Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Swallowing, she could barely get the words “I know” out.
He was making it very obvious how possessive and protective he was of her. A part of her secretly appreciated it—needed it after all she had been through—never having to worry about being touched by anyone other than him.
Amo was the only one she was worried about Lucca’s protectiveness hurting.
Reaching into his pocket, Lucca pulled out her cell phone, placing it in her open palm.
Looking up at him, she couldn’t believe it. “Y-You’re giving it back to me? Why?”
“Because I want you to know that I trust you just as much as you trust me, darlin’.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss over the top of her scar. “And I’m tired of pretending to be you every time Elle texts.”
Chloe giggled, trying to imagine him texting Elle as her. “I’m sure I’ll have fun reading over the texts you sent her.”
“Well, I just used a bunch of emojis, really.” He laughed with her, twirling a piece of her hair around his finger. “Be sure to use the black heart one. I used that one a lot.”
“Why the black heart?”
He tugged on her strand playfully. “Just seemed like one you’d like.”
Smiling, she finally began to fully relax.
He let go of her hair, letting it fall to her chest. “Go get ready for bed, darlin’. You can unpack your things tomorrow.”
Tensing right back up, she got off the bed and went to her bags, quickly pulling out the things she needed. She was thankful that her thickest fleece pajamas were clean. They also covered her whole body, which she was the most thankful for.
Her nerves were getting the best of her as she then went into his bathroom and started getting ready for bed. She liked her showers in the morning, so she found herself hoping that was okay with him, since she was sleeping in his bed.
Once she was ready and done with the bathroom, she found herself staring at the door, her nerves racking throughout her body, frightened to sleep beside the boogieman.
It’s going to be okay. He won’t hurt me. She kept repeating those words in her head, trying to muster up enough courage to open the door.
When she had pushed it off for long enough and an ounce of courage had been mustered, she opened the bathroom door.
When she walked out of the bathroom and into the dark room, relief washed over her, beyond grateful when she noticed Lucca was already fast asleep on his side of the bed. Then she found herself staring at the sleeping, haunting man for a few moments, seeing he wore his normal black T-shirt, the covers only coming up to his hips as he slept on his back, thinking how beautiful he looked, even in his sleep.
Lucca was a handsome man. She always thought that was what made him so deadly.
Quietly and carefully, she went to the other side of the bed and crawled in ever so slowly. She was so afraid of waking him as she gently pulled the covers over her. Then she positioned herself as far away from Lucca as she could possibly get, clinging to the edge of the bed.
It definitely felt awkward to be in his bed, with him only a foot away, and was even painful at first as she tried to get comfortable in a bed she hadn’t slept in before. However, exhaling deeply, she was finally able to relax. And when she snuggled the blankets around her more tightly, the smell of the room soothing her, she found comfort … soothing to her soul …
When he was certain Chloe had fallen asleep, he turned on his side to face her back, seeing her long, black, silky hair fanned out across her pillow. He loved everything about her hair: the color, the feel, the smell. He loved the way it looked right now. And he loved the way she looked in his bed.
Reaching out, he started to pick up a lone curl at the end of her hair, when a whimper had him pausing. Then another whimper escaped her.
The nightmares were coming.
Right when the screams started, Lucca moved closer to her shaking body. He could only hope what he was about to do would make the nightmares disappear without waking her up.
He pulled her back into his body and into his arms, holding her tightly, unable to bear her pain any longer. And miraculously, the cries returned to whimpers and her shaking lessened, until they both disappeared … along with her nightmare.
Lucca had left the Catholic faith after his mother’s passing, knowing there was no way God could exist if He could take away a human being as pure as his mother while allowing monsters like him to roam this earth. Many nights, he would even question his own existence, wondering why it hadn’t been him instead of her.