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“B, about tonight—”

“Don’t,” I interrupted as drowsiness bombarded me. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“But I want you to know…” His chest heaved with his next exhale. “I’ll protect you. You know that, right? No matter what.”

My heart migrated in my throat, choking me, as I took in his confession. Devoured it.

“I’m scared,” I confessed after a long moment of silence, the words tumbling from my lips before I could consider the ramifications of saying them.

For a long moment, Tanner didn’t speak, and I would’ve believed he’d fallen asleep if his finger hadn’t repeatedly been drawing patterns on my skin.

“I am too,” he whispered at last. He pressed a kiss to the crown of my head. “Go to sleep, my little gymnast. I’ll stay with you tonight.” His arms tightened around me, the move both possessive and protective. “No monsters will get you as long as I have breath in my lungs.”

And that was exactly what I was afraid of.

Because now that I had feelings for Tanner…

The thought of losing him was inconceivable.

Somehow, I had the strangest sense that we both wouldn’t make it out of this mess alive.

It terrified the shit out of me.