Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 76696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
***
Screams tore through my sleep. I sat up, blinking into the darkness of my room. What was going on? I tried to shake off the remnants of my tiredness. Another scream sounded. I tensed. Amber. I threw off the blankets and leaped out of bed, then bolted out of my room and toward hers. Brian opened his door, his hair a mess. I stepped into Amber’s room, not caring if Brian disapproved. She was thrashing in her bed, the blankets tangled around her feet. She was only wearing a nightgown and her bare legs were slick with sweat. I tore my eyes away and walked up to the bed. She was crying, tears trailing over red cheeks. I wasn’t sure what to do.
I needed to free her from the horrors of her nightmare but I didn’t want to scare her. Brian was watching me from the doorway. I bet he hoped I’d turn on my heel and tell him I couldn’t deal with this. I bet he’d love to see me fail now when the relationship between Amber and me was still new and easy to break up. Amber whimpered, her arms flailing against an invisible assailant. Bile rose in my throat at the thought of what she’d been through. I wanted to kill the bastards that had hurt her, wanted to rip them to tiny shreds. I sank down on the edge of the bed and reached for her shoulder. The second my palm brushed her naked skin, she jolted awake, eyes wide and fearful. She lashed out with a cry, catching my face with her hand. My lip burned but I fought my instinct to grab her arm to protect myself. I wouldn’t restrain her. I’d been hit far worse in fight matches. Her eyes froze on my face. It took a moment for her to recognize me, then the panic and fight drained out of her. She sat up, breathing heavily. She scanned my face and her eyes grew wide. She touched a fingertip to my lower lip and looked at it. There was blood.
“Did I do that?” she asked in horror.
“It’s nothing.”
“I’m sorry.” She covered her face with her palms.
“It’s okay. Everything is okay.” I was about to get up when she lowered her hands and looked at me pleadingly. “Can you stay? Just for a little while.”
I was shocked by her request. I would have thought that she didn’t want me near after a nightmare. “Of course,” I said. Brian gave me a warning look. Did he think I’d actually try something after what I’d witnessed just now? I wasn’t that much of an asshole. He slipped out and quietly closed the door. Amber had never even noticed he was there. She moved to the side so I had more room on the bed. I sat back against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of me. Amber put her head back on the pillow, then she linked her hand with mine and closed her eyes. “I feel safe with you,” she mumbled.
“You are. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.” I stroked her head. “I’ll protect you.”
Slowly her breathing became even and her face relaxed. She was still clutching my hand and I was worried I’d wake her if I tried to go. Pumpkin glowered at me from his spot on the desk chair. I shifted until I was half lying, extinguished the lights and closed my eyes. Amber snuggled closer until her head was resting on my arm and her breath fluttered over my naked chest. Fuck. I should have thought of putting on a shirt before I came into the room. At least, I was on top of the covers. I moved the hand Amber was holding but she only tightened her grip. It felt good to have her at my side, even though I hated the reason for why I was here in the first place.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Amber
When I woke the next morning, I was alone in my bed, except for Pumpkin who was sleeping on his usual spot by my feet. I remembered how I’d been saved from my nightmares by Zach, how I’d asked him to stay with me and how good it had felt to fall asleep with my hand in his. I’d felt safe. I’d slept without nightmares after that. When had he left? I hadn’t even heard him move. The spot beside me was cold, so it must have happened a while ago. Why had he left? Maybe being torn from sleep by my pathetic cries had made him realize just how broken I was. What kind of guy would want a girlfriend that was haunted by nightmares from her past?
***
I walked into the kitchen, a bathrobe over my nightgown, to feed Pumpkin and to grab a bite for myself. Zach was sitting at the table.
“Don’t you have classes?” I asked, hovering near the door. Pumpkin tiptoed over to the spot where he was always fed.
Zach glanced up from his cereal bowl and smiled. “Not until later.” His lower lip was slightly swollen and there was a tiny cut that was already scabbing. Embarrassment washed over me as I realized that I had done this to him. No wonder he’d fled my room the moment I’d fallen asleep. Who’d want to be close to someone who acted like a lunatic? “Hey, are you okay?” Zach asked gently, getting up from his chair.
I nodded, then gazed up at Zach as he stopped in front of me, not touching my body. Was that because he’d changed his mind about me, about us, or because he still wasn’t sure if it would scare me? Everything was still new and tentative. “You weren’t there when I woke this morning.”
Surprise crossed Zach’s face. He reached for my hand and slowly pulled me closer. “You wanted me to stay with you? I didn’t want to startle you when you woke.”
He’d been worried about me. “I asked you to stay. It’s not like you snuck into my bed while I slept.” He grinned. I stood on my tiptoes and he leaned down, touching his lips to mine. He winced and pulled back a few inches, licking his lower lip.