He exhales slowly, rubbing a hand over his jaw.
“Because no one ever let you justbe,” he says. “But that’s over now. You hear me? I’m gonna take care of you, Sera. You don’t have to look over your shoulder anymore.”
The promise in his voice is too much. It makes my throat ache, my eyes sting harder. I nod, trying to breathe through the storm building inside me.
Then a noise outside cracks the silence—a sharp bang, metal against metal. I jolt, heart leaping to my throat. Before I canstop myself, I reach for him. My fingers clutch his arm, hard, trembling.
He reacts instantly, wrapping an arm around me, tucking me in against his chest.
“Hey, hey,” he murmurs, hand smoothing over my back. “It’s okay. Just a car door. Nothing’s gonna hurt you here.”
But my heart won’t slow down. It hammers against my ribs like it’s trying to escape. I bury my face in his shirt, the scent of his cologne and warmth grounding me. His heartbeat is steady against my cheek, his thumb tracing slow circles against my spine until my breaths even out.
The phone on the nightstand buzzes. Trey reaches for it with one hand, still holding me close. The screen lights his face, a soft blue glow across sharp cheekbones.
“Mac,” he mutters, thumb swiping over the message. His jaw tenses, then eases. “They’re on their way. Couple hours out.”
Trey’s gaze doesn’t move from me. The room hums with silence, a fragile thread stretched between us. He looks like he’s about to say something, then stops, running a hand through his hair before exhaling softly.
“I meant what I said earlier,” he murmurs. “Even if you wake up tomorrow and change your mind—if you decide you don’t want me to marry you—.”
My throat tightens.
“I’ll be whatever you need, Sera,” he continues, voice roughened by something I can’t name. “A wall between you and them. A place you can breathe. A space to just be.”
He shifts closer, his hand barely brushing the blanket that covers me.
“I’ll be the silence when your world gets too loud. The hands that never hurt. The kind of safe you don’t have to earn.”
The words hit like a breaking wave. My lip trembles, my breath stutters.
“Trey…”
He shakes his head gently. “You don’t owe me anything. Not a vow. Not forever. Just—” His voice cracks. “Just give yourself a chance to exist. That’s all I want for you.”
I can’t stop the tears this time. They burn hot and relentless down my cheeks, falling onto the blanket. I turn toward him, searching his face for the catch, the joke, the warning. There isn’t one. Just truth.
Chapter seventeen
Trey
Open Your Eyes – Snow Patrol
She’s asleep before I even realize she’s gone quiet.
Head tilted against my stomach, breath slow and steady, one hand still clutching the blanket like someone might steal it if she lets go.
Oh, shit. She’s out cold.
Now I don’t want to move. This is awkward as hell.
Slow and consistent, right? Like easing out from under her?
Nah. Quick and clean. Tablecloth trick. Boom—gone.
Except I don’t move. Ishould—ease her down, tuck her in, turn off the light, do something.
But my body’s like,nah, let’s just stay right here and contemplate life like a fucking weirdo.
