Read Online Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer (Nightmares Trilogy) by Demelza Carlton - Free Book Online

nightmares and you wouldn't wake up. You... were screaming. Screaming for me to help you. You... don't scream as much if I... hug you." I sounded like the worst kind of deviant, watching and touching her while she slept.
    "How often have you ... hugged me?" Caitlin asked cautiously.
    I didn't want to answer, but it was better if I did. The nurses would tell her, anyway, if I didn't. "Whenever you had nightmares, until you stopped screaming."
    Her round dark eyes held a lot of things in their depths: betrayal, sadness, panic. She didn't say anything, but her eyes said plenty.
    "I did it because I couldn't wake you up. I promised... I promised I wouldn't let them hurt you and they were hurting you in your dreams. I couldn't just sit by and do nothing." I spoke faster than I'd intended. Shit. It was like I'd told my boss, charm and a smile wouldn't work on Caitlin. I was fucked.
    She bit her lip, still not saying a word.
    "That's all, I swear! The same as tonight. It helped you to calm down, stop screaming and settle back into a peaceful sleep." I swallowed. Except the one time I went too far and kissed her, when she let me know just how much she didn't like that. Shit, don't even think about it.
    Her voice was soft and she spoke slowly, as if considering each word. "That explains ... some things." She didn't explain anything. Her big eyes studied me. "Nathan, could you do me a favour?"
    If she let me stay like I was supposed to after this monumental fuck-up, I'd do just about anything. "Sure," I replied.
    "Next time I have a bad dream, can you please wake me up first?" Her eyes were pleading.
    I smiled broadly. "Sure," I said again, turning on the charm just a little in relief. "With pleasure."
    She shrank back against the pillows, her eyes wide with fear once more. "But please don't touch me."
    I felt my heart shrink in response. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn't know how to do it without touching her. I stared at her for a moment, before closing my eyes, nodding wearily as I headed back to bed.
    I got the message, all right. I was more useful asleep and on the other side of the room. I wasn't going to argue with that.

32
    In the evening, I sat in the chair beside her bed, watching some programme that Caitlin found more interesting than I did. It seemed to be about some women who agonised over their inability to have a perfect, long-term relationship with a man, in between trying men on the way they tried on clothes. It was funny, if nothing else. More than once, I saw a watery smile float to the surface of Caitlin's expression, before it sank to the hidden depths again.
    I ached to see her smile properly or even laugh. I found my thoughts drifting to what I could do to lift her spirits. I decided to go to the gift shop downstairs and pick up some chocolate. I stood up, opening my mouth to tell her I'd be right back.
    The phone rang on the bedside cabinet between us. We looked at each other, surprised, before she started to reach for it.
    She's going to realise she can't pick it up, then she's going to cry, I thought. Quicker and closer, I hit the button that put the call on the phone's hands-free setting.
    "Hello?" I answered quickly, before she could react.
    An older man responded in a heavy accent, sounding confused. "Ah, I was looking for Caitlin Lockyer? I'm her father."
    My eyes went to Caitlin, questioningly.
    She nodded as she spoke up. "Hi, Dad. I'm here."
    "I've only just checked my messages – we've been out of range of all but satphones for the last month. The police got a hold of me just as we left, to say they'd call me if they had any updates, but it didn't seem that they did. Your friend Jo left a message for me to say you'd been found, but you were in hospital. What happened?"
    I took a step toward the door, trying to keep my voice as low as possible. "Did you want me to stay, or will you be okay if I ..." I gestured toward the corridor beyond her room.
    Caitlin shook her head, looking unconcerned. "Go,