Chapter316: Safe?


    E


    Forty–five minutester, I back out of the bedroom, snicking the door shut behind me. Then, I stand up,


    closing my eyes and exhaling a long breath.


    “Is she all right?” a voice hisses, right behind me.


    I leap about a foot in the air, managing to muffle my shriek as I spin to see my mate standing about six


    inches from me, looking down with a worried expression. I smack him, hard, against the chest – more


    to get my adrenaline out than to actually hurt him – and re up at him, mad at him for scaring me like


    that. Sinir just blinks at me, waiting, my smack having had no effect on him at all.


    “Back up,” I whisper, putting my hands on his wide, muscled chest and pushing backwards. “She’s


    asleep, finally – where is the baby?”


    “He’s here,” Roger says, standing at the end of the hall with his godson in his arms. I smile, a little, at


    the sight as I move forward with my arms open. Roger quietly passes my baby to me and I smile down


    at my son, something in my body that has been anxious without him in the same room as me finally


    coming to rest.


    “Seriously, E,” Sinir says, looking back towards the closed door of our guest room. “Is Cora okay?”


    “I don’t know,” I say, looking towards the door anxiously. “Leon came back about ten minutester,


    offering a sedative so she could sleep. I told him to give it as long as it wouldn’t give her bad dreams.


    Or any dreams.”


    “Did she…say anything?” Sinir asks, still facing the door.


    I frown up at him, a little annoyed by his singr focus on information. “You know she’s your sister too


    now, Dominic,” I snap, my own emotions a bit on edge. “You could show a little more concern for her


    welfare, and not just see her as a source of information.”


    Sinir swiftly turns his attention to me, anger and frustration immediately on his face, but then he


    softens “I’m sorry, E,” he says, sincere. “I didn’t mean it like that. You know her health and safety are


    my first priority. I was just curious if you learned anything new.”


    I sigh, stepping forward closer to my mate, leaning my body against him. “I’m sorry,” I murmur. “I


    “You’re tired, and stressed,” he murmurs against my hair. “You haven’t had any sleep in about forty -


    eight hours…”


    “I’m going in with her,” Roger says suddenly, striding towards the guest room door.


    “Wha “I start, but he turns to me with his hand on the knob, giving me a look so fierce it steals the


    words from my mouth.


    “I’m not going to do anything, E,” Roger bites out, his voice stern but with an undercurrent of strong


    emotion. “I’m just going to…be there, all right? In case she needs anything. You two go get some


    sleep,” he says, his face softening. “The house is guarded – Cora will be all right with me.


    Just…you need sleep. She needs someone to sit with her. It makes sense. Okay?”


    I feel my eyes fill with tears at the sweet sincerity of my brother–inw and, seeing them, Sinir


    wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Come on, trouble,” he murmurs to me, nodding to Roger – who


    disappears into the bedroom – and guiding me towards our own room. “You’re overwrought – let’s get


    you down for a nap.”


    “How can I sleep,” I gasp, my voice shaky, wiping a tear from my face. “How can I sleep when


    someone ising for my baby – when my sister –”


    “You have to sleep,” Sinir murmurs, ushering Rafe and I into the room and closing the door behind


    us. Then he takes me by the shoulders and moves me towards the bed, taking the sleeping baby from


    my arms and cing him in his bas close to my side of the bed.


    I cry out a little when my baby leaves my arms. “Just for a moment,” Sinir murmurs, turning back to


    me and – to my surprise – beginning to undress me, tugging my shirt up over my head and arms and


    then sitting me down on the mattress, tugging off my leggings. When I’m in my underwear he leaves


    me for a moment, disappearing into the closet and returning with a soft nightgown, which he slides


    gently over my head. That done, he quickly dips down, lifting Rafe and returning him to my arms.


    “There now,” he says, kneeling down in front of me, which absurdly brings his head basically eye- level


    with mine. “You trust me, right?” he asks, and, sniffing, I nod vigorously.


    “And you know I’d never let anyone hurt or take Rafe, yes?


    Again, I nod.


    “Then, sleep, darling,” he says, lifting a hand to my face and gently cupping my cheek. “Because in


    sleep so you can be strong for them.”


    My lip trembles a little in overwrought exhaustion then. A little part of me knows that Sinir is talking


    to me like a child, and resents it, but arger part of me…god, it needs it. It needs the simple


    reassurance, the warm reminder that – at my most basic level – I am cared for, and safe.


    Nodding to Sinir and sending a burst of gratitude down our bond, I turn away from my mate and tuck


    my feet in underneath the nkets, taking the baby with me. “Tonight he sleeps in the bed with us,


    okay?” I murmur,ying the swaddled baby down t on the mattress between where Sinir and I


    sleep. I move all of the pillows and nkets away from him so he’ll be safe. “I want him close.”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    “Excellent idea,” Sinir murmurs, stripping down to his underwear and climbing into the bed with us.


    Then, he leans forward, kissing Rafe softly on the head beforeying his own head back on the pillow.


    I almost fall asleep when, scared, I open my eyes again, looking around. But all I see is Sinir’s eyes,


    open, meeting mine calmly. “You’re safe, E,” he whispers. “We all are. Go to sleep.” And so,


    comforted, I obey.


    Cora


    My body flinches, awake in an instant, and I sit stark straight in the bed in the strange room looking


    around – frantic –


    I hear noise at my side and flinch away from it – spinning to see


    But to my surprise, it’s just…Roger, starting awake in an armchair by the side of my bed


    “Cora,” he gasps, his voice still thick with sleep. “You scared me. Are you


    But I’m panting, a hand pressed to my heart as I stare at him as I remember the events ofst night –


    the strange, half–waking dream where I remembered…


    And then I’m scurrying backwards in the bed, eager to press my back against something, looking


    around the room for him – for the priest in the ck robes –


    My breathes fast and I’m panting, my heartrate instantly soaring despite being asleep moments


    ago –


    “Cora!” Roger exims, instantly at my side, taking my hand. I cling to his fingers, my hand still


    pressed against my chest as I panic. “It’s all right,” he says, his voice soothing as he hesitates and


    then moves closer to me. Suddenly, he’s at my side, the right side of his body pressed to my left.


    He lets go of my hand for a moment to slide that arm around my shoulders, pulling me tight


    against him.


    “You’re all right, Cora,” Roger murmurs reassuringly, holding me tight against him. “You’re all right. I’ve


    got you.”


    And then, slowly, I start to believe him. I close my eyes, trusting him, allowing my heartrate toe


    back down to a normal pace. I take a deep breath and make myself remember that I am in my sister’s


    house, which is heavily guarded. That no one can get in. That….that Roger’s here. That


    I’m safe.


    “Roger,” I say softly a minuteter, when I feel able. “Roger, I remember everything…”


    “Tell me, Cora,” he murmurs, his lips soft against my hair. “Tell me everything.“1