Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Other than Remi and a cat sitting on the pillow next to him, the room was empty. Remi was still asleep…not screaming. He turned to search the rest of the house when the third scream ripped through the quietness of the early morning. It was Remi. He’d barely moved on the bed, but he had been the one that screamed, Ryder was sure of it.
The cat meowed and rubbed a paw across Remi’s face. Nothing. Hell, Remi hadn’t even moved when Ryder caved his door in. What. The. Fuck.
From his spot at the door, he saw Remi twitch and frown. His lips moved, but Ryder couldn’t tell if he was talking, muttering, or just moaning. He slowly crossed the room to get closer. It was then that he noticed his junk was still hanging out of the front of his briefs. Well, hell. That wouldn’t have been embarrassing to explain, he thought as he tucked himself back in.
Not knowing what was going on with Remi, he opened the bottom drawer of the nightstand and placed his gun inside…next to a tube of lube and a few sex toys. He felt his temperature spike but forced it back down. Doing wicked things to Remi’s body, whether it was with his own dick or one those toys, was out of the question—at least until he understood what was happening with the object of his desire.
Another scream ripped from Remi’s throat, but this one was followed with a wail of horror. His head tossed from side to side, but his eyes remained closed. Sweat covered his entire body and as Ryder leaned closer, he noticed tears streamed down Remi’s face. He watched as Remi’s lips started moving again. “Please don’t do this to me. Please! Why are you doing this to me? Why? Answer me!”
Ryder frowned. The cat scampered away and dove beneath the bed. Remi kept talking. “If I did something to you, I’m sorry. I promise; I’m sorry. Whyyyyy? Please! Please! Don’t leave me here! You can’t leave me here! I don’t want to die!”
Remi’s head twisted from side to side, this time with his eyes wide open. It was like at the hospital, though. Ryder knew he wasn’t seeing anything…at least nothing there in the room with him. “Remi?” he said softly. “You’re safe, Remi. It’s me…Ryder. I’m right here with you. Everything’s okay. You’re safe with me.”
“Nooooo! Dear God, nooooo! You can’t do this to me! Please! Don’t cover my mouth!”
Remi started punching at the air directly above him—not fully extended punches. It was strange…like he was trapped in something and couldn’t reach any further.
“Remi! I need you to wake up! You’re dreaming again!” This time Ryder spoke as loudly as possible. “Remi!”
He reached out to touch Remi’s cheek and as soon as his hand made contact, Remi’s entire body trembled and then relaxed. His eyes, already open but unseeing, blinked a couple of times before he was able to focus on Ryder with any clarity in the pale blue orbs.
“It’s okay, Remi. You’re safe,” Ryder whispered. “It was another dream. Everything’s okay.”
Remi frowned, looked around the room, and then returned his gaze to Ryder. “What happened?”
Ryder kept his hand on Remi’s cheek. Remi had just scared the life from Ryder’s body. The anguish and fear in his voice had been real. Whatever plagued Remi’s dreams was not only horrific, it was heartfelt and painfully real to Remi.
“I heard you screaming and came in to check on you,” Ryder explained as he kept brushing his fingers against Remi’s cheek and forehead. “You were having more bad dreams. No problem, kiddo. Everything’s fine now.”
Remi growled at him. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a kid.” He reached up to massage his head and his hand collided with Ryders. “Dreams? Oh, yeah…dreams,” Remi muttered, and then frowned. “No, not dreams.”
“What? Yes, you were dreaming, Remi. It was hard to get you to wake up,” Ryder explained. He was worried about the expression on Remi’s face. He looked not only desperate but determined, as well.
Remi’s legs swung over the side of the bed as he said, “I’ve got to go. There’s, uh, there’s something I’ve got to do.” Before he’d finished speaking, he’d already stood up, crossed the room, and was digging through his drawers in a search of something to wear.
Ryder forced his eyes away from Remi’s ass, but it took a lot of his willpower to make himself look in another direction. He guessed he only succeeded because he was more concerned for the younger man’s mental health than anything else at the moment. “What are you talking about, Remi? Something you have to do?” He stood up, crossed the distance between them, and grabbed Remi’s arm, stopping him from bending over to slide his legs into a pair of sweatpants. “I hate to say this, Remi, but do you think you need to see a doctor about the dreams? Maybe we shouldn’t have been so quick to shut Dr. Hastings down when you were at the hospital.” He reached up and brushed Remi’s damp hair out of his face. “Let’s go back to the hospital and tell them what’s happening, okay?”