AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Would you have been this scared at home?” he asked calmly as he bent over, peering down at her.
In a dark basement?
Alone with just Colin and the mice?
Nope.
She would have been terrified.
He grunted. Great! What did that mean? She wasn’t fluent in grunt. She hated trying to understand what people wanted from her. Mostly because she always got it wrong.
“Come here, Little Blossom.” He held out his hand to her.
There he went, being all nice to her again. She didn’t understand what was happening.
“Didn’t I tell you that I’d keep you safe?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then out you come. Be a good girl and do as you’re told.”
Urgh.
Those words sank inside her and dug their claws in deep.
Reaching out, she took hold of his hand, and he drew her out from under the desk just as there was another clap of thunder.
Without thought, she threw herself at him. She climbed him like a tree, wrapping her arms and legs around him.
It was only because he was here.
She would have done this with anyone. She wasn’t hanging onto him like a baby monkey because he made her feel safe.
Right?
“Sorry, I’m so sorry,” she said frantically, trying to get out of his arms. “I didn’t mean to do that. It was the thunder. Sorry!” Why wouldn’t he let her go?
“Faith!”
She stilled at the harsh sound of his voice.
“Y-yes?”
“Be quiet and listen.”
Ouch. But she bit her lip, ready to listen. He carried her over to the large floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Faith,” he grumbled as he set her down on her feet. “Turn around and look.”
Suddenly, she realized she had her face pressed to his chest. She stepped back and bumped into something cold and smooth.
Oh God, any moment now thunder might hit the glass and shatter it. Then she would plunge to her death.
“Hey,” Reuben soothed, reaching for her. “You really don’t like storms, do you? You’re trembling.”
Another clap of thunder. It almost sounded like it was right on top of them. She cried out again, crouching down into a small ball.
Working on instinct, she stuck her thumb in her mouth and started humming.
