A Victor's Secret

four

A/N: So sorry for the long delay! I was really busy at the beginning of this semester and was having a bit of writer's block with everything going on. More chapters coming your way! Enjoy.

Chapter 4 – Luke

The door to my bedroom creaked open, instantly putting my senses on high alert. Soft footsteps made their way closer, treading carefully on the hardwood floor. The moonlight filtered through my window, barely illuminating a small, dark figure moving toward the bed. Had someone figured out what I was doing? I jumped upward, pinning the intruder against the wall.

"Ow!" Juliet's surprised voice wheezed out, pushing off the arm I held against her chest.

I stood back, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I couldn't help but feel irritated that she had managed to sneak up on me like that. "Sorry."

I couldn't make out her eyes in the darkness, but I could tell by her silence that she understood my reaction. Ever since the arena, it was like all my senses were magnified and on high-alert at all times. I don't think I've managed to sleep through one night fully without waking up at the slightest sound of movement, my muscles prepared to run at any minute.

"I – I had a nightmare and I thought..." She cleared her throat. "I can't take any sleeping pills. All they do is trap me in my own mind for longer."

I wished I could tell her that the nightmares would go away, but mine were still as vivid as ever.

"You can stay here." I shuffled back toward the bed, drowsiness kicking in. The adrenaline that pumped through me fled my body as soon as I realized I was safe and I couldn't hide my yawn.

The bed shifted slightly as she laid down beside me, staring blankly up at the ceiling. My eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness, and with the moonlight shining directly onto her face, I could easily see the dark bags under her eyes.

"I'm sorry I woke you." She turned on her side, her face going dark again as she turned away from the light. I could feel rather than see her gaze locked onto mine, and I suddenly was very aware of the face that I was only in my boxers. I coughed awkwardly, flipping onto my back and crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's fine." I murmured, squeezing my eyes shut. I would never admit it to her, but it was comforting knowing that I was no longer alone in battling the nightmares that plagued me after the arena. It wasn't something I would ever admit to my parents, and it was definitely not something I would ever talk about with Barrick. