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ChapterOne
Caterina
Ijerk upright in bed, my eyes darting around the dark room as the echoes of screams bounce around in my head. There’s a tightness in my chest, as if a boulder sits on my sternum, and my throat convulses, making it difficult for me to breathe. The eerie sounds felt so real that I half expected to find someone across the room, their haunted eyes watching me.
Warm breath fans over my shoulder seconds before a hand touches my back, running soothingly up and down my spine. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, letting the comforting touch calm my rattled nerves.
“Shh...,” a deep voice rumbles. “I’ve got you.”
I release the tight grip on my hands in my lap, and my shoulders hunch forward. Tears prick the back of my eyes and my nose stings.
“Another dream?” Hunter asks, pressing his lips against my shoulder.
“Yes,” I croak through dry lips.
Hunter slides his arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “Come here,” he murmurs. Lying down, he pulls me so I’m lying on his chest, placing my head directly over his heart. My only relief from these strange nightmares is hearing his steady heartbeat and having his arms around me, our legs tangled together.
Finally, the screams begin to subside.
“Do you remember anything?”
I always give the same answer to this question.
My fingers curl against the coarse hairs on his chest. “Screams. Only the screams.”
He tightens his hold around me, pulling our bodies so close that not an inch of space is between us.
The dreams started five years ago. I wouldn’t even consider them dreams, more like nightmares, since all I remember are the screams. There are no faces, no settings, and I have no idea who is making the horrible, painful sounds. My heart aches for the person, as it’s obvious they’re in a lot of pain.
In the beginning, the screams filled my head almost every night. In those early days, I felt like I was going insane. As a result, I became so afraid of falling asleep that I saw a psychologist. Thankfully, they’ve lessened over the years. It’s now only once or twice a week that I have them. I might get a full week without one if I’m lucky.
Focusing on Hunter’s heartbeat, my own begins to slow down, and the tightness in my chest starts to loosen. When I draw air in, it’s not so painful, and the tense muscles in my arms and legs slowly relax.
“Sleep, baby,” Hunter whispers, his breath moving the hairs on top of my head. “I’ve got you. No more dreams tonight.”
ChapterTwo
Hunter
Walking into the kitchen, I come to a stop when I see the girl sitting at the table eating a banana, a half-full glass of orange juice in front of her. She’s wearing a purple romper with white polka dots and her long, dark hair is in two braids, both hanging over her shoulders. Her chin is propped on one of her hands with her elbow on the table as she stares out the backdoor window.
I clear my throat as I continue across the room to the coffee pot already filled with coffee.
“Good morning, Presley,” I say to the preteen girl. “What brings you by so early?”
I glance over my shoulder just in time to see her smile. “Nothing special. I just wanted to say hello.”
“Where’s Cat?”
Before answering, Presley bites into her banana. “Dunno.”
“How did you get in?”
“Cat gave me the alarm code a while back.”
I nod, turning my attention back to the coffee and pour some of the black brew into two cups. After I drop a spoonful of sugar in mine, I add two to Cat’s and then a splash of creamer. I stir both, then take mine to the table, leaving Cat’s on the counter.
“How’s life treating you?” I ask, taking a sip of the hot brew.
