Page 49 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

I carefully stroke back her hair, brush my fingers over her cheek.

“I’m here,” I say. “Just breathe. You’re safe.”

Fast breaths. Clammy skin. But she nods again.

And she lets me gently soothe her.

Slowly, her breathing evens out and I drift my hand lower, along the outside of her throat, to the top of her shoulder, carefully extracting the edge of the blanket.

“You’re here with me,” I tell her calmly. “Well, me and Violet—who’s currently destroying my couch because I snuck out and ate the last of the sugar cookies but didn’t give her any more treats.”

A faint smile.

Thank fuck.

“You’re safe, little hen. I’ve got you.”

She squeezes her eyes shut, releases a shaky breath. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“No.”

Her eyes pop back open.

“No, little hen. You don’t apologize for surviving. Not tonight. Not ever.”

“But—”

I touch her cheek again. “Not ever.”

She bites her bottom lip then nods. “I hate nightmares.”

“Me too.”

Surprise filters across her face but before she can ask me what gives me nightmares, I cup her jaw. “You want to talk about it?”

She shakes her head immediately.

“Okay, little hen.” I straighten the rest of the blankets. “Want to come out in the front room and we can watch another movie?”

Another shake.

“Want me to leave you to go back to sleep?”

A third shake of her head, this one even more vehement.

I search her eyes. “Then what do you want, sweetheart?”

Another silence.

“What do I want?” she asks. “Or what do I need?”

I inhale sharply, desire and terror clawing at me in equal measure. “River,” I begin.

“Will you stay?”

My heart pumps in double time. “Wh-what?” I rasp.

“Will you stay in here with me?” A shaky breath. “Keep the nightmares away?” She covers my hand, squeezes lightly. “Keep them away for both of us?”