Something in me cracked.
Not pain.
Not panic.
Something else.
Something warm.
“Prime,” I whispered, “what if I can’t handle this?”
“You can.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you haven’t fallen apart yet.”
“I feel like I want to.”
“I know.”He squeezed my knee.“But you won’t.”
I swallowed the ache in my throat.“You sound sure.”
“I am.”
He stood then, slow and deliberate, like he didn’t want to spook me.
“You’re staying in my sight no matter what,” he said.“No doors between us.Nothing.I’m not leaving you alone in a room he walked up to.”His voice dropped.“I’m not giving him a second chance.”
Even scared, even shaken, something fluttered inside me.
“You’re being very protective.”
He snorted.“I’ve been protective since the day I saw your picture.”
“Good protective or… suffocating protective?”
He gave me a look.“You’ll know the difference if I ever cross the line.”
I slipped into the bathroom while Prime stayed in the room, his heavy footsteps circling once… twice… the way a guard dog checks the perimeter.My hands shook a little as I washed my face under the bathroom light buzzing faintly.
I cracked the door open and peeked out.Prime was across the room, clicking the lock on the window and then pressing his palm to the glass, checking the latch.
Protective.On edge.And very muchhere.
I stepped out, wearing one of my three T-shirts I had.“All done.”
“Good.”He nodded, already moving for the doorway.“I’ll grab the chair.Keep it right next—”
“No.”I climbed into the bed before he could disappear and tugged the covers up around me.“You’re sleeping in here tonight.”I paused.“In my bed.”
He froze in the doorway, hand on the knob, back going rigid.Slowly, he turned.“You’re sure?I can sleep on the couch.”
“Yes.”I patted the mattress next to me.“You said no doors between us.So you might as well be comfortable.The couch is only good for five minutes before a spring springs you in the butt.”
Prime stared like he wasn’t convinced this was real.Then he blew out a breath, shut the door, and crossed the room.When he slipped into the bed beside me, the mattress dipped under his weight.
Almost without thinking, I scooted across the small gap and tucked myself into his side.The contact hit me like warmth after being out in the cold too long.His arm hesitated for half a second… then wrapped around me, firm and careful to hold me in place.
