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‘Now tell me you love me.’
“I love you,” I stammer, fear and panic suffocating me. Christopher takes a step closer, and it has me whimpering, “I’m sorry.”
His face contorts with heartache, and before I can start begging for my life, Mom takes hold of my face, forcing me to look at her. There’s a deep frown on her forehead as she asks, “Why do you keep saying that, baby? Did it make him stop?”
I nod feverishly while it feels like my mind has been torn in half.
“Christ,” Dad groans, tightening his hold on my hand.
Mom leans over me, and placing her hand behind my head, she holds me tenderly. “Shh…”
The sound vibrates through me, tensing every muscle in my body until I’m pulsing with pain.
‘Shh… not a sound.’
“Please,” I whimper.
“Shh… it’s okay, baby,” Mom murmurs.
My voice quivers as I beg, “Don’t make that sound.”
“Okay… okay. I won’t.” Mom presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. Okay? You’re safe.”
I begin to nod, and lifting my free hand, I take hold of Mom’s white jacket. I cling to the fabric until I drift off.
Chapter 23
CHRISTOPHER
“It’s not you,” Aunt Leigh says. “We need to start making a list of phrases to avoid using around her. I think they’re triggers for her.”
“Which phrases,” I ask, my eyes not leaving Dash’s face.
“I love you and shh. I think he said it often, and their meanings have changed for her. She now associates them with pain,” Aunt Leigh explains.
That makes sense, and it explains why Dash lost it the first two times she saw me… but… what about the last time? I didn’t tell her I loved her then. I just assured her she’s safe.
When Aunt Leigh moves away from the bed to take the bowl of soup to the kitchen, I step closer and sit down. Reaching for Dash’s hand, I hold it in both of mine while my eyes keep drifting over her.
Her breathing changes, and then her eyes snap open. I instantly let go of her hand, and my body freezes. I don’t want to do something that will make her panic.
“Daddy,” she whispers, and then a smile even tugs at her lips.
The sight makes me breathe a little easier.
“I’m still here, sweetheart.”
“Thank you,” she breathes. Her eyes drift shut for a moment before they open, and then they turn in my direction.
My muscles tighten from having to keep still, and then she whispers, “Christopher.”
A smile spreads over my face and tilting my head, I keep my voice low as I say, “Hey, beautiful.”
Heartache tightens her features. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head, leaning a little forward. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
Dash swallows hard, and her voice is strained as she says, “I’m sorry for the things I said. I didn’t mean them.”
Knowing she’s referring to the phone call, I take hold of her hand and press a kiss to her ring finger. “I know, beautiful. I know.”
A tear spirals down the side of her face, and her eyes begin to look feverish. “Forgive me. Please.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.” I get up and move onto the side of the bed. Leaning over Dash, I press a kiss to her forehead, and it’s so fucking comforting to me, emotion wells in my throat. “Just rest so you can get better. Okay? It’s all that matters now. We just want you to get better.”
She takes a deep breath as her eyes close. “So good.”
“What’s good?” I ask.
“Smell,” she mumbles. “You.”
I watch as she falls asleep again. I kiss her forehead again, this time keeping my lips there for a moment, as I soak in the good moment we just had.
Thank God.
Moving back to the chair, I glance at Uncle Jax. There’s a smile playing around his mouth. “She was much better, right?” he asks.
“Yes,” I agree, returning his smile.
Mom went to my place to pack me a bag because I’ll be staying here until I can take Dash home.
While she’s sleeping, I showered and had some of the soup Miss Sebastian made.
My phone begins to ring, and seeing it’s Noah, I answer quickly. “Hi.”
“Hey, how’s Dash?” he asks.
“Better. She had a good moment earlier.” I hear Hayley in the background, then Noah says, “I’ll stop by before work. If she wakes up again, tell her I love her.”
“That phrase seems to be a trigger for her,” I tell him.
“What? I love you?” he asks.
“Yes, she begins to panic whenever we say it,” I explain.
“Oh. Okay. Tell Dash I’m thinking of her.”
“Will do.”
“Christopher,” he says before I can hang up.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” A grin tugs at the corner of my mouth as I end the call.
Getting up from where I was sitting at the kitchen table, I head back upstairs. When I walk into the room, I come to a sudden stop.
