Page 26 of Chained to You (Dark Billionaires 6)

“Okay.” I nodded. “I can’t wait to see them tomorrow.”

“Rest, and I’ll see you tonight,” he said.

As I nodded again, he kissed me on the forehead, and a moment later, he was gone.

Alone, I felt that something didn’t sit right with me where James was concerned. Why? Was it because of what I had noticed in his eyes? I also didn’t miss the fact that he didn’t seem so self-assured and confident, his usual arrogant, on-top-of-the-world billionaire self.

Was it fear, worry, or anger I had seen? And did it have something to do with me? But why? Because, after all, I was fine now, wasn’t I?

Chapter 12

James

When James came in through the door after a long day at the office and headed toward Mia’s bed in the hospital that night, he found her deep in her slumber. Standing by her side, he gazed at her long and hard, noting the bruises on her beautiful face. Fuck! He wanted those unsightly marks gone as soon as possible. The sight of them reminded him of Herbert Weston and what the bastard had done to Mia, and once again, he felt rage erupting in his being.

For perhaps the hundredth time, he swore nothing like that would ever happen to Mia again. He’d protect her. He’d cherish her.

For now, she looked peaceful in her sleep, but he knew it wouldn’t last long. Soon, it would start, the nightmare, as it had the past three nights. She’d start crying and screaming and begging in her sleep as that terrifying episode of her kidnapping returned to haunt her. She’d scream for Herbert Weston to let her go. She’d beg for him to stop hurting her, and fuck, but the sheer fear

and panic in her voice broke James’s heart every time.

He came to sit on the chair beside the bed and leaned in close to her. Then he started stroking her bruised cheek gently, remembering how cheerful she had been that afternoon. Of course, he hadn’t missed the pure delight showing in her eyes when she had seen him in the room with her either, which unsurprisingly had caught him off guard and snatched his breath away.

He kissed her on the forehead and said, “I love you.”

She groaned softly in her sleep as if in reply, and James smiled.

A moment later, he moved over to the sofa on the other side of the room and made himself comfortable as he continued to work via his smart phone. By midnight, he was tired and decided to sleep while he could because he knew he wouldn’t get much, as it had been for the past three nights.

It wasn’t long before Mia started to have her nightmare again, and the moment James heard her screaming, he came fully awake and rushed over from the sofa, his makeshift bed. He found her tossing and turning while she was whimpering as tears flowed down her cheeks.

“No… James… Andy… No… Please, Uncle Herbert… don’t hurt me…”

She continued to sob, scream, and cry as she uttered his and Andy’s names again and again.

James made himself comfortable on the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tight, comforting and soothing her with gentle words as she continued to fight the monster haunting her dreams.

Needless to say, James had a fitful sleep that night, and when he opened his eyes again for perhaps the fifteenth time since he’d moved into Mia’s crammed bed, it was dawn. With Mia still comfortably sound asleep in his arms, he moved over and gently kissed her on her forehead.

He was just about to get out of bed when the morning nurse, Brenda, knocked and then walked in through the door.

“Good morning, Mr. Maxwell,” she greeted softly.

James carefully removed his arm from under Mia’s head so as not to wake her. Then he got out of bed and arranged his disheveled clothing properly. Fuck! He must look like shit.

He said, “Morning.”

“Did Mia have nightmares again?” she asked with a concerned expression.

James nodded.

Brenda said, “It’s not surprising, considering what she’s been through. Poor girl. I’ll make a note of it.”

James moved over to the sofa and picked up his suit jacket. “Don’t tell Mia about the nightmares.”

James felt it was best Mia didn’t know since, come morning, she forgot about everything that had happened during her dreams anyway. After all, it had happened for the past three days. It was as if the nightmare never existed. It was as if her mind decided to erase that horrendous memory in order to preserve her sanity, and James was fine with that as long as Mia was her bright, cheerful self during the day. Yes, he was fine with that, though he had high hopes that the nightmare would soon pass and Mia would have her normal sleep once again.

“I won’t,” Brenda said, nodding. “You have a good day, Mr. Maxwell.”

---