed. Something kept whacking against my chest. Was I still dreaming or was I awake?

The piercing sound of terror rang in my ears. My eyes flew open. It was still dark and it disorientated me. Something hit my chest again. Then it registered.

Avery.

The sound was coming from her. It was her hand flailing and hitting me in the chest. Was she awake? No. Her eyes were closed.

Fuck. She’s having a nightmare.

I reached out, capturing her up and tugging her against my chest to stop her moving.

“Shh, shh, I’ve got you. I’m here.”

She shifted in my grasp. I held her tighter. Her screaming was muffled by my chest, but it was still haunting.

“Avery, you need to wake up.”

Nothing. Whatever she was dreaming about, she was stuck. Her t-shirt was drenched in sweat.

“Avery,” I said louder. “Wake up. It’s just a dream. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

I shook her. Fuck. I needed her awake so she’d stop screaming. I wanted to help her. Make her feel better. Fuck. Knowing she was suffering tore at me.

“Please, fuck, please wake up.”

The screaming abruptly stopped. She wriggled against me. I released my hold on her slightly. She took a few deep, gulping gasps. I looked down at her. Her eyes were open, terror evident in them.

“Avery….?”

She let out a rasping sob and buried her face in my chest.

“Shh, I’ve got you.”

“Aiden,” she whimpered. “There was so much blood.”

I stroked her hair. It stuck to her neck. Fuck. Sweat everywhere, seeping into my clothes too. I needed to get her in the shower.

“It’s okay. It wasn’t real. Just a dream.”

“It felt real.”

“I’m here. We’re real. It’s okay.”

I kicked the twisted up covers off us. I tried to shift away, but she held on tighter.

“I’m not going anywhere. You’re covered in sweat. Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

She nodded. I got off the bed and picked her up. Carrying her into the bathroom through the dark flat, I set her down. She clung to me. I reached into the shower and flipped it on.

“Avery, you need to let go.”

She shook her head. Fuck it. She was clearly too affected by the dream. I guided her into the shower with me, not stopping to strip our clothes off.

The water cascaded down both of us. I held her for the longest time until her sobbing abated. Our clothes were drenched. Nothing mattered but her.

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