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Me: Pet, I’m on my way. Whatever you need, I’ll give it to you.

I threw the phone on the passenger seat and went to put the vehicle into drive when my phone dinged.

Pet: I’m sorry for bothering you. You said I could text you if I had a nightmare. I didn’t mean to call. I shouldn’t have done that, but I wanted to talk. I tried to talk. I’m sorry.

My stomach twisted.

Me: Don’t you dare apologize to me or to anyone for not speaking. You’ll give me your voice when you’re ready. Now stop texting me, so I can drive over and comfort my girl.

Pet: Thank you.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled out of the parking lot and sped across town to Ainsley’s place. Maybe my brother was right. Did I even know what I was doing? No. I didn’t. But I didn’t give a shit about that because I knew that no matter what, I wanted to do it with Ainsley.

***



















(Ainsley)

The nightmare had mynerves on edge, my first instinct was to call Cyrus. I should have just texted him, but my fingers got away from me and the next thing I knew, his deep voice sounded on the other end of the phone. The words asking for him to come over were on the tip of my tongue, but I still couldn’t get them out. He was right. I didn’t trust him enough yet. I wanted to, God did I ever want to. I also knew that I couldn’t force it. No matter how much I tried.

A buzz sounded throughout the living room, indicating Cyrus’s arrival. I rushed to the panel on the wall with the security system and buzzers and pressed a button.

“I’m here, pet. Let me in.”

A breath I didn’t realize I had been holding, left me. I stabbed the button that would let him in, needing Cyrus to comfort me like he promised.

I unlocked the door and stepped out into the hall.

Cyrus came around the corner a few minutes later, sucking all of the air from my lungs. He was wearing gray sweatpants along with a navy blue hoodie. His head lifted, his dark eyes meeting mine. He picked up his pace.

I took a couple of steps toward him when he stopped a few feet away.

He didn’t say anything. He just waited. Maybe for me to make the first move. Maybe for me to finally say something. I wasn’t sure. But I did know I needed him to distract me from the nightmares rushing through my mind.

Closing the distance between us, I fisted his hoodie and pulled him closer.

He took the hint, wrapping his big body around mine and lifting me into his arms. “I got you, baby.” His lips found the side of my throat, sending a hot shiver racing down my spine.