Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Ethan tried her door handle. Unlocked. But when he tried to push open the door, it didn’t immediately move. Had someone gotten in through her windows? But why wasn’t the system showing anything?
Another scream and he shoved the door. It felt like there was something heavy against it.
Finally, he got the door open and ran in, his gun raised, ready to face an intruder. But he couldn’t see anyone except for a figure in the bed, who was thrashing around.
The rest of the room was empty. Breathing heavily, he assessed the situation quickly.
Why had Cate been screaming? Was she having a nightmare?
He quickly checked the bathroom and closet, then moved to the bed as she let out another loud yell.
Ethan hated that she sounded so terrified. Was she dreaming about the night that asshole had tried to break into the house?
She hadn’t had a nightmare any other night. But maybe because Rhodes had been here those nights?
There were a couple of nightlights plugged into sockets around the room which added a soft glow. Sitting on the bed, he reached for Cate and gently shook her shoulder.
“Cate? Cate, baby, can you hear me?”
Nothing. Shit.
She whimpered and smacked her hands down on the mattress.
“Cate. I need you to wake up for me. Wake up now.” This time he made his voice stern, hoping it would get through to her. “Wake. Up.”
With a gasp, she sat up. He waited for her to panic at seeing him in her bedroom. To his shock, she didn’t scream or try to get away from him. She just stared around the room as though she was confused, lost.
Fuck.
She was breaking his heart. What had she been dreaming about to induce such screams of terror? And where was her mind now?
“I need Lady.”
There was a strange note in her voice. It seemed softer, warmer, and without the stiff formality it usually had. Although he’d gotten her to lose some of that stiffness this afternoon.
Before you drove her away.
“Who is Lady?” he asked.
She gave him a look. “Lady is Lady. Where is she? Where did she go? Is she lost?”
Was she sleep talking? Perhaps. Or stuck between being awake and asleep?
He really wasn’t sure, and as he brought up his phone to text Rhodes, she climbed from the bed and started searching the room.
“Lady? Lady? Where is you?”
Was Lady an old pet? Shit. He needed some help here, but he also didn’t want her to hurt herself.
She moved to her closet, then turned to look at him. “You stay here.”
This didn’t seem like sleepwalking to him. She seemed too alert and yet not.
Fuck.
What was she doing in the closet?
Fuck. Shit.
He’d just brought up Rhodes’ number when she walked back out, holding a huge ladybug. This toy was Lady? But she’d been talking like she expected Lady to answer. She climbed into bed and sat, cross-legged, staring at him.
“I is hungry.”
Ethan stared at her for a long moment. When he didn’t reply, she slid to the edge of the bed again.
“Wait. Where are you going?” he asked.
“Make food.”
Yeah, no way. He didn’t want her trying to cook in this condition.
“How about I make you something to eat? It’s no wonder you’re hungry, you missed dinner.” Shit. He hadn’t meant to scold her.
“Sorry,” she said in a cheerful voice that sounded anything but sorry. “Where’s Rhodes?”
What to say? Did he tell her the truth?
“Rhodes isn’t here. Do you know who I am?”
“Where is he?” There was a note of stress in her voice now.
“He’s at Samantha’s place.”
“Ick. Her. Don’t like.”
“Yeah, I share that sentiment, sweetheart.”
She tilted her head to the side. “You called me sweetheart.”
“Um, yes, is that all right?”
Cate shrugged. “I guess so. Is you looking after me tonight? While Rhoddy is away?”
“Yes, I am.”
He was starting to have a feeling about what was going on. She may not be sleepwalking exactly.
“Did you have a bad dream?” he asked.
Suddenly, she drew in on herself, hugging Lady tight as she stared around the room fearfully.
Fuck. Okay. Don’t mention the dream or screaming.
“What would you like to eat?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.
She blinked as her gaze moved to him. “Eat?”
“Yes, baby. What would you like to eat?”
“I is not a baby. Big girl.”
“I apologize. Baby was a term of endearment.”
“Endearment. Okay. I likes it. But I is a big girl.” She pointed a finger at him threateningly.
“How big are you?”
She glanced down at her fingers, then held up three.
“Three? Wow, you are a very big girl.”
She wriggled as though happy at his words.
God help him. All of this worried him . . . the fact that she’d regressed like this after a nightmare. And that she seemed content to let him look after her even though she’d never allow it under normal circumstances. What if he hadn’t been here? What if Seth had been the one staying here with her?