Page 16 of Doyle

I smiled weakly, stepping into his room. The space felt warmer, more inviting than my room.

"Yeah, I guess I’m not used to it,” I admitted.

Doyle closed the door behind me and gestured to the bed.

"You can stay here, if you want. We can talk or just sit quietly. Whatever you need,” Doyle assured me.

I nodded, feeling a surge of relief.

"Thanks, Doyle. I... I didn't want to be alone."

"You’re not alone anymore," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You never have to be alone again."

What exactly did Doyle mean by those words? I decided not to ask, because I didn’t want to ruin the moment.

I settled on the edge of the bed, feeling the tension slowly melt away.

Doyle sat beside me, his presence reassuring. For a while, we just sat there, the silence between us comfortable and safe.

Eventually, I found myself lying down, my head resting on the pillow. Doyle stayed close, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder.

"Try to sleep," he whispered. "I’ll be right here."

With Doyle beside me, the fears that had haunted me began to fade.

The warmth of his presence, the sound of his steady breathing, all made me feel safer than I had in years.

Slowly, my eyes grew heavy, and for the first time in a long while, I drifted into a peaceful sleep, knowing that when I woke up, Doyle would be there.

When I woke up, it was early morning. I half expected to be back in my cage, but I wasn’t.

For a moment, I lay still, feeling the warmth of the bed and the steady presence of Doyle beside me.

His arm was draped protectively over me, his breathing slow and even.What happened yesterday, really wasn’t a dream.

This was my new reality and I liked every bit of it.

I shifted slightly, trying not to wake him, but his eyes fluttered open, and he looked at me with a sleepy smile.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice husky.

"Morning," I replied, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time," he said, stretching lazily. "How about you?"

I nodded, feeling a small smile tug at my lips.

“Yeah, I did. Thanks for letting me stay in your room,” I told him.

"Anytime," he said, his gaze softening as he looked at me. "You don't have to thank me."

For a moment, we just lay there, basking in the quiet comfort of each other's presence.

But then, the events of the previous day came rushing back, and I felt a pang of guilt.

"I should call my dad," I said quietly.

Doyle nodded, understanding in his eyes.

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