Page 29 of Butterfly

“Thank you,” he says.

Not a trace of amusement laces his voice. His thumb brushes a caress on my wrist, the scarred one, but he isn’t focusing on the slash.

“You’re welcome.”

He presses my hand to his chest, making me feel the slow thump of his heart. The sensation of his hands around mine is familiar and awkward at the same time, but touching his hard chest is shooting shivers down my girly bits.

In the soft glow from the lamp, his grey eyes hold an ancient light. He isn’t the famous actor who smiles at the cameras. He’s a man who’s been suffering, who’s experienced pain, and who’s vulnerable. He brings my hand up and kisses it. There’s nothing sexual in the gesture; it’s a reverent one, a show of respect rather than desire, although my skin comes alive with goosebumps.

When he releases my hand, I’m tingling from head to toe, my nipples hardening under the scrubs. He clears his throat as the episode’s ending theme fills the air, breaking the spell.

“We’d better catch some sleep.” I check Dart one more time to get in contact with the real world again.

Alex caresses Dart’s big head before nodding. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”

I crawl onto the bed and turn off the laptop. Fatigue is catching up with me. The tension of the emergency has consumed my energy, leaving my muscles sore. Alex sits on the edge of the bed, and I can’t help the flutter in my belly, or the visions of him kissing Emily’s breasts flashing through my mind. This is going to be torture.

“I’m leaving the light on,” I say, pulling the blanket up. “In case I need to rush to Dart.”

“No problem.”

The bed dips as he lowers his big body. I roll closer to him out of sheer gravity. Our shoulders brush.

“I swear, a moment ago, this bed was bigger.” I giggle, his heat seeping into me.

A deep laugh rumbles out of him. “I can sleep on the floor—”

“No!” Geez, I nearly shout at him. “It’s fine, and I’m a lousy sleeper, anyway.” I doubt I can fall asleep next to him. Thank goodness.

That sexy dimple flashes. “Good night.”

“Good night.” I close my eyes, ignoring the vision of Lynx and Volia having sex, and try to relax.

I’m breathing hard. But it doesn’t matter how deeply I inhale, my lungs are starving for air. His heavy footsteps get close to me. Their cadence is the dance of death. He’s angry because I’ve been with that boy. He says I’m a whore and that he’s going to teach me a lesson. The slow thuds of his footfalls approach. Sweat breaks out on my skin.

No, no, no, I whisper.

The promise of pain is slicing through me. He grabs my hair and yanks it. My scalp is on fire. I claw at his hands.Little whore. I cry out when the blade slashes through my skin. There’s blood everywhere; it slips down my back. My skin burns. The pain blinds me. I push him. Hard. The floor is slippery. He falls. A thud. More blood.

“Sienna.” Alex is looming over me.

The light from the lamp on the low table casts a glow around him and shadows on his concerned face.

A gasp tears out of me as my eyes adjust to the dim light. The details of the room come into focus, and the familiar scent of the clinic welcomes me. I’m safe. Shivers take hold of me, but I bite my inner cheek until the pain makes me focus. I don’t want to fall apart in front of Alex. I must control myself. My mouth is dry.

I brush a lock of matted hair from my face. “Did I wake you up?”

He takes my shoulder and strokes it. “Was it Tua Island? Do you still have nightmares about the storm?”

Oh, he has no idea. I swallow hard. “Yes. I still have nightmares.”

“Do you want to talk about them?” His voice is gentle and smooth, and exactly for that reason, I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t want to see the compassion in his eyes turn into horror as he learns the truth about me.

“I’m fine.” I stand up and stagger over to Dart to check his heart.

A muffled, frustrated noise escapes Alex. “If you have nightmares, you aren’t fine.”

“I will be fine.” I auscultate Dart’s heart and lungs, satisfied with the healthy sounds. If I focus on doing my job, the rising tide of panic loiters somewhere in my mind without overwhelming me.

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