Page 73 of Tears of Ink

My heart pounds for the millionth time tonight and I grin. And that’s how I go to sleep, breaking every rule I’ve ever made for myself.

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - O N E

“Come on, Faith. I don’t know why you keep hiding from me.”

I won’t meet his eyes. “I’m not hiding.”

He chuckles and leans in for what seems like a genuine hug. “I’d never hurt you. I love you.”

My skin tingles, my faulty flight-or-fight alarm sounds loudly in my brain. “It’s not right. I know that now. You need to stay away from me before I-”

There’s a painful pause. “Before you what, Faithy? What are you going to do? You’re just as much to blame as I am, everyone would know that.” His fingers tilt my chin. “Everyone would know you begged me to, because that’s the type of girl you are. The type of girl you’ll always be.”

The alarm in my head and heart screeches like a siren. Run, Faith. Run…

I don’t. I’m frozen to the spot. The sirens screeching as my soul burns around me.

“Faith, wake up.”

I come around at once, blinking into the darkness. Elijah’s face is close, his hands on my face.

“What?”

His thumbs caress my cheeks. Even in the dark I can sense the intensity in his face and my heart which was pounding as it woke from sleep starts to speed and race.

“You were screaming; shouting in your sleep.”

I flush, thankful he can’t see it. “It’s just a bad dream, I have them all the time.”

He shakes his head and his lips kiss the tip of my nose. Such a small action makes my heart squeeze with delight. The foul memories of the past fade away. “That’s not a dream, that was a terror.”

“And what do you know about terrors?” I reach up and kiss his lips, leading the kiss with a bravery that’s easy to find in the darkness. I can’t believe he stayed, that he’s still here. More than the fact he’s still here, is the fact I’m okay with it.

“Tabitha had them as a toddler, right up until school,” he says when I release his warm lips. “I used to be in the room next to hers and hearing her scream like that used to make my blood run cold. I’d run into her room and find her just staring through me pointing at things I couldn’t see.”

I snuggle back down onto the mattress and shyly pull him down alongside me. This is all so odd, but at the same time I wouldn’t have it any other way. Elijah Fairclough is turning everything I know on its head. “It was just a dream.” I kiss him gently. “Forget about it and go back to sleep.”

“Who’s Aiden?” His question freezes my insides into sharpened icicles.

“No one.” My heart’s beating so fast. “Come, let’s sleep.”

“Still want me to stay?” His question is low and soft, and it melts the ice in my gut.

I grin, a stupid wide smile. “Yes.”

My eyelashes flutter shut and try to push the remnants of the dream away. It’s not easy and I’m floating in and out of a light sleep when a phone rings. “Al!” I launch myself from the bed. My palms slick with cold sweat as the call I’ve been dreading arrives.

Elijah catches my hand. “Faith, it’s okay. It’s my phone.” He leans over the edge of the bed and rifles in his pockets to look for his mobile. When he has it in his hand he frowns. His sleep smeared face is illuminated by the glow of the back-lit screen and I watch as he answers and mumbles a hello. My crashing nerves start to settle for a whole two seconds until he jumps from the bed, his lithe athletic frame moving with more speed and grace than I’ve ever seen. He really is beautiful, even when it’s silly o’clock in the morning and he’s jumping out of my bed.

“When did this happen?” He’s pulling on his jeans and I’m guessing that’s the end of my first ever all night snuggle.

I watch silently, sitting on the bed covered in a sheet, as he runs his hands through his hair and tugs on his trainers.

“I’m not in London but I’m leaving in five.” He pauses, and I think he’s forgotten that I’m actually there because the expression of pain that carves his face steals my breath. “Just wait, I’ll get this sorted. Don’t let him speak to anyone until I’m there. An hour most.”

An hour? Bowsley Hall is more than hour away from London.

He turns to me as he disconnects the call. “I’ve got to go.”