Chapter 2

Piercy frowned, but nodded. “What movie?” 

Sighing in defeat, I grabbed whatever was on top. The Fast and Furious collection. “I guess this.” 

Piercy held the door for me as I walked out. He had gotten used to putting his hand on my back or thigh, never trying anything more. “Go ahead and put it in and I’ll get the snacks.” Piercy’s room was much bigger than mine. The T.V. was pointed at the couch. Thankfully, that meant I wasn’t getting into his bed. 

Hitting play, I grabbed a blanket and sat down off to the side. Not against the armrest, but not in the middle. “Here you go.” Piercy handed me a glass of Crown in ice. 

“Thanks.” 

Setting the popcorn in the middle, we fell into this comfortable, yet awkward silence. The kind you feel when you’re in high school with your crush, but his parents are in the same room… yeah, that weird awkwardness. 

“Are you done?” Piercy looked at me and looked at the half eaten popcorn. 

“Yeah.”

“Need a refill?”

“Please.” It felt like I could finally breathe when he took my glass and walked away. 

When he came back, Piercy moved the ottoman over so he could put his legs up. “Come here.” He growled and pulled me next to him.

“Hey!” 

“Be still.” Piercy put his arm across my bent legs and made them lean over his lap. Keeping my shoulder pinned with his, I wasn’t going far. Pretty sure it was by design that I was forced to put my arm through his so I can be comfortable. 

As my drink got lower, so did my eyelids. After the Luna ceremony and dancing, I was exhausted. Since the movie still had 30 minutes left, I allowed my eyes to close. 

Somewhere down the road, I felt Piercy kiss my forehead. The sparks were soothing the nightmares that plagued my dreams. I know Rowan was dead, but I still saw the gun Tina pointed at me. I still saw the way his hands touched Tatum…. Michelle’s hatred in her eyes. 

“Ready for another round?” Tina’s shrill laugh forced me awake.

“NO!” I screamed and sat up. 

“What?” Piercy’s phone went flying “What the fuck was that?” 

Looking around, I was in his bed. I was in Piercy’s bed on one side and he was on the other. “I…” tossing the covers off, I felt the tears. I needed to get out of here. I couldn’t breathe. My heart was racing, and the walls were caving in. 

“Holy shit, Brett.” Piercy grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look at him. “Breath!” 

I heard him, but I didn’t hear him. First was my knees to give out. Piercy caught me, helping me to the floor before he picked me up. Putting me on his lap, his arms wrapped around me. 

“You told me this stopped!” He growled into my ear. “That’s it. Breath in and out.” 

His lips peppered my forehead and cheek with kisses. Letting them run down his chiseled chest. “I need to go.” I finally spit out.

“No.” Piercy’s voice was final. “You fucking told me these stopped. Talk to me.”

“They only happen at night. I can see their faces before the gun goes off.” 

“Is that why you refuse to spend the night with me?” Piercy forced me to look at him.

“That and you are just a dick.” 

“Be serious.”

“I was.”

“Brett!”

“Fine. Mostly. This is weakness and I’m not supposed to be weak. Tatum handled it. Why can’t I?”

“Tatum isn’t normal. Something is seriously wrong with that girl. This... this is normal. You experience a trauma. You were kidnapped, shot in the leg and had to run for your life. This isn’t weak and I can guarantee you that Tatum still has some leftover trauma and they work through. The difference is, Tatum lets Maddox help. Let me help you. Fuck, Brett. Let me in.” 

“I’ve never been able to let anyone in.” 

My body stopped shaking as badly, but it was still there. “No one else was your mate. I’m your mate. You heard all the crap they spilled on accepting your mate. Do that.” 

“You don’t believe half of the shit they said.” I couldn’t help but laugh at him. 

“Let’s just start with these night terrors you have. Let me help you. Come, lay down with me and let me hold you.” 

I was so scared. I never let him stay with me, even after I was saved. Just took the pain pill and passed out. It’s not like I haven’t slept with a guy before. Just not him. 

Piercy didn’t wait for me to answer. Picking me up, he carried me to the bed. It was like I didn’t weigh anything. Laying me down, he put his arm under my head and pulled me close. My ear rested on his chest and he pulled my leg through his. 

As he played with my hair, I felt my body relax against him. Slowly, drifting off to sleep. “Oh, Brett. Why can’t I get through to you?” Piercy whispered in my ear before he kissed my forehead. 

“Babe?” Piercy’s voice slowly pulled me up out of my sleep. His hand was playing with my hair, but I was still curled up in his arms. “I let you sleep as long as I could. We need to eat before we leave.” 

Leave… time to put on a happy face and fake it. That’s the saying, right? Fake it until you make it? The only problem was, when would I make it? 

“Alright.” Pulling out of his chest, he didn’t move with me. “I’ll meet you down there.” 

Still, Piercy didn’t stop me as I got up and walked out of his room. “Brett?” Tatum’s voice made me smile. She was holding her ear to the door as she knocked. 

“Boo!” I yelled as she jumped a mile. 

“Shit!” I loved watching her put her hand over her heart. “Doing the walk if shame?”

“No.” Sighing, I just pushed the door open for us. “We didn’t even kiss. Just fell asleep watching a movie.” 

Tatum plopped down on the chair as I grabbed some clothes for the day. “Cade told me.” 

That made me laugh. Tatum already knew, but I swore her to secrecy. “What did you say back to that?”

Smiling at her, I went to the bathroom as she followed me. Part of me wanted to tell her the whole truth, but it wouldn’t matter.