Page 185 of Heartless

The whimpers turned into sobs.“I don’t want to die...I...”

I pinned her under me.“Sienna, wake-up.”

Her frame suddenly stilled.Her big eyes snapped open.“Jake?”

Terror darkened her eyes.My chest caved in, and I brushed her hair from her damp temples.“You’re okay my butterfly.You’re safe.”

She threw her arms around my neck.Holding her trembling body, I sat up with my back against the bedhead and pulled the comforter around her.

Slowly, her tremors subsided, and I cupped the back of her head.“Tell me, baby.”

“Nigel...My mom...The bear...My house.”

When her tears wetted my skin, I rocked her until she fell asleep.

I kissed her head and listened to her soft breaths.My baby had been through hell.After lying her back down, I switched off the lamp and tucked her to my side.

Her arm squeezed my gut.“Don’t break my heart, Jake.”

The words murmured against my skin stopped everything.“Baby?”

She was asleep.With my chest tight, I touched my head to hers and breathed her in.“I won’t, baby.I fucking swear I never will.”

She’d opened her heart to me again.Settling back, I grinned at the ceiling.

****

Ientered the roomthat had been my father’s where Sienna, seated cross-legged on the terrace floor beside Willie’s wheelchair, was laughing.Her gaze lifted to mine before she jumped on her feet and looped her arms around my neck.After a kiss I had to stop unless we were going to give the old man an X-rated show, I shook his hand.

“How are you, man?”

He grinned.“Coming to take your girl from me?”

I tucked Sienna to my side.“We’re going to Cam’s for lunch.”

Willie Devereaux slapped his gut.“That means leftovers next week.Can’t wait, man.Love and good food.All a man needs to reach paradise, and it doesn’t hurt that the old people are jealous of the beauties who visit me.”

When Sienna had told Cam and Jo about Willie’s family, they’d started visiting him too.

He opened his arms.“Give me some sugar, pretty girl.”

Sienna stepped out from under my shoulder to bend at the waist and wrap her arms around the old man.After planting a kiss on his cheek, she stayed at eye-level with him.

“Next time, I’ll have the draft of my first chapters for you.”

Willie notched his chin down.“Looking forward to it, Sienna.”

On one last wave from Sienna, we headed toward the front doors.

In the car, she threw me a smile I felt in my cock.“Willie said you helped him get your father’s old room.That was very kind of you.”

All I’d done was to keep up the payment for the remainder of the year.But that softness in her eyes had just secured the room for the old man for however long he’d need it.

“I can be kind.”

When she touched my jaw and leaned in, my whole body strained toward hers.

“And wonderful,” she whispered.