Let herself feel the security of his arms, the safety of his presence.
She didn't know why she trusted him so much.
But she did.
Chapter 11
The sun broke throughthe off-white curtains, casting the living room in light.Hunter turned his head, stretching his neck.He hadn't slept more than five minutes at a stretch.
Annie curled up against him sometime after midnight, her warm breath on his chest, her trembling body relaxing the longer she cuddled with him.He held her through the worst of her night terrors, and she stayed long after her breathing evened out.
It had been a long time since he'd held someone like that through the night.
It's been a long time since holding a woman meant anything to him.Living at the clubhouse gave him access to women, but belonging to Royalla offered little chance to find someone to add to his life.Some of the other guys had settled down and seemed happy.He was different.He'd never had the drive to bring someone into his messed-up life.Living each day, shut off from the hearing world, was hard enough.He was getting too old to want to complicate his life more by adding an old lady.
His cock pounded.He shifted in the chair.Soon, he'd need to stand and ease the agony.Though it felt nice holding on to Annie.
Now, in the pale light of morning, she stirred.He braced for her reaction.Things always looked different in the daylight than in the dark.
Her lashes fluttered, and then her eyes opened.She blinked up at him, reality waking her up.
A flush crept into her cheeks.She sat up quickly, arms crossing her chest, hugging herself as if to protect herself from him.
Her cheeks flushed as she met his gaze."Sorry."
He rubbed her back.There was nothing to be sorry for.After the shitshow she'd lived through, she would have bad dreams.He still dreamed about his dad putting the barrel of the shotgun against his forehead.
Across the room, Leigh tried to sit up, wincing as she shifted.
Annie was at her side instantly, crouching beside her sister, helping her up.
Leigh waved her off, stepping away from her.
Annie hesitated, glancing at Hunter.He could see it in her eyes—she didn't want to let Leigh out of her sight.But there were improvements.Today, Leigh walked without assistance.
"She's getting stronger," he said."Now, take care of yourself."
