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Inching closer to her, I brought my hand forward to touch her but she flinched away and sobbed harder. She pressed herself harder into the mattress and I heard her mumbling something incoherent. Her words were lost in her cries.
“Ayla,” I whispered gently, trying to coax her.
But my next words were cut abruptly when I saw her hands moving blindly under the pillows. Her eyes were closed tightly as she searched for something, her movements frantic and almost desperate.
“No, no, no, no…please no…” she mumbled between her sobs, her chest heaving with loud hiccups as she continued to cry.
When realization dawned at what she was looking for, I quickly jumped off the bed.
The jacket. The fucking jacket.
Quickly striding toward the sofa chair, I pulled on my sweatpants and went back to bed, getting in beside Ayla. Lying down, I moved a little closer.
She didn’t open her eyes, but she went completely still as I moved closer, her muscles visibly coiling tighter in fright and tension.
“Shhh…” I soothed in a soft voice. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Jacket. I need my jacket. Please…I can’t…I need it…” She gasped through her tears.
She wasn’t getting it. Instead, she was going to have me.
This time, I was going to take away her nightmares and her pain. I was going to bring her back. And I would be the one to wipe away her tears.
Not my jacket. But me.
The blank eyes and the numb expression, I was going to change that.
I would bring my Ayla back.
Moving just a little closer, I whispered, “Ayla, open your eyes.”
At my words, she tensed. Her hands fisted and she recoiled backward, but I quickly wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into my body. Ayla let out a sharp cry. One that was filled with fear and panic. But as soon as her body made contact with mine, she froze, her hands landing flat on my chest.
“I’m here. I’m right here, Ayla. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m right here,” I said into her hair, my voice soft and scratchy as I fought back my tears. Placing a kiss on her temple, I let my lips linger there. “Please look at me.”
But she refused to open her eyes. Instead, she moved closer against my body and curled herself into my embrace, as if she was hiding in me. Her hands trembled on my chest and I brought a hand up, grasping hers and holding them tight against my skin.
“It’s me. Alessio. I’m here. I’m with you, Ayla, and I’m not leaving. We are going to get through this together. I’m here,” I continued in a soothing voice. “Can you feel that?” I asked, holding her hands over my wildly racing heart.
It took me some time to bring her back from the black pit and painful memories she was thrown back in again. I coaxed for hours. Ayla continued to cry, each tear breaking my heart further. I filled her ears with gentle, soft words, hoping that it would make a difference. Desperately hoping it would bring Ayla back to me again.
I didn’t know how long it had been, but then I saw a change. A slight change that made my heart leap with pure elation and intense relief.
Her sobs slowly diminished into quiet hiccups and she buried her face into my chest, resting her cheek right over our entwined hands.
Ayla let out a barely audible soft sigh and I felt her tense muscles start to loosen. She completely relaxed into my arms, letting her rigid shoulders drop with another sigh.
My arm tightened around her waist and I placed another kiss on her forehead. “You’re safe. I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”
Those words were a vow that came from within me and my cold, broken heart.
And they were a vow I would never break.
Ayla was mine. My sweet, innocent Ayla.
And I protect what’s mine, I thought, looking down at her in my arms.
Her eyes were closed and she settled against my chest. I could feel that Ayla was quickly letting go, surrendering herself to sleep, fatigue, and mental stress. Her cheeks were red and tear-streaked.
Removing my hand from her hips, I quickly swiped away her tears before wrapping her in my arms again. She mumbled something quietly and then sighed sleepily.
“Alessio.” My name was a whisper against her lips.
And then to my utter surprise a small, barely visible smile appeared on her beautiful red lush lips. It was as if she was dreaming, her mind elsewhere.
At her peaceful and sleepy expression, the unbearable tightness in my chest slowly started to loosen until I could breathe normally again.
Placing another kiss on her temple, I left my lips there as I closed my eyes, letting myself relax against her too.
“Sleep, angel. I will watch over you,” I whispered against her skin.
