Page 56 of Beneath the Mountain Sky

Raven scowls at me. “I swear to God, Killian, if you hurt her any more than she already has been, I’ll fucking kill you myself.”

“I believe you.”

And it’s that devotion to Willow that prevents me from truly hating Raven, even if I might not like her.

She stalks away, closing the door behind her far quieter than I expect her to, given her mood.

As soon as I hear her car start up and pull away, I pour myself a much-needed third drink. The amber liquid in the glass blurs as I stare down at it, tears pooling. I squeeze my eyes closed before one falls.

You can’t cry.

You have to be strong.

In control.

I suck in a long, slow breath and release it just as slowly, then down the drink and hiss at the burn before I silently make my way back to the bedroom to her.

Just like I have so many nights before…

Only on those nights, it was to delve under the sheets with her and get her to make that little whimper that always undoes me.

That won’t be happening tonight.

Or any other time soon.

The door stands cracked at the end of the hall, nothing but the soft sounds of her rhythmic breathing audible in the darkness. I ease it open and find Willow curled in the center of the bed, wrapped up in the comforter. A thin sliver of moonlight from the window on the far wall reaches her, barely illuminating her face. But it’s enough to see that it isn’t as calm and peaceful a sleep as I hoped to find her in.

Her brow furrows.

Her eyes move frantically behind the lids.

All I want to do is climb in and hold her.

Tell her it will be okay.

Slay whatever demons chase her in her dreams.

Seeing her there in our bed, smelling her in this room again, it’s all I can think about.

But I can’t do that.

It was dangerous enough pulling her onto my lap in the chair last night. All day while conducting the search, I relived each moment of having her in my arms.

The press of her body to mine.

The scent of her invading my breath.

The feel of her soft puff of breath against my neck.

I can’t allow anything else to happen.

It isn’t fair to her, knowing that she would hate me if I told her the truth.

I start to pull the door closed, but her violent scream slices through the night air. Willow bolts upright in the bed, frantically lashing out at someone or something that isn’t there.

“Willow?” I launch across the room, at her side in a second, pulling her into my arms. “Willow, wake up!”

“No, no, no!”