Page 38 of I Don't Need Your Protection

“So…I’m not going to die?” I croak.

Caleb walks over until he’s standing right next to me. For a second, it looks like he might want to take my hand or something, but he says, “Nothing will harm you as long as I’m around.”

“Sweeny Todd?”

His brows dip. “What?”

“Never mind.” I hug my stuffed elephant closer as my body continues to shake. “Thanks for, um…looking out for me.”

“Just doing my job.”

I know he keeps saying that, but from the expression in his eyes, I get the sense it’s more than that. Or maybe that’s just me wishing that were the case. I’d like to think I have more value than just being a “job.”

I notice Caleb studying the way my body still quivers. “Are you okay?”

“What? Oh, um. Yeah. Of course.” I force a smile.

He doesn’t look convinced. “I’m sorry I scared you. I really thought…” He shakes his head as he runs his hand through his hair. “You should go back to sleep.”

A part of me wants to assure him that he shouldn’t feel bad or guilty—my freakout is mostly due to my nightmare. But the last thing I want is for him to know I have nightmares. How mortifying is that?

“You should go to sleep, too,” I say. “It doesn’t look like you slept a wink.”

“I didn’t.”

“Do you sleep at all?”

“I sleep as much as I need.”

I lift a brow. “And how many hours is that?”

“As much as I need.”

“So cryptic. You can tell me, you know. I won’t tattle to your superior if you squeeze in some extra sleep. Like a human should,” I mutter under my breath.

He’s quiet for a second or two before saying in a slightly more authoritative tone, “Get some sleep, Addilyn.”

He lowers himself on the comfy chair next to my bed and pins his eyes on me. When I glance at the clock on the wall, Isee it’s nearly four in the morning. Is he trying to tell me he plans to stay up most of the night watching me sleep?

As if he senses my thoughts, he says, “I’m not going to watch you like a creep.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“My job is to protect you, Addilyn. A person is the most vulnerable when they sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” I mutter.

The truth is, he’s not the reason I’m hesitant to go back to sleep. If I close my eyes, will I have another nightmare? After the spook I had tonight, I don’t know if I can handle it. Ugh, I feel like such a baby, being scared to go to sleep.

“Your elephant wants you to go to sleep,” he says.

My surprised eyes spring to his face. Do I see a hint of a smile on his lips?

“Ellie only speaks to me,” I say. “So you can’t possibly know what she’s thinking.”

“She made an exception for me.”

“Has she?” I look down at my elephant. “Are you betraying me?”