Page 106 of Ghost

I cut Dante off before he could say anything more. “She has nightmares. If she sleeps alone, she wakes up. Let her sleep with you and Danny,” I rasped. Clearing my throat I added, “Co-sleeping has proven to be beneficial for children with trauma.”

Dante looked at the open door Danny had taken Danika through.

“She didn’t have them before,” he said, his brow pulled in confusion.

“They started after you left. It’s common in children...” I paused, afraid to be honest. “It’s common in children that have lost a parent.”

“She didn’t lose us,” he whispered.

“She didn’t know that.”

Dante looked at me and nodded. I wasn’t trying to be cruel. I didn’t want either of them to feel guilty about what they felt they had to do. But at the same time, they needed to understand that their actions had consequences.

At two years old, Dani’s awareness of time was undeveloped. From the time she was rescued, she had been with one or the other every minute. Danny leaving was her first experience of a loved one being gone. When he didn’t come back right away, she thought he never would. But she still had Dante. Until he left and she went through the same thing again. Her subconscious believed they were both gone.

“Come on, Princess.” Travis placed his hand on my back and led me away from Dante.

Consumed with my own thoughts, I paid no attention to where Travis was leading me. I blindly followed the man who led me to another room.

My eyes focused on the clothes hamper in the corner. The bathroom counter littered with soap and shaving items was visible through the open door. The sneakers tucked haphazardly under the end of the bed.

“Travis, someone is using this room. I can’t stay here.”

“Princess, this is my room.” He closed the door behind him, dropping my bag on the floor, and waited.

“I can’t stay in your room.”

“Why?” he asked.

“I can’t sleep in that bed with you.”

“I slept in your bed last night with you,” he countered.

He was right. He had slept in my bed last night. But that was different. Surely, he understood that.

“That was different,” I muttered

“Why?”

Damn, why did he have to be so freaking sexy? He stood there, back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. Waiting. For what, I wasn’t sure.

You know what he’s waiting for.

“You know why,” I said, crossing my arms, mirroring his stance. I knew what I was doing. Subconsciously putting up a wall around my heart. But that wasn’t what Travis was doing.

He wasn’t closed off, trying to protect himself. Not from me. I studied his face. His expression gave nothing away. I prided myself on being able to read the body language of any individual, regardless of what they were trying to hide.

It was why I verbally attacked Danny. I recognized his weakened state as soon as he entered the clubhouse. Broken by whatever he had been doing. I wasn’t proud of taking advantage of his vulnerability, but I had to take my shot while I could. He had to understand the damage he had caused. I didn’t think I would have been brave enough to confront him if he had been himself.

Travis looked relaxed. There was no tension in his shoulders or hips. No indication that he needed to guard himself.

Unlike me.

Every muscle in my body was a tightrope. Every nerve was a live wire ready to blow.

“Explain it to me. What’s changed between last night and tonight?”

“A lot has fucking changed!” I shouted, throwing my arms in the air.

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