"I love the way you way my name," I grunt. "Fucking love it. Say it again."
"No." She struggles again, but this time, it's without any real effort. I smirk, knowing full well she doesn't really want to get away.”
"Just stop."
"Stop?"
"Stop." She nods, but there's uncertainty in her eyes.
"Okay." I pull my arms away, watching her rub her wrists where I held on to them. "I'll leave if you want me to."
I make a move to pull back when she suddenly latches onto me. Her arms go around my neck, and she wraps her legs around my waist, making me unable to move. With a groan, I collapse back into the bed beside her, but she still doesn't move, clinging on to me for dear life. And the words she whispers into my ear fucking wreck me.
"Don't leave me," she whispers. "Everyone leaves me. Don't be like them."
I'm too deep in my thoughts to muster up a reply, so I just nod and hold her against my chest. In seconds, her breathing slows as she calms herself. It only takes a few minutes of stroking her hair and back for Monroe to fall asleep. This time, her breaths are slow and steady, and there's a smile on her face as she drifts to sleep.
No nightmares.
Not when I'm around, at least.
If only Monroe knew I'm what nightmares are fucking made of.
But I know it would scare her off. And I'm already getting attached. I can't risk losing her now, not when things are just starting to get good for us.
Holding her against me, I stroke her hair and don't sleep a wink. My thoughts are too full of the situation I got us in, too full of Monroe. She's got my head spinning, and I don't know if I like it or not.
But I don't have a choice, not anymore. I'm as far gone as she is, and only time will tell whether that's a good thing... or the beginning of the end.