Page 119 of Shadows of Obsession

"Better," I said, realizing it was true. "Sore, but better. You?"

"The same." His thumb brushed across my bottom lip. "I kept waking up last night to make sure you were still here. Still breathing."

Oh, Jaxon.

"I'm here," I promised, covering his hand with mine. "We both are."

We lay there a while longer, just holding each other as the morning light grew stronger. No words were needed—just the comfort of shared space and mutual understanding.

Finally, Jaxon pressed a kiss to my forehead and climbed out of bed.

"Stay here. I'll bring you coffee."

"I can get up," I protested, even as my body refused the idea of movement.

"I know you can," he said with a small smile. "But you don't have to. Let me take care of you today."

I decided to let him. I needed to let someone take care of me for once.

So I did. I settled back against the pillows and watched him leave, then carefully got up to use the bathroom and brush my teeth. The mirror reflected the same battered face as yesterday, but somehow it didn't feel quite as devastating.

I focused on the fact that I survived. I was still here. That's what mattered.

When I made it downstairs twenty minutes later, showered and dressed in another pair of comfortable clothes that hid most of the damage, Jaxon had a tray set with coffee, toast, and scrambled eggs, ready to take upstairs.

"You didn't have to—"

"I wanted to," he interrupted gently, pulling out a chair for me. "Besides, you made dinner yesterday. My turn."

We ate breakfast in comfortable silence, the quiet clink of forks and the soft morning sounds of the ranch drifting through the open windows, creating a peaceful soundtrack.

"What do you want to do today?" Jaxon asked as we cleared the dishes together.

I thought about it. Yesterday had been about surviving, just making it through each hour. But today…

"Something normal," I said finally. "I want to do something that feels normal. Maybe check on the horses? Work in the tack room for a bit?"

Jaxon studied my face for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But we take it slow. If you need to stop, we stop. Deal?"

"Deal."

We spent the morning at the barn, moving at a leisurely pace. Jaxon insisted on doing all the heavy lifting, so I focused on smaller tasks like organizing brushes, checking tack for repairs, and spending time with Choco, who nickered happily when I appeared.

Denny had taken care of everything yesterday, but it still felt good to be back in that space, surrounded by the familiar scents of hay, leather, and horse. It felt like reclaiming a piece of normalcy.

Around midday, Jaxon found me in Choco's stall, brushing his gleaming coat. He leaned against the stall door, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.

"What?" I asked, pausing mid-stroke.

"Nothing," he said softly. "Just… I love watching you with him. You look peaceful."

I paused, considering when the last time I'd felt truly peaceful had been.

But looking at Jaxon standing there, sunlight streaming through the barn windows and catching the blue in his eyes, I realized I did feel peaceful. Despite everything, despite the trauma still so fresh, there was a quiet in this moment I hadn't felt in a long time.

"Come here," I said, setting down the brush.

Jaxon entered the stall, and Choco immediately nuzzled his shoulder, searching for treats. I laughed as Jaxon produced an apple slice from his pocket.