Page 11

Ronan

“ H -how are you here?” Her voice falters, and I can feel the fear she’s trying to hide. It seeps into my bones, drawing me closer to her like a moth to a flame.

“It’s your dream, gorgeous. You tell me.”

The words fall from my lips, smoothing over her panic like a warm blanket. I can see her relaxing, her shoulders slouching just the slightest bit.

I take a small step towards her.

“My love, you have blood all over you. Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?” My voice lowers with each question, a telling reaction to the fury running through my veins.

If someone hurt her, again…

My eye twitches at the thought, fists curling by my sides.

“N-no I, I…” she starts to trail off, getting lost in her memories of something I can’t see.

I rush toward my girl, the fear of scaring her outweighed by something much deeper–my need to protect her. She’s mine. And right now, she needs me more than she needs space.

“Hey, you’re okay. I’m here, gorgeous. Nothing can hurt you now,” I coo to her softly .

Lifting my hand to her face, I cradle her soft cheek in my palm. Touching her sparks something deep and undeniable. She feels like home. Like I’ve always known her, even if I’ve never had her.

“I can’t change the past, but I can be whatever you need me to be right now. You say the words and I’ll take care of it,” I tell her, and it’s true. I would do anything to keep a smile on that pretty face.

She sniffles, and her red-rimmed and glossy eyes rise to meet mine.

“Can you make the bad touches go away?”