AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stare at my phone and shake my head. Her puns are awful. Truly awful. But I bet she’s sitting in bed, grinning like a fool.
Ash:I don’t know what to say, other than that I’m o-fish-ally enchanted with you.
She goes silent, as she has been doing all week. She’s been friendly, but she doesn’t respond to any of my flirty lines, and I can’t tell what happened. Did I do something?
A pang of disappointment runs through me as I walk to my bedroom. My thoughts are all over the place as I underdress for bed. I miss her. I miss hanging out with her, I miss the way she makes me feel like I’m the only one that truly knows her, the only one she confides in.
I miss the little touches. Throwing my arm around her on the sofa, holding her hand in mine whenever I think I can get away with it. I miss that. She’s right here, but it feels like I haven’t seen her in ages.
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated. I’m driving myself crazy. This is all fucking insane. I can’t have her either way, so what does it all matter?
I twist and turn in bed, forcing myself to think of anything but her, when a bloodcurdling scream snaps me out of my thoughts.
I sit up, instantly panicked. It takes me half a second to realize it’s Aria, and another ten seconds to reach her room. My heart is pounding as I push her bedroom door open.
I find her lying in her bed, fast asleep, tears running down her face. “No,” she whispers repeatedly, her tone pleading. She thrashes in her sleep, trapped by her bed covers.
“Aria,” I say, leaning on her bed with my knee. I call for her repeatedly, but it doesn’t wake her. Instead, she claws at her sheets desperately.
I grab her sheets and pull them out of her grasp, but it doesn’t even remotely calm her. I’ve never seen her like this. I don’t know what to do. I sit down on her bed and place my hands on her shoulders, shaking her gently but firmly. It doesn’t wake her. She’s so deeply lost in her nightmare I can’t pull her out.
I lie down on the bed and pull her into my arms, holding her close to stop her from hurting herself. She kicks at me, and I hold her tighter, my hand tangling in her hair. I feel her tears against my chest, and it kills me.
“Mom,” she whispers, and I swallow hard. My heart fills with sorrow as her movements calm a little. I don’t know what she’s seeing in her dreams, but I know it must be tearing her apart.
Aria wraps her arms around me, and I wonder if she’s hugging her mother in her dreams. Is she experiencing losing her Mom all over again?
“I’ve got you, babe,” I whisper, my hand running over her hair soothingly. “You’re safe with me, Ari. You’ll always be safe in my arms.”
She inhales shakily, her body relaxing in my arms. She’s so small, yet she fits into me perfectly. I rest my chin on top of her head, her lips pressed against my throat. Her breathing evens out, and I exhale in relief.
“Grayson,” she breathes.
I tense. I thought she’d fallen back asleep, but I must’ve woken her up somehow. Aria tightens her grip on me, hugging me tightly.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, sweetheart. I’ll hold you and keep your nightmares at bay, okay?”
She nods, her nose brushing against my neck. I hold her like that until she falls back asleep, my heart breaking for her.
30
Aria
My mind keeps replaying this morning’s scene. I woke up in Grayson’s arms, our legs tangled together, his erection pressing against my thigh. I swallow hard, unable to forget the feel of him. I should’ve known that he’d be big, considering how tall and wide he is… but I wasn’t expectingthat.
I was so startled that I didn’t dwell on my recurring nightmare the way I usually would’ve done. Normally it would’ve ruined my entire day, but today I’m distracted. Today the nightmare is in competition with thoughts of Gray. I’ve been trying to stay away from him, reminding myself who he is… but these little things he does make it impossible. It’s impossible to resist him.
The way he held me, never once questioning me. The way he whispered my name, telling me I’m safe in his arms. No one has ever been able to pull me out of that nightmare. Not until Gray.
It always goes the same way, a perfect replica of the day I lost my parents. I’m on my way home, excited to tell Mom that I aced my English test. When I get there, the front door is open. I walk in, and the house is eerily silent. My heart starts to race, a small part of me aware that something must be wrong. Just when I’ve gathered the courage to call for my parents, I see them. Both of them on the ground, a metallic smell filling the air. Dad’s arm is wrapped around Mom, but his eyes are on the ceiling. It takes me a while to register that he isn’t blinking.
I kneel beside Mom and her eyes find mine, her hands covering her stomach as redness pools onto the floor beside her.
“Aria,” Mom whispers.
“No,” I murmur, repeating it over and over again, panic and disbelief rendering me immobile. Even though I can’t make sense of what’s happening, I know I’m losing my mother. I start to cry, and Mom shakes her head.
