Part 19 (1/2)

”Hmm...so you can dream of me?” I asked with a tender smile.

”With you in my arms, Raelyn, I dream of all kinds of things I never thought possible before you.” He pressed his lips to my forehead with a tender adoration that reached in and touched my soul.

I ran my fingers through his soft locks and kissed him one last time even though I was always longing for more where he was concerned. ”Then, take me to bed.”

He did, and I felt myself dreaming of wishful possibilities, too.

I shot upright in bed at the sound of an ear-screeching alarm sounding off over and over again, and I covered my ears.

”Damien! Damien, what's that noise?” I asked frantically as the bed s.h.i.+fted beside me.

”My house alarm.”

I heard his quick strides across the room to turn on the bedroom light. My eyes squinted at the harsh brightness.

”Stay here.” His tone seemed uneasy and on edge.

Damien dimmed the light until it was a soft glow, and then he exited the room.

Seconds ticked by.

My heart raced uncontrollably at the idea of being left alone with no clue as to what was going on. I bit the inside of my cheek, contemplating on what to do. Something or someone had to have triggered the alarm, and Damien had left to see what it was.

Knowing I couldn't just remain here without feeling helpless, I stood to my feet and padded out of the bedroom. The beeping came to a stop as my shaky feet carried me down the hallway to the junction of the staircase. My eyes scanned the open s.p.a.ce.

Damien was nowhere in sight.

Once I reached the bottom of the stairs, I could see the front door ajar. My chest seized with terror at the notion of an intruder being outside. I glanced back and forth at my surroundings, looking for anything to defend myself, when I tiptoed into the foyer.

There was a long umbrella hanging from the coat rack on the wall, so I hastily grabbed it and held it in my grip like a bat, ready to swing.

Goose b.u.mps rose on my skin as I peeked my head out the front door. ”Damien, where are you?” I cried, unsure if I should continue outside.

The yard was illuminated by lighting placed against the house and along the driveway.

Keeping my back pressed into the stucco of the house, I advanced onto the concrete patio with my weapon of choice, prepared to strike if necessary.

A human shadow came in view, ambling up the driveway, followed by a second taller shadow. The bigger person of the two appeared to be shoving the smaller one forward.

As the two of them neared, it became clear that the person in front was just a boy, a teenager. And the second man was Damien, a very angry Damien.

”Does your father know you're here?” Damien's steel voice flowed through the air.

The boy stopped and slightly turned to face Damien. His side profile looked utterly hysterical. ”No. Please, please don't tell him where I am.” He grappled at Damien's s.h.i.+rt. ”Please. You can't tell him!”

A profound sadness fell over me at the desperation radiating off of the boy. He was petrified.

”Let's go inside, William, and get you cleaned up.” Damien's face filled with compa.s.sion, yet fire still lingered within his features.

The boy exhaled deeply. ”Okay.”

As the boy came closer, my heart went free-falling into my stomach. Blood was smeared down the boy's nose and across his lower lip and cheek. His eyes looked hollow and dark. A purple bruise was forming on his right cheek.

I ran off the porch and barreled forward at full speed toward the boy.

”Did you hit him?” I screamed at Damien, outraged, as I inadvertently aimed the umbrella at him.

His head whipped back on his shoulders as he came to an abrupt halt. ”No, of course not!” Damien yelled.

His gaze darted between my weapon and me, and I lowered my arm to my side.

”What happened?” I cried, turning to face the boy.

He must have been sixteen or seventeen years of age. He was a good half foot shorter than Damien but far too skinny.

The boy cringed with fright, and he stared down at the ground.

I instantly felt guilty. ”I'm sorry,” I softly told him. ”Are you okay?”

He was quiet for a moment before making eye contact with me. ”I-it wasn't Damien.”

My lips parted as I sucked in a gulp of air, and I looked to Damien for an answer. He pinched his brows together in a pure sign of distress and shook his head, as if saying not now.

I gently rested my arm on the back of the boy's shoulder and said, ”Let me walk you in, and you can wash up, whatever you need.” My voice cracked, overcome with emotions.

The three of us walked inside the house, and I dropped the umbrella to the ground before turning to see Damien staring at me.

”Just what in the h.e.l.l did you think you were going to do with that?”

”Hit someone.” I shrugged, feeling slightly embarra.s.sed. It had been better than going out empty-handed.

”Right...” he drawled with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt. ”We'll talk about that later.” He s.h.i.+fted his attention to the boy. ”The bathroom is down that hall, first door on the right. You go shower, and I'll find you some clean clothes and a first-aid kit.”

”A-are you sure?” William stuttered at a loss, causing my chest to constrict.

”Yes,” Damien answered without hesitation.

”Why? Y-you don't even know me.” William added, ”Well, not really.”

The tightness around my heart increased even more.

Damien parted his lips to speak as a deep sense of pain quickly and powerfully flitted across his features. I felt winded from just witnessing it.

No words came out.

He snapped his mouth shut. An unreadable mask slipped over his face.

Seconds felt like hours before Damien tried to talk again. ”You're always welcome in my home, William,” he declared with a warm gentleness I'd not heard him use toward anyone other than me before. ”And now, you're not going anywhere until I say so. I need to know you're safe. I'll make up a room for you.”

William tucked his chin to his chest and slowly nodded. ”Thank you.” He sniffled. ”I appreciate your hospitality.”