Vince grabbed my hand. I almost drew away from the alluring softness of his skin, but he pulled me closer and took several deep breaths. “I woke you.”
My thumb slid across his silky cheek without permission. Vince released a long gust of air that swirled over my scales. Trembling, I continued to stroke his face as Vince simply breathed. His thoughts were calming, and I hadn’t used my inner fire once. He didn’t mind me holding him, and I believed he wished me to continue, though it was difficult for me to ascertain with his muddled thoughts.
An instinct tugged at me to lie on the bed and hold him against my chest, but I forced myself to remain crouched where I was. My tail did not listen. It slithered across the blanket and coiled around his slim wrist. I was about to uncurl it from him, but Vince grabbed it.
A jolt went up my spine from the contact, sending the most wondrous shocks of electricity through me. Drakcol tails were extremely sensitive, and I loved mine being touched. Vince kept a firm grip on it as his eyes fell closed. He started to settle, and I hummed gently in the back of my throat and smoothed my thumb over his pale cheek.
He continued to calm until he was limp on the bed and waves of sleep began to draw him under.
Vince hadn’t needed my gift. He’d simply needed me.
“Stay,” he ordered in a firm voice despite the tiredness clouding his mind. “Please,” he added belatedly. The request was soft and hesitant. He thought I would abandon him.
My soul pounded against my ribs, and my eyes never left him. “I will stay as long as you want me to.”
Fuck, I’m tired, was my first thought as I opened my eyes. My room was as light as usual, without a single shadow to mar it, just how I liked. The window over my bed depicted nothing but black space and distant stars. I looked away from that small glimpse. That never-ending darkness bothered me.
The nightmares had plagued me badly last night. Endless stretches of darkness. People hurting me, pushing me down. My stomach eating itself. The fiery burn of the incinerator as Teddy and me had chucked a body into it.
I dragged a hand down my face. Sleep had been impossible.
Of course, I could’ve asked Don for help, but I hadn’t, because he’d been injured and I didn’t want to bother him.
I blinked as a blurry memory surfaced. Had he come last night? I almost remembered him being there. Hovering over me. Holding me. Humming to me. Soothing me. Was that real or a dream?
I shifted and something warm slid from my face and landed onto my chest. With my pulse elevating and a cold sweat gathering between my shoulder blades, I looked at the massive hand covered in black scales. I followed the muscular arm to the broad shoulder to Don, who was sitting next to my bed, head against the mattress. He was completely passed out.
I tensed in preparation for the panic or fear or disgust, and nothing happened. Don was still there, and I wasn’t freaking out.His royal purple hair hung around him in soft waves. His broad shoulders and his wide face were relaxed as his eyes flicked behind their lids.
Had he come to help me and fallen asleep? It was possible.
His presence wasn’t freaking me out. Why wasn’t it bothering me? I should be screaming, shoving him, swearing up a storm as a panic attack threatened to overtake me.
I smothered a laugh when I realized why I wasn’t doing any of those things. I trusted him. I trusted he wouldn’t hurt me. God, I was fucking stupid. Don could change in a second. People did that.
But while I wasn’t panicking and he was unconscious, I could try and work through some issues, maybe. If I was even going to try to be a third to Kal and Seth, I was going to have to get over… everything.
Fuck, I was a man. I just needed to sock myself in the dick and move on. Why was I letting this shit bother me so much? I could’ve fought harder, and I hadn’t. I needed to push through it and sideline these issues.
Though working out said issues on Kalvoxrencol’s older brother was weird and creepy as hell—and he hadn’t consented for me to touch him. I didn’t want to be that person. No, I refused to be that person. I would never take advantage or hurt someone like… I shook my head. I simply wouldn’t. I was an asshole, but I wasn’t a dick.
Besides, Don was nice. Truly nice. He deserved the best. He deserved everything. Not someone who screamed at the ghosts in his head or the nightmares that wouldn’t stop.
Forcing everything away, I grabbed his hand and pulled it over my heart, and scooted closer. His breathing didn’t change, but the closer I got, the harsher mine became. My body screamed at me to move away, but at the same time, I wanted to move closer.I wanted to feel his scales beneath my fingers. I wanted to see his deep green eyes as my name fell from his lips.
What was it about this man?
When I reached the edge of the bed, less than a handbreadth from him, I lifted his hand to my face and pressed his wide palm against my cheek. I should be afraid of his claws nicking me or him smacking me, but I wasn’t. I just wanted to keep him beside me. Some part of me was convinced that if Don stayed right next to my side, everything would work out.
I snuggled closer until my head bumped his and kept his hand on my cheek. I closed my eyes and breathed.
I had never felt safer in my entire life.
Chapter 12
Teddy, I miss you.
“You’re not hanging out with Seth today?” Teddy asked, sitting on the opposite side of my ridiculous backless couch.
