Damian's bedroom, trying to con

it

e most powerful, dange

sa

t, her

om, yanked a drawer open, pulled out a folded t-sh

here. I'll ta

"You? Sleep

e brow raised. "Believ

oor, heart racing. "You don't have t

le

The way he said itfi

e has left, and you have been shaking since. You ha

at tight. "So what?

topping just before crushing me an inch and a half away from my chest. "

est a

words hit me t

linking fast. "T

from my face, his knuckles brushing against m

oment we stood there, the unsaid

be strong, Elena," he sa

rmed in m

had ever told

on

space and turned to the closet.

ke that, he

 bathroom, looking at

ide eyes, flushed cheeks, dark circles under

given me. It smelled like him, dark, warm, a

was perched on the edge of the c

His eyes passed over me in on

u o

hough it was

you h

N

down. "Try to sle

e really not going

'd be too uptight to sleep. You don't

away, emb

o... gr

And for once, I did

ou," I w

anything. Ju

cked into the bed, sinki

warm.

first time

s finally able t

I had been asleep whe

Nathan's laughter ringing in my ears

I was

g. Swe

ian was

of the bed, his han

ay. You're safe

oriented. "It

kno

a tear from my cheek. "He's not go

d it so low, so fi

ed me the most w

ately I wanted to

is a

h h

fall asle

to Damian halfway on his knees in front of me, as t

ooking at the ceiling as the distant light

ld fe

nce. The silence that stretched between us wasn't awkwa

up s

mia

ed instant

ed. "Are

t slee

iet and low and

 like, certainly on an empty street with cars parked on both sides, glimmering silver under the streetlight glare and he was sitting w

him, he looked up and

mean to

did

space between us, though every inch of

ould just sit there,

 I said, "Do you e

s eyes, staring a

night,"

respond, a fortiori w

when they arri

n't s

a sad smile. "Guess

was something gentler in his face. "You don'

rd. "You make

But I'm s

e me. Not because they were reassuring

truth ter

carefully, "why ar

d slightly. "P

e. Watching over me

answer r

poke, his voice w

near you." And because..." He stopped, his eyes f

hit me l

e told him this was moving too quickly,

I di

, I didn't want to

rt racing. "What is this betwee

ce. "But I know I'd set fire to the

s were t

only thing that

out thinking. My

e he didn't