“Emma,” Jase said disapprovingly, “what are you doing?”
I stiffened from the couch and looked over at him, hiding my cup of coffee. “Nothing.”
His brow arched in suspicion. “Emma, it’s two in the morning. Why aren’t you in bed?”
“I’m not tired,” I said, staring back down at my mug.
I wasn’t safe. I wasn’t okay. And I would NOT allow myself to sleep until I found that I would be fine, and I knew I would be… eventually.
And that, well… I wanted to stay up because I didn’t want Jase to leave. After our kiss earlier today I got this sudden urge to stick to him like glue, and I couldn’t shake the fear of him leaving.
What if he ran away? Where would he go? What if he didn’t like me anymore? Would he just leave me here to suffer or kill me himself?
My mind was running rampant, and I think part of it was sleep deprivation.
Jase sighed, stepping over to me. “No more coffee tonight.” He sat on the couch beside me, setting his arms on his knees. “You have a very low caffeine tolerance, you know this.”
And apparently… he did, too.
Well, the man could read my mind.
“Emma,” he said in a much genteler tone, “if you want to go to sleep, I can protect you.”
“No!” I said quickly.
His brows drew together.
“No,” I said quieter. “I don’t want to sleep.”
“You need rest, Angel.”
“I’m not tired!” I argued, standing and setting my now-empty mug on the table.
Jase just eyed me suspiciously before he sighed, pushing his hands on his legs.
“No!” I cried then, shaking my head.
He paused, gazing up. “What?”
“Don’t…” I said quietly, “don’t go.”
I was staying up for him. So I could spend time with him. So I could be with him!
I wanted to get to know him better.
“It’s alright, Emma,” he said then, eyes soft as he stood fully.
I stared at him, eyes glistening.
He just stepped over to the front door, eyes dark as he started shuffling on his shoes.
My lungs filled with thorns, threatening to pierce my heart endlessly.
I shot over him, and he gazed up in surprise.
“Don’t go!” I said then, not being able to control the words. “Please!”
“Emma, I’m just going to the store—”
“Don’t go!” I cried, tears warming my face.
Another entity of darkness filled me, shadows creeping into my blood, devouring every inch of warmth from inside me.
“Whoa…” he said then, raising his hands innocently, “Emma.”
I started crying then, my blood thickening with fear and darkness. “Don’t leave me!” I sobbed. “Don’t leave me here to deal with this alone!”
“Emma…” he whispered.
“Please!” I sobbed, unable to control what came from my mouth… like a switched flicked off. “I’ll do whatever you want! Anything! Just stay!”
He just dropped his hands. “Emma, tell me what’s wrong.”
Everything was wrong. Everything was broken.
I was being hunted, I almost died twice, I got shot in the side, I got choked out on the sidewalk, I was being stalked and contently followed, my friend turned out to be a killer, my sister didn’t believe me at first, my parents were stuck in New York because someone was calling them and controlling them to cancel their flights, and I was breaking. I was shattering.
I was scared shitless. I didn’t know who to trust anymore… who to depend on… who was good to me.
But Jase… Jase made everything better. Despite his previous plans, my body reacted to him as if he was the only thing that could save me. The only thing to keep me from falling off the edge.
I needed him. I needed him to stay here.
I needed him to protect me, to save me, to comfort me.
If he left… what was I going to do with myself? I didn’t want to cry (even though I already was), I didn’t want to feel so cold, I didn’t want to have nightmares again.
I wanted him. I wanted Jase.
Right now. I wanted him right now. Here. With me. Forever.
“Stay!” I begged him, clutching onto his shirt. “Stay! Please! I’ll do anything!”
He had an indecipherable look on his face for a moment too long, and he just smiled seconds later, looking slightly amused.
My brows drew together.
He sighed then, shuffling off his jacket and setting it aside.
My hopes grew again. “You’re staying?”
“Do I have a choice?” he responded then, eyes glowing with his smirk. “How can I leave when a pretty girl as yourself is crying and begging for me to stay?”
I looked away then, dread crawling through me as I quickly wiped away the tears.
