Page 73 of Stepping Into Tomorrow

Isabella got to her feet, casting one more look over the man who held so much locked behind reinforced walls. Did he know he was holding himself prisoner? She had a feeling that the monsters he was afraid of were not the shadows in this forest, but the ones inside him.

33

NASH

Nash carried the suitcase into the bedroom closest to his and set it down with a wince. His hand clasped his neck. That damn knot was only getting worse.

“So, this is my room?” Bella ran her eyes over the space. It was a far cry from Nova’s meticulously decorated home.

He looked at the room, trying to see it through her eyes. It had bare white walls and a simple queen bed with a bright yellow-painted iron frame, the one pop of color in the room, and only because he’d gotten it half off at a yard sale.

“Yeah. I figured you should be closest to mine in case you need me.”

She turned to him, full, fuckable lips parting as her eyes widened. What did I say?

“If something happens with the baby,” he clarified.

A faint blush dusted her cheeks. Seemed he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t get that night out of their head.

“Come on. I’ll show you the rest of the house.” He turned, guiding her down the hall. “Behind us is my room. Here is the bathroom for you and Eli.” He pointed to his left. “Across the hall is a closet with sheets, extra towels, and blankets.”

Her soft footsteps padded behind him. Her rose scent already clung to the air. Fuck, how was he going to survive living with her and not touching her again? Because I have to. He had to keep them safe.

“Wow, five rooms?” she noted, a question in her voice.

“And?” He stopped, turning towards her.

She shrugged. “Seems like a big house for one bachelor.”

“Well, we’d already broken ground and started building when . . .” When the woman I was supposed to marry and have a big family with was taken.

“When?” she asked.

“I like my space,” he gritted, turning back towards the other three bedrooms.

Eli popped his head out of the farthest doorway. “Can I have this room?”

Nash skipped the other two rooms and headed towards him. “Sure, bud. Whatever you want.”

Bella filed in after him. A lonely twin bed sat in the corner next to a desk. A tall navy-blue dresser leaned against the far wall next to a closet that Eli would soon discover led to a secret crawl space connecting the other three rooms. Nash had designed it with kids in mind. What could be more fun than a secret tunnel?

“Should we go downstairs now?” Nash asked, leaving the room before he got an answer.

Bella caught up to him by the time he made it to the foyer. The front door was ahead of him. The urge to run away clawed through his veins. He shoved his hand in the air to the open-plan layout. “This is the rest.” His living room to the left; the kitchen to the right. Farther down was a dining room, an office, and a laundry room and bathroom.

Bella scanned his mostly bare walls as she chewed on her lip.

“Is there anything we need to get out of your storage?” he asked.

“Uh, well, maybe some decor? This place is pretty bare.” She tucked her hands into her pockets.

“Whatever you want.”

“You don’t mind?”

“No. Go for it.”

“Gracias. I promise we’ll try to stay out of your way as much as possible.”

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