Secrets Worth Keeping (Finding my Home #2)- Nikita Parmenter Page 0,106

very clearly having a nightmare, she screams and the sound pierces me forcing me closer to the bed. As soon as I get within a few feet of the bed she moves lightning fast and I suddenly find myself pressed up against the wall with the knife I gave her, pressed up against my throat.

This is absolutely the wrong time to be turned on but I can’t fucking help it. She had me pinned before I even saw her move, that’s fucking impressive. The knife presses harder against my throat, just shy of drawing blood and reminding me of the perilous position I’m in. I now have no doubt that if she feels she’s being threatened she will end me. I’m not stupid enough to try to touch her right now, she’s thinks I’m someone else. So instead I settle for just trying to talk to her and hoping that either it works or one of the guys comes up and can talk her down.

I ignore the sharp pang in my chest at the thought of not being able to help to her right now.

“It’s ok Princess. You aren’t there anymore. They can’t hurt you, Everleigh. You’re safe now I promise, Princess” I say softly trying to keep the anger at whoever she’s having a nightmare about, out of my voice. That would definitely make the situation worse right now.

I try to reassure her but the truth of it is that she’s only known me for a few days, I highly doubt that my words will comfort her. Before I can finish my thought though the knife drops from my neck but instead of moving backwards like I expect her to she moves closer, the knife clattering to the floor before she wraps her small arms around my neck. The only reason she can reach is that when she pushed me into the wall I end up leaning against it and not standing up right.

“Atty?” her voice wavers slightly, and my heart pounds in my chest in response, she recognised my voice when she was deep in a nightmare. That does something to my heart, the emotion almost overwhelming.

“Yeah Princess, I’m here. I’ve got you” I reply hoping she can’t hear the emotion in my voice.

In response to my words she lets out a huge breath and snuggles deeper into my arms as the tension leaves her. In that moment, with her finding safety in my arms, which still completely perplexes me, I know that she has my heart. Although the strength of my feelings may seem impossible since they’ve developed in such a short amount of time, it doesn’t change the truth of my feelings.

“I’m sorry I held a knife to your neck” she whispers quietly against my chest.

“That’s ok. I get it” I reply honestly.

“I know, I hate that you do.”

My heart stutters for a beat, it’s been a long time since someone’s cared like that for me. Don’t get me wrong the guys all care but that’s different, we’re brothers, this just feels, more.

“Come on Princess, let’s get you back to bed” I say and don’t wait for a reply as I lift her up and walk back over to the bed. There’s just something about her that gives me an overwhelming need to take care of her. When the guys used to talk about her before I left they’d each get this yearning look on their faces and to be honest I never really understood how one girl could be so special or how the same girl could mean so much to every single one of them.

I get it now.

I lay her down and pull the covers up, over the top of her and take a step back.

“Stay?” she asks quietly.

“Always, Princess” I can’t help but reply as I lift the covers again and get in next to her.

She instantly places her head on my chest, one arm over my stomach and her leg hooked up over me. For what feels like the first time in forever it feels like my whole body relaxes and I can take a full breath. It’s like fucking magic.

“Night, Atty. Thank you” she whispers stiltedly as she falls asleep within seconds.

“Night Princess” I murmur back knowing that she can’t hear me.

I settle down for a sleepless night, there’s no way I’m going to risk sleeping with Ever lying in my arms, I wake up swinging and more often than not screaming. I’m not going to risk hurting her or scaring