Was I seriously… manipulating him?
No, no, I wasn’t. I was actually scared, but… maybe he perceived it that way Maybe he thought I was manipulating him.
Jase just caught my wrists and lowered my hands, making me gaze up at him with my reddened eyes.
“You’re shaking,” he whispered gently, “poor thing.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. Was I shaking? Was I nervous? Was I scared? I didn’t know. Maybe all of the above?
“Let’s warm you up. Get you comfy. Maybe make you some hot coco, hmm?” he said then, brushing some hair away from my face. “Maybe a hot shower? You’re ice cold, Sweetheart.”
I still didn’t know what to say, and he seemed okay with that.
Jase just smiled and scooped me up, making me gasp when he carried me bridal-style to the living room.
I stared up at him when he sat onto the couch and pulled out a throw blanket draped on the side, wrapping me in it seconds later.
Now that I was a sushi roll, he picked me back up, sideways in his lap, and held me to him.
I just stared at him, loving his face; the perfect imperfections, the gorgeous curves, the sharp lines, the angled features. It was… glorious.
I wanted to watch him forever. I never wanted to sleep again. I wanted to stay with him forever.
Jase soothingly shushed me, stroking my hair away from my face and gently rubbing my arm with his other hand, all while rocking me slightly as if I was a terrified child.
“Warm enough?” he said, adjusting the blanket more over my feet.
I nodded.
So warm it feels like a sin.
He smiled down at me, continuing to rock me. “You shouldn’t have drinken that coffee.”
“I’m glad I did,” I said then, “I’m wide awake… and I can admire your… everything. I can stay awake with you! Doesn’t that sound fun?” I paused. “Did you know that you’re so pretty?”
“You’re growing weary,” he said gently. “Do you maybe want to close your eyes?”
I shook my head. “No. Never. I’m staying awake forever.”
“Honey… you’ll die within a week.”
“I’m not sleeping,” I told him. “I don’t want you to leave me.”
I knew I was using this attachment to him too much, but… I felt safe in his arms. I was scared that the moment he left… I would’ve felt lost again.
He just soothed some of my hair away, dusting my lips with a kiss. “I will never leave you. You don’t need to worry.”
I kept looking at him. “You are my sin.”
He just smiled his wolf-like smirk. “I am a dark angel.”
“And I am human,” I said.
“You are my everything…” he said slowly, his voice such a low whisper, I heard a seductiveness behind it. “Don’t ever forget that.”
“Do you like holding me…?” I said.
“I love holding you.” He leaned closer, rocking me still. “It’s addicting.”
We fell silent again, just staring at each other, once more.
We had been sitting here for hours, taking in each other fully and storing every aspect of ourselves deep inside our minds, hoping to never forget.
And eventually the clock struck eight in the morning.
“I’m going to make breakfast,” he whispered to me. “You wanna help?”
I nodded.
He then helped me off his lap.
But the moment I moved, my mind suddenly twisted, and I giggled.
He glanced over at me. “You okay?”
I didn’t respond, just watched my world twist and turn as if I’d been drugged, and I wobbled in place.
I stayed up too long. Goddamn it.
Especially with the torment I was going through, my body took a tole.
Last time I slept was at his house… and that was almost a day and a half-ago. I didn’t remember.
“I help,” I said then, suddenly not able to take in his form.
I stepped forward, but suddenly the floor swam up to my face.
Jase caught me immediately.
I slumped in his grip.
He just scooped me up. “Come on.”
And he carried me up the stairs.
“Emma…?” Lizzy said as I struggled to keep my eyes open. And her voice soddenly grew in concern. “Is she okay?!”
“She’s fine, just stubborn,” Jase said, sighing. “She stayed up all night when she knows very well she needs sleep. With how little sleep she’s been getting, I’m not surprised by this outcome, honestly.”
He then carried me to my bedroom, and I felt my head lolling off his arm still.
Seconds later, I was engulfed in sheets.
He pulled the blankets over me, gazing down at me seconds later.
And he just leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Sleep.”
I closed my eyes immediately, my entire world drowning to black.
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