I slid off him, leaning against him instead, my body covering his. “Luka, wake up, please, it’s a dream.” I dusted my lips over his. “Wake up.”
His eyes tore open, a gasp tearing from his throat. “Lennox.”
“I’m here.” I stroked his face. “I’m here.”
“You’re here.” His chest still heaved as I held him. His hand resting on mine that laid on his cheek.
“It was a dream.”
“It was a dream,” he echoed. “You’re okay.” His eyes closed as he shifted closer, pulling me against him until there was no space to tell where he started and I began.
We lay there in silence, him holding me until his breaths settled.
“The dreams—did you have them before? While I was—while I was gone?” I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
He shuttered. “Yeah—almost every night.”
My chest constricted. I had caused that—caused these nightmares. “This was the first time I’ve had one in a while.” He closed his eyes, his hand flexing on my back. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m sorry.”
A crease formed between his brows. “What are you sorry about?”
“I’m the one who caused these dreams—your nightmares.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. These nightmares are not your doing.”
I bit back a rebuttal. The demons inside me repeated all the ways it was my fault.
I gave myself up to Adreona.
I made him fall in love with me.
“Stop. It’s not your fault, Lennox.”
“If you never fell in love with me?—”
“Then I’d be having nightmares about something else. And my life would be so much less. You can try and argue this a million ways Lennox, but I’ll always win.”
I said nothing. There would be no convincing him otherwise. I’d have my own argument with myself.
“What is that?” He sat up slightly, his nostrils flaring. “Is that blood?”
“Yeah. I cut myself when my glass shattered. But I’m fine; it’s already healing.”
“What were you doing? Why were you not in bed? It’s been hours since I fell asleep, have you been reading this entire time? Must be some hell of a book.”
“No, I wasn’t reading anymore.” I let silence take over for several moments. “I get nightmares too.”
“I know, but—” He laid back down. “Lennox—” He kissed my forehead. “You can’t avoid nightmares.”
“Yes, I can.”
“You have to sleep. We’ve had this conversation before.”
I opened my mouth, but he stopped me with a kiss. “You know I’m here. I’ll help you through them.”
“I know but—I can’t relive it,” I choked out. “I can’t keep reliving it.”
