in the mast

ked Edith to help mo

ig, soft bed, hugging his usu

ed faintly at the tip of h

full of thoug

that her whole bo

nce she'd been reborn, y

ll she needed to

was e

to revenge wa

Curtis back within reach,

nut to crack," she mu

new it never took mu

ll the hurt

lance back, and he'd

ad done much, yet Curt

ve-he was starting

e a man this good was

illed her wit

began to creep in, and she gra

h time had passed when

opening

on of wheelchair

ed up some work and r

used at the doo

, unfamiliar swee

ed as he looked

uld make out the shape

oice was low, with a

ne startled

yes in confusion, her voi

u're back.

d it was her, the ten

?" he asked, pausing bef

ed face, something flic

t, she wouldn't even agree to share a b

himself over slowly. "Thought you'

slept here

ething in his voice. Maybe

?" Delia got out of bed, bare

smile and looked up

We should sleep

Now, I just want t

ly tugged his sleeve, he

her expectant eyes

ard up, but he couldn't ignore th

. More than just a

he thought he'd

e was stirring

sed to sleeping her

ught, "You've never come

o stay away from him, even in the same house.That, of course, in

before speaking again. "If y

ht've just had a sud

ywhere feels like home," Delia cut him off wit

sleeping here, would yo

s lips parted slightly

of him had alwa

been with him before, he never d

by his silence. Instead

apped on the bed. Don't

ng him from the wheelchair to the bed,

-awkward, but so serious-and the word

p him, settling uneasily o

ept some space

red in the air, making muscl

scooted closer like a little cat,

s waist and pressed her cheek

d kind of embrace,

murmuring, "Yup, this

are my mela

is breath catch

raight to his face, ea

s, he didn't dar

was, which made her want to la

flustered. So in

hed, "you... this is ma

his face-impossible to miss. So Cur

around him, rubbing her

t by his ear, she whispered

his every night 'til

le-being clos

u so much,

air, brushed right

in her touch were almo

e sharp, distant version

urtis' body gr

tening to her steady

eace filled him f

as just a dr

he'd rather no

, wrapped in dar

Curtis could feel

ou really after?" he

woman who once hurt him had n

y, leaning in to catch the

e same person-and yet,

he hugged her back, like holding

f it was fake, he just want