AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’d kill myself for you,” he says. “I won’t hurt her.” They have another silent conversation, one between a man and a boy—a boy that’s becoming a man. I wait with bated breath, then let it out when Ian nods his approval.
“You still have another hour before you have to be up for school,” I say tiredly. “Go back to bed.”
“I can’t sleep with Enzo snoring,” he groans. I wince with guilt. I forgot Enzo was still here.
“Tell him to sleep on the couch from now on,” I say, ignoring Ezra’s gaze. “You’ll both sleep better if he’s in here.” Ian nods, a thankful look on his face, then turns and heads back down the hall, stopping at the bathroom before heading to his room.
“I’m still staying here, Kens,” Ezra says as soon as Ian’s door shuts. “I’m not leaving you alone.”
“I know,” I say. “Can we go to bed now, please?” I tip my head back to look at him. His brows are pushed together in confusion and I huff out a breath. “You can sleep with me.” My stomach twists with the anticipation of his rejection.
“Yeah?” His smile is slow to curve his mouth, but when it does, it’s full and bright, and blinds me.
“Yeah,” I laugh. “Bed. Now.”
He snorts a laugh, and scoops me into his arms, cradling me to his chest as he carries me down the hall.
He’d pulled the blankets back and got the bed ready when Blade was here. Now, he rounds the bed and lays me down so gently tears sting my eyes. He handles me like I’m precious, or fragile. Breakable. Special.
No one has ever handled me like that. I’ve always had to be strong enough to withstand whatever is thrown at me. No one has ever looked at me and thought I was soft, or that I needed gentleness. And I never thought I did, either. But with Ezra, he brings out the softness in me, even when I don’t want him to. He brings it out because I know he can handle it. He can take the brunt of the shit I’m carrying, and he’ll do it willingly.
I force the tears back as he covers me with the blankets, tucking them in tightly around me.
“I sleep on that side,” I say, using my chin to point at the other side.
“I’ll sleep on that side from now on.” He brushes a kiss to my forehead. “I’m going to check the locks and make sure the boys are okay. You need anything?” More tears choke me as I stare up at him.
“I’m okay,” I rasp.
He smiles sadly as he strokes my hair, then kisses me again before he leaves the room. I strain to hear his light footsteps as he walks through my apartment, like he’s done this a million times before, like this is our nightly routine and not the first time he’s ever done it.
He shuts my door after he walks back in and hesitates at the side of the bed. I roll onto my side to watch him, trying to hide my wince. Our eyes lock, but neither of us say anything. He strips to his boxers, his abs flexing as he turns the lamp off, bathing the room in complete darkness, and slides into bed beside me.
I can’t remember the last time I slept beside someone that wasn’t Ian. I can’t remember the last time I was in bed with a man that wasn’t intent on fucking me.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” I whisper. He rolls onto his side, his breath tickling my arms.
“I’ll always come for you,” he replies, his voice just as quiet. I clear my throat, forcing the emotions away. His hand slides across the cool sheets until he finds mine and laces our fingers together.
“Why do you get that side now?” I ask, and he gives my hand a slight squeeze as he laughs.
“It’s between you and the door,” he says. “It’s easier to protect you.”
My heart stops.
No one—literally no one in my entire life has ever,fucking ever, thought about protecting me. Not like this. Not so casually. He lifts my hand and presses a kiss to the back of it.
“You’re—” I choke off the word, my attempt at reigning in my emotions failing. “You’re special, Ez.” His breath brushes along my skin.
“You are too, Kens.”
We go silent again. We don’t speak for so long that I think he’s gone to sleep, but he squeezes my hand again, letting me know he’s there. He’s still with me.
Finally, the tears leak from my eyes. I can’t stop them. A sob wracks my body, shaking the bed as I cry. He slides closer and carefully wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. He holds me as I cry, as I soak his chest with my tears. His chin rests on the top of my head as he idly strokes my back.
“I was so scared,” I admit. I wrap my arm around him, needing to be closer. “I was terrified, and I thought you weren’t going to answer.” His arms tighten as he listens to me. He doesn’t say anything, nothing to reassure me, he just lets the words and tears fall. “I thought I’d never see you again, or Ian. And I thought I was going to die. I thought they were going to—” I choke on my sob. “I thought they—”
“You don’t have to say it,” he murmurs. “Don’t think about what you thought they were going to do, okay? Nothing happened. I got there in time. You’re safe, Kennedy.”
