Free Dark Passion (The Dark Brother Series Book One) by Bec Botefuhr

saying?”
    “Nothing, now be quiet and watch the movie,”
    He leans back, and I can feel his body heat radiating into mine. “Yes boss.”
    Four beers and another movie later, I’m out to the count.

 
     
     
    CHAPTER 10
     
    “ Please Mommy, don’t hurt me.” I cry, struggling to keep my head above water.
    “You’re not safe anymore. If Mommy goes away, you won’t be safe. We have to do this.”
    “Mommy please,” I cry.
    “We will go together, just me and you Willow. Forever.”
    Water swarms my mouth as she pushes my head under the water. My tiny feet kick and I squirm desperately. I can’t breathe; I’m not strong enough to escape her. I cry out for my daddy but he doesn’t hear me and it only makes me swallow more water. I’m trapped and soon, darkness takes over.
    I bolt upright screaming and gasping for air. I grip my throat, wheezing and choking. I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe. I roll off the couch and fall to my knees on the floor. I pound my fist into my chest but I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe . Jagger is beside me in minutes. I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep on the couch with him.
    “Hey, whoa, what’s wrong?”
    “I can’t breathe, so much water, I can’t breathe.”
    “Willow, hey, it’s ok. There’s no water.”
    “I can’t breathe!” I scream.
    Jagger grips my shoulders and spins me around.
    “Look at me!” he orders.
    I open my eyes, heaving and panting.
    “Follow me; just follow what I’m doing. Breathe in deeply.”
    “I can’t!”
    “You can!”
    I struggle to take deep breath and it only fills my lungs half way.
    “Another, come on.”
    I try again, this time it gets a little further.
    “Keep going.”
    After five minutes I’m breathing properly again and my shaking has subsided. I close my eyes and wipe my hand over my face. Jagger grips my chin and tilts my head up.
    “What just happened?”
    “Nightmare, it’s nothing.”
    “Bullshit, that wasn’t any old nightmare.”
    “It’s none of your business,” I cry, leaping up.
    “I was only trying to help.” He says, throwing his hands up.
    “My life is none of your business Jagger, I never asked for any of this so stop pretending like you care. We all know you don’t care!”
    “I care!”
    “Bullshit!” I scream, “You’re a monster, nothing but a monster!”
    I spin on my heel and rush towards my room, slamming the door loudly when I get in. I drop to my knees and I cry. I feel awful right away, I shouldn’t have said those things to Jagger. He isn’t a monster; he’s never been a monster to me. I sit on the floor until I’m out of thoughts. In the lounge I hear some music start playing loudly, and I curl up listening to it until my breathing is deep and steady again.
    Won’t you let me, see beneath your beautiful,
    Won’t you let me, see beneath your perfect,
    Take it off now boy, take it off now boy,
    I wanna see inside, won’t you let me,
    See beneath your beautiful, tonight.
    I get off the floor and slowly walk out towards the sound.  Jagger’s in the lounge, standing by the window, his arms above his head and his forehead resting against the glass. His knuckles are bruised and battered and he’s heaving. He’s been hitting things again. Did my words hurt him that badly? My chest clenches.
    I stare at him for the longest moment, unsure if I should go over and touch him or not. I want to, everything inside me screams to comfort him , but I still doubt myself. What if this isn’t what I think? What if this is just a mental attraction? I don’t want to think about it, I just want to go with what I know.
    What I know right now, is that Jagger makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. What I know is I have to trust myself enough to know these feelings are real. I know it’s a bad situation, heck, I know I should hate him but I don’t. Maybe I do have an illness, but right now, in this moment, I want him and that’s enough for me. I step forward and when I