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I caressed his spine as his murmurs increased. It didn’t seem to help. His agitation grew as his nightmares fought to the surface. His face contorted, his lips starting to tremble.
“It’s okay, sunshine,” I whispered. I was torn on what to do. Should I hold him closer? Or would that make him feel trapped?
I let my hands fall to the bed uncertainly. Matty’s eyes flew open instantly, and I knew I’d fucked up.
“No,” he whimpered, scrambling away from my chest. “I’ll do what you say. I’ll do what you say!”
I sat up, flicking on the lamp. “Matty, it’s okay.”
He shrank further back, not seeming to hear me. He was staring into the shadows on his side of the bed. “Please. Please.”
God. All this time I’d been worried about breaking Matty’s heart, and here he was breaking mine. “Matty, you’re safe. It’s me. Sunshine, it’s Seb.”
He turned his head, his eyes landing on my face. He squinted against the light. “Seb?”
Relief flooded me. “Yes, sunshine. You were having a nightmare. You’re safe. I promise, no one will hurt you. I won’t let them.”
He rubbed at his eyes with his right hand. “Jeez, I’m sorry. I thought someone was standing beside the bed.”
I glanced over at the empty space. “There’s no one there.”
“I know,” he mumbled, sleep weighing down his voice. “Earlier…they were all around me. Guess my subconscious knew you had that side covered and decided to freak out about the other one.”
A single tear fell down his cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb. “Sunshine, it doesn’t matter what side someone tries to attack you from. They’ll have to get through me first. I’m far scarier than anyone you can possibly imagine. I won’t let them hurt you.”
“Hmmm.” Matty sounded unconvinced. “It’s just all the empty space and shadows playing tricks on my brain. I’ll be okay if you’re holding me.”
I pursed my lips, studying his room. “I can do one better than that.”
“Where are you going?” Matty’s voice rose as I scooted off the bed.
“Shh.” I gently pushed his shoulders until he was lying down, smoothing an errant curl from his forehead. “I’m not leaving, just doing some rearranging.”
In less than a minute, I’d moved his bedside table and lamp from his side of the bed. Another minute and I’d pushed his bed into the corner of the room.
Matty didn’t make a sound as I repositioned his furniture, just watched me with sleepy eyes.
By the time I’d moved his wardrobe and chest of drawers, I’d build a mini fort around Matty’s bed. He was now fully surrounded, the only gap where I’d be lying. I nodded with satisfaction before slipping under the duvet next to Matty. “There. No more empty spaces.”
Matty wriggled back onto my chest, his limbs winding around me. “Thank you.”
Remembering the other thing he’d asked for, I put my arms around him.
There was a light knock on the door. “Matty? Everything okay? Ferry could hear stuff moving.”
“Everything’s fine,” Matty called back before snuggling deeper into me. “Totally fine.”
I could hear Leo’s breathing through the door and I smirked as I pictured the stubborn man fighting with himself. Eventually he seemed to decide to take Matty at his word and retreated back to his own room.
Matty was almost asleep when he sat up abruptly. “Nope, everything’s not fine.”
“What’s wrong? What can I do?”
“Take this off,” Matty muttered impatiently, tugging at my top. “Want it off.”
I did as he asked, chucking it on the floor. “Your brother won’t be happy.”
“Don’t care.” Matty yawned, lying down on my now-bare chest. “I’m happy now.”
