I watch him stand, the quiet scrape of his boots against the wooden floor.
I curl back under the blankets, pulling them close, letting the warmth sink deeper into my bones.
The fear lingers, faint and distant now.
But it doesn’t follow me all the way down this time.
CHAPTER 5
Dexter
Lexy has been asleep and feverish all night and most of the day.
It’s eight p.m. when I ask Stephen to cover the bar for an hour so I can help her eat something and take more Tylenol. I’ve barely stepped into the apartment when I hear her scream again.
She’s been trapped in nightmares since lastnight. Every time, it’s the same words.
“Get off me… please.”
My grip tightens on the doorframe before I even realize it, and I’m already moving, rushing down the hall toward her room, the sound of her voice still echoing in my head.
When I push the door open, the soup I left on her bedside table sits untouched.
Lexy’s twisting in the sheets, eyes scrunched shut, breath coming out harsh and uneven, her lips moving around broken words.
Then, “Noooo…”
I sit on the edge of the bed and gently place a hand on her shoulder.
She jerks away and screams.
“Lexy,” I say, trying again, softer. She shoves at me blindly.
“Don’t touch me!” Her voice cracks. “Mama! Mama, help!”
My jaw locks.
Her hands are pushing at nothing, fighting something that isn’t here, and I feel it low in my chest, sharp and sudden.
I sit back, giving her space, then try once more. “Tinker. It’s me. It’s Dex. Wake up.”
Her blue eyes finally fly open. Wild. Unfocused. She scans the room like she’s bracing for another attack, until she sees me beside her.
“You were having another bad dream,” I say quietly.
Her brows draw together. “Another?”
“Yeah,” I admit. “You’ve had a lot of them. All night… and today.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “How long…” She swallows, her voice hoarse, and winces like it hurts. Her throat must still be raw from the fever. “How long have I been here?”
“About a day.”
She looks around the room, confusion flickering over her face. “Where am I?”
“You’re in my apartment,” I remind her gently. “This is the guest room. You’re safe.”
She shakes her head like the information won’t settle and pushes at the mattress, trying to sit up. “I can’t…”
