Then, just when she thought it was over, there was light up ahead. Only, it wasn’t just light, but a person.
Her chest trembled, her eyes widened, and her body felt like it had gained new strength as she realized salvation was near.
It has to be him!
She could see him, right up ahead. Actually, all she saw was the back, but she knew instinctively that this would be the person to save her. Her hand outstretched, and she could swear she felt a warm wash of breath brush up against her neck, making her skin crawl.
Out of desperation, she pushed her body even harder and screamed out her savior’s name:
“Samuel!”
“Camila!”
He shouted her name back at her, and Camila came to, with Samuel holding onto her struggling body, trying his best not to hurt her or let her hurt herself. When she froze suddenly, so did he, then his hands gentled around her, one hand patting her hair, the other rubbing her back.
“Camila?” he tried again, his voice softer.
Slowly, she raised her head up, her mind slowly catching up. She really had been in the middle of a nightmare, but the feel of Samuel against her was warm, solid. Real.
I’m awake,she realized with relief.
In the next moment, she felt her eyes sting with tears as her throat closed up with the need to cry.
“Camila, would you please tell me what’s wrong?”
She hadn't noticed before, but she was paying more attention now, and she heard how strained Samuel’s voice was. She blinked up at him and saw his expression. He looked frantic, his expression a little strange, even his hands that were all over her, like he didn’t know how to comfort her but was trying his best.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice coming out hoarse.
Then she lost the fight with her tears, and her eyes quickly filled till the tears spilled down her cheeks. Samuel made a noise of frustration and worry, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close as he rocked her gently, nuzzling her hair.
Camila was gasping in breaths between sobs, but with Samuel soothing her, she calmed down quickly. The fear from her nightmare was long gone, and now, she could only feel embarrassed as she wiped her cheeks and hid her face in his chest.
He wasn’t having that, though, releasing her to cup her face between his hands so he could look in her eyes. A lamp in the room was on, giving a low light so they could see each other clearly. The rest of the room was still dark, but it didn’t make her feel afraid after that nightmare. Not with Samuel right next to her.
“Did you have a nightmare?” he asked, frowning. “Can you tell me what it was about?”
Camila sighed, then reluctantly admitted. “Your brother. And… my father.”
His expression was grim when she mentioned Adrien, but when she added her dad as well, he frowned, looking confused.
“Your father?”
She nodded slowly, then hesitated. If he had done research on her, like she’d done on him, it wouldn’t have been hard for him to find out. After her dad’s death, her mom reverted to her maiden name, and Camila’s name was changed accordingly. But it wasn’t like that was enough to hide the truth.
Camila had hoped to never have this conversation with Samuel, because she didn’t know how he would react, but if they were going to move forward, he was going to have to know about it.
“My dad… died when I was a kid,” she began.
“Oh,” he murmured. “I’m sorry.”
Camila snorted. “There’s no need for you to apologize, it’s not exactly a bad thing and he did deserve it. He wasn’t a good man. He abused my mom, and she would protect me from the abuse, too. Samuel… my dad didn’t just die, my mom killed him. To protect the two of us, because he was dangerous to both of us. I think it’s why she’s so wary of your family.”
“Because of Adrien,” he finished the thought for her, his jaw tightened.
Camila just watched him silently, but he didn’t even seem fazed, even though she’d just told him he had dined in his house, at his table with his sister present, with a killer.
When he did react, he pulled her back into a hug, and the move surprised her. Did he… really not care?
“I’m sorry that you and your mother had to go through that,” Samuel murmured, his voice tight. “But you’ll never have to worry about that with me around, especially not from my brother. I promise I’ll protect you, so no more nightmares, okay? No matter what happens, I’m here.”
Camila felt her eyes sting with tears again, only with gratitude and another emotion she was hesitant to name. She let out a shaky sigh as she let him comfort her.
When they fell asleep a second time, with her secured in his arms, there was no nightmare this time.