Page 77 of Betrayed

“Did I hurt you?” her small voice asked as she stared into my eyes.

The side of my mouth lifted. “No, you didn’t hurt me,” I answered as I laced her fingers in mine, putting an end to the sweet torture of her touch.

“Oh.”

Her eyes gave away her recognition before her voice did. “Oh,” she repeated with more energy.

“Feeling better?” I played with her small fingers, liking the feeling of her soft skin on mine.

“A little.”

“Want to try going back to sleep, or would you rather watch a movie?”

She looked at the door, contemplating. “I should try to go back to sleep.”

“Okay.” I let go of her hand and started to move off the bed. “I’ll leave-”

“Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

The fear and hesitation in her voice were more than I could bear.

I’d do anything for her. Suffer anything for her.

I hadn’t even kissed her, but Blake Davenport had ruined me for all other women.

“Of course.” I sat and reclined against the headboard. “Come here.”

I wasn’t sure whose sigh was bigger when she curled into my side.

Without thinking, I reached for my phone to put on some white noise to help her sleep.Shit. I’d left my phone in my room when Blake screamed. It wasn’t a big deal that I didn’t have it to lull her to sleep, but that phone was our only means of contact, and not having it close by made me twitchy.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, lifting her head.

“I was going to put on some white noise, but I left my phone in the other room.”

“Do you want to go get it?”

I did. “Do you mind? I’ll be right back.”

She pushed herself off my chest and sat up, her eyes drifting to the nightstand. “You brought your gun, but not your phone?” She didn’t sound as freaked out as I would’ve expected, given her previous reactions to seeing my gun.

“I acted on instinct when I heard you scream. A gun can stop the bad guy, a phone can’t,” I answered as I got off the bed. Knowing she still wasn’t comfortable with it, I brought my gun with me.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” Blake’s voice carried into my room as I grabbed my phone and holster. She might not be comfortable with my gun in the room, but there was no way in hell I’d be caught in a gun fight without it. I tossed on a clean t-shirt before waiting in the hall.

Chapter 38

Blake

The first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the bathroom was that AJ had, much to my disappointment, put on a t-shirt. I could no longer see the ink covering his chest and back in separate but interwoven, intricate geometric patterns. My fingers itched to trace the hypnotizing blend of thick and thin, black lines.I wonder if there’s a story behind them.

The second thing I noticed was his gun, or more specifically, my lack of fear. It had scared me earlier. No. The nightmare, and the crash when AJ burst through my door, had scared me. But not the gun itself.

I feel safe with him. I trust him.

I wasn’t sure he’d get back in bed when he returned to my room, but I wanted him to. I wanted to fall asleep, curled up in his arms, and let him chase my nightmares away.

AJ leaned against the door frame. “Want me back where I was?”

---