The wind howled harder—the kind of sound that made the world feel like it was about to cave in. My thoughts spiraled into flashes of things I never actually saw, but still lived with. I tried to get out of bed. The fucking panic hit too fast. My legs buckled, and my vision tunneled.
Couldn’t see.
Couldn’t fucking breathe.
Couldn’t even call for him.
Cezar…
“Petal, hey—hey… fuck—”
He flicked the light on and scooped me up like I weighed nothing, settling into the nearest chair with me curled againsthim. His words were muffled beneath the pounding of my heartbeat and the ache pulsing through every part of me.
Then he started singing.
“Hush now, close your eyes,
Rest your head beneath the skies.
Though the thunder roars and lightning strikes,
I’ll be here to hold you tight.”
His voice felt warm. The melody was simple. It seeped through the panic and pulled me back piece by piece.
“So let the rain fall, let the winds blow,
In my arms, you’ll safely go,
Dream sweet dreams, let worries flee,
For you’re safe and sound with me.
The lightning’s flash is but a spark,
Guiding dreams through the dark.
And when the storm has passed us by,
We’ll wake to clear skies, you and I.”
As Cezar held me, his singing filled the room with a hushed melody, soothing and comforting. In that moment, it felt as though nothing could harm me again. He lied to me when I asked him if he had any other talents. What a beautiful voice he had.
As the fear dissipated, I clung to him, finding comfort in his embrace. When I finally managed to open my eyes, I saw him looking at me as if I were the most important thing in the world. He kissed my forehead and repeated the last few lines before asking, “Petal, I’ve got you… I promise, but are you all right? Do you need anything?”
I blinked, still trying to steady myself. I never expected anyone else to calm me the way Dorin always had.
But Cezar knew exactly what to do. He knew how to touch me. How to pull me back from the edge. “Cezar, this is everything I need. Thank you… But where did that come from?”
“My mom used to sing it to me,” he said. “When things were bad and she couldn’t protect me, she’d wait until everyone was asleep, sneak into my room, and sing this. Every time I am unable to control the past, I go back to the song she taught me.” He held me tighter, showering me with kisses. And in that moment, wrapped in his arms, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time—safe.
“It was absolutely beautiful.” I smiled, kissing him. The way he kissed me made me feel like a goddess—almost worshipful. I wanted to melt into him. His hands moved up and down my back until another crack of thunder shattered the moment.
“Ah, fuck.” Cezar jerked slightly, wiping blood from his lip with his thumb.
My stomach dropped. “I—”
He cut me off with that ridiculous bright smile of his. “Are you purposefully turning me on?” he joked, a low laugh rumbling out of him.
