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Stepan breaking into my place to watch me sleep or him putting such effort towards me was beyond ludicrous. He'd never stoop so low as to do something so creepy and wrong like that either; it wasn't in his character.
A sharp hiss of pain pierced my train of thought. My eyes locked back onto Stepan, who sat in his office chair with me between his legs, holding an icepack to his bruised nose. "I still say ya'll should've let Nikolai have a go at Lev for all he said. I mean, he deserves a good beating for saying that about Angel and all. Hell, I want to have a swing at him after hearing about everything."
Stepan and his brothers got into a minor tiff two nights ago when they gathered for their weekly meeting, and the subject of Angel's real identity came up. Lev dug himself a grave with their eldest brother by dragging his wife through the mud and making insinuations about her intentions and feelings regarding another one of their brothers.
Nikolai didn't take too kindly to Lev's words and nearly gave him a full-blown beating if Stepan hadn't stepped in with his younger brothers, a set of twins named Alexei and Arseny. Poor Stepan got headbutted in the moment and got his nose busted up good.
Letting out a deep breath through his mouth, he gave me a stuffed groan and shook his head. "Don't, tigress, he already feels bad enough, and he apologized and meant it. Just leave Lev to his own devices and let him come around on his own. You jumping on his back won't help any. Just leave him." At least Stepan's nasally voice eased some of the edge off because I couldn't help but find it funny.
"Are you okay? You seem kind of off, not in a completely bad way, but a little off." Even when he's the one hurt, he still worries about me when there's not much to even be concerned about.
"Didn't sleep too well last night, that's all, but don't worry, I'm still and always on my A-game." I assured him with a confident smile and a short giggle.
"Why didn't you sleep well?" For some reason, his question made me feel wary as a ripple of chills made my body erupt in goosebumps.
There was this glint in his eyes, and he almost sounded like he smirked with his words. Yet, I couldn't tell because of the icepack and my own hand, which covered the lower half of his face. But he sounded and looked like he knew something I didn't or something he shouldn't and was being a cheeky bastard and rubbing it in my face.
"Just an off night, nothing much. Plus I stayed up late talking to Angel, so my routine got thrown off." I half lied smoothly. No one, not even Angel, knew about my vivid dreams of Stepan, and I intended to keep it that way. So, telling Stepan was the very last thing I wanted to do. He'd probably think I was insane if he knew about my dreams about him.
"Go take a nap on the couch then if you're a little tired, Lev won't be back for a while on his end of the assignment, and you've finished what you needed for now." He sounded too encouraging with his suggestion when he nodded towards the black leather couch in his office.
Shaking my head defiantly, I narrowed my eyes warily at him. "I'll busy myself with other tasks. Sleeping on the job is frowned upon anyways." The act sounded nice and welcoming.
Strangely, the thought of him watching over me as I slept didn't creep me out. Maybe because I became used to my late-night visits from Dream Stepan. The notion of it was somewhat calming. For some reason, I got a warm sense of security to be able to sleep soundly with him watching out for me. Creepy, but sweet.
"Wouldn't be frowned upon if your boss tells you to or allows you to. I want you performing at your peek, and you can't do that if you aren't well rested." Stepan rebutted, this time definitely smiling or smirking from the lift in his cheeks.
"I can't, I'm used to the security of my bed." Now, that's a full lie.
My bed was a ratty-ass twin-sized piece of cardboard. I really should get a new mattress, but my laziness to get a new one has prevented me from doing so. Well, in all honesty, my current mattress wasn't that bad, it had an old charm to it.
"Don't worry, you won't need your bed to keep you safe. I'll be here to chase away the bad dreams." His eyes gained that glint to them again as his voice took an edge, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"What if I'm not tired anymore, hm?" I challenged him defiantly with a glare and slight frown as I pursed my lips a little.
Chuckling, Stepan reached up and grasped my wrist firmly, removing my hand and the icepack from his face to show me his dangerous smirk and burning eyes. "There's many ways to solve that problem, little tigress."
"You're not letting me leave your damn office unless I take a nap, huh?" I could make a run for it; the door was wide open.
It'd be easy to kick him away while he sat in his chair and put some distance between us before bolting for the door and shutting it behind me.
"What do you think, tigress?"
The cocky ass smirk on his face provided enough of an answer to me.
There was no escape, not unless he let me.
There was no escaping Stepan, not in reality or beyond.
Like every night for the past few weeks, he manifested in my mind and next to me as I lay in bed. His phantom touch felt surreal, as if he was physically in my bed, embracing me in his safe and strong arms. The breaths of his words hitting my ears felt as real as the shivers down my spine.
"What troubles my little tigress?" His concern was almost palpable as his hand wiped away the tears from my nightmare.
"Them, always them." Those cursed hands felt like acid on my skin with every touch.
Even if they could never touch me again, let alone harm me, I couldn't escape them in my slumber. Medications helped curb my nightmares, but they didn't completely cure me of them. No, nothing ever could. Or so I thought. Oddly enough, this strange presence of Stepan, something my insane mind probably conjured up, did well in protecting me from the horrors of my past.
His touch and words were what pulled me away from the burning flames that threatened to consume me like once before; they kept me safe from the other hands that sought to harm and scar me. If only this could be forever. If only this could be real. I knew for a damn fact that once morning came, I'd be alone.
