Read Online Every Dawn Forever by R. E. Butler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: R. E. Butler
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bed,” she agreed, hiding her own yawn behind her hand. The TV was turned off and they left the family room together. The three men said goodnight to her and she returned the sentiment, walking down to her bedroom by herself.
She paused at the door to the bedroom she was staying in — hers , Crux had said — and looked down the now-empty hallway. Sterling was in the basement, in what they had said was their winter den. Crux and Orion were in their own rooms with the doors shut. The house was entirely silent. She’d never been in such a peaceful place.
Opening the door to her room, she shut it quietly and moved to the dresser, gathering a nightgown and changing in the bathroom. She climbed into the big bed and settled under the covers, far on the right side after she turned out the light.
Why am I all the way over here? she asked herself, forcing her body to roll back over and settle into the middle of the bed. She stretched her legs and arms out, taking up the whole bed, and then giggled at the absurdity of something so simple making her happy. In the dark silence of the bedroom, she listened to the nothingness. The house was utterly quiet. No blaring television. No ugly body noises. No boots clomping down the hallway, signaling that she wasn’t going to be alone any longer. Sleep came quickly as peace settled over her like the warm blanket on her body.
She sat up with a sharp cry, slapping her hand over her mouth to stifle the outburst. She looked around wildly for Byron, sure she’d felt his hot breath on her neck and his rough hands on her body. Breathing hard, her heart pounding in her ears, her eyes adjusted to the faint light from the open blinds and she realized it had been a dream. Still…the dream had felt so real. Rubbing at the goosebumps on her arms and then wiping at the tears that had streamed down her cheeks while she slept, she tried to settle her racing pulse.
A soft tapping on the door made her breath catch in her throat. He’s not here, he’s not here , she chanted to herself, before croaking out, “Y-yes?”
“Sydney, are you alright?”
Her breath came out on a harsh sigh as relief flooded her body. “I had a nightmare, Sterling.”
The door opened slowly and he stood in track pants and no shirt, framed by the open door. “You’re safe here. I designed the security system myself. No one will get to you.”
Her hands dropped to the quilt, her fingers rubbing along the pattern. “Would you stay with me for a while? Until I fall back asleep?”
He nodded, sitting down in the doorway and leaning his back against the door jam. He was so big, he looked squished, but he didn’t seem to mind. He looked at her. “Rest now, Little One, and have sweet dreams until morning.”
“Thank you, Sterling.” She scooted back under the covers and turned on her side, facing the doorway. Her eyes closed and peace returned, with Sterling holding the nightmares at bay simply with his presence. As she slipped back into sleep, she wondered what would happen with her nightmares when she left this home and went to her cousin’s.
When sunlight woke her from a dreamless sleep, she glanced immediately to the door and found it closed, Sterling gone. She didn’t want to feel disappointed, because it surely couldn’t have been comfortable for him to sit there all night, but she would have liked to say hello to him first thing in the morning.
A glance at the clock on the nightstand next to the vase of flowers said it was after eight. She hadn’t slept this late in years. Swinging her legs down, she stretched thoroughly and then stood, picking out clothes and heading into the bathroom to take a shower.
After she cleaned up, she found Crux in the kitchen, dumping scrambled eggs into a bowl. “Morning, baby!” He grinned at her, looking far too handsome for so early in the morning. He had jade-green eyes surrounded by lashes that
She paused at the door to the bedroom she was staying in — hers , Crux had said — and looked down the now-empty hallway. Sterling was in the basement, in what they had said was their winter den. Crux and Orion were in their own rooms with the doors shut. The house was entirely silent. She’d never been in such a peaceful place.
Opening the door to her room, she shut it quietly and moved to the dresser, gathering a nightgown and changing in the bathroom. She climbed into the big bed and settled under the covers, far on the right side after she turned out the light.
Why am I all the way over here? she asked herself, forcing her body to roll back over and settle into the middle of the bed. She stretched her legs and arms out, taking up the whole bed, and then giggled at the absurdity of something so simple making her happy. In the dark silence of the bedroom, she listened to the nothingness. The house was utterly quiet. No blaring television. No ugly body noises. No boots clomping down the hallway, signaling that she wasn’t going to be alone any longer. Sleep came quickly as peace settled over her like the warm blanket on her body.
She sat up with a sharp cry, slapping her hand over her mouth to stifle the outburst. She looked around wildly for Byron, sure she’d felt his hot breath on her neck and his rough hands on her body. Breathing hard, her heart pounding in her ears, her eyes adjusted to the faint light from the open blinds and she realized it had been a dream. Still…the dream had felt so real. Rubbing at the goosebumps on her arms and then wiping at the tears that had streamed down her cheeks while she slept, she tried to settle her racing pulse.
A soft tapping on the door made her breath catch in her throat. He’s not here, he’s not here , she chanted to herself, before croaking out, “Y-yes?”
“Sydney, are you alright?”
Her breath came out on a harsh sigh as relief flooded her body. “I had a nightmare, Sterling.”
The door opened slowly and he stood in track pants and no shirt, framed by the open door. “You’re safe here. I designed the security system myself. No one will get to you.”
Her hands dropped to the quilt, her fingers rubbing along the pattern. “Would you stay with me for a while? Until I fall back asleep?”
He nodded, sitting down in the doorway and leaning his back against the door jam. He was so big, he looked squished, but he didn’t seem to mind. He looked at her. “Rest now, Little One, and have sweet dreams until morning.”
“Thank you, Sterling.” She scooted back under the covers and turned on her side, facing the doorway. Her eyes closed and peace returned, with Sterling holding the nightmares at bay simply with his presence. As she slipped back into sleep, she wondered what would happen with her nightmares when she left this home and went to her cousin’s.
When sunlight woke her from a dreamless sleep, she glanced immediately to the door and found it closed, Sterling gone. She didn’t want to feel disappointed, because it surely couldn’t have been comfortable for him to sit there all night, but she would have liked to say hello to him first thing in the morning.
A glance at the clock on the nightstand next to the vase of flowers said it was after eight. She hadn’t slept this late in years. Swinging her legs down, she stretched thoroughly and then stood, picking out clothes and heading into the bathroom to take a shower.
After she cleaned up, she found Crux in the kitchen, dumping scrambled eggs into a bowl. “Morning, baby!” He grinned at her, looking far too handsome for so early in the morning. He had jade-green eyes surrounded by lashes that
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