Page 168 of Obsessed by My Ex's Mafia Uncle

I stare at him for a second, at the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms, and the exhaustion shadowing his face.

Then I open my mouth.

The first spoonful tastes like nothing.

The second tastes slightly better.

By the fifth, my body remembers hunger.

Neither of us speaks much while he feeds me. And when I finally can’t manage another bite, he sets the container aside without pushing.

“Better?” He asks softly.

“Yeah.” I nod faintly, my eyelids already feel tired.

“Good.” He smiles mildly.

“You should go home and rest,” I whisper.

“No.” He answers quickly.

“You’ve been at it for days.”

“I know.”

“You need sleep.” I push.

“I know.” He nods, smiling to soften the finality in his tone.

“Robert…”

“I’m not leaving.”

“Whatever,” I grunt

I drift off sometime after that with the sound of his breathing still in the room.

The nightmare comes haunting, with Blue screaming somewhere I can’t reach.

I jolt awake with a gasp, pain exploding through my ribs.

My eyes dart wildly through the darkness and find him still in the same chair watching me.

“Hey…” He’s beside the bed before the panic fully rises again, one hand finding mine instantly. “You’re okay,” he coos softly. “You’re okay.”

My breathing shakes uncontrollably for a second longer before calming again.

“You stayed,” I whisper hoarsely.

“Yes, Bon.” His thumb brushes across my knuckles once. “I said I would.”

Sleep drags me under again eventually.

Then another nightmare.

Another forceful wake-up.

Another moment of confusion and fear.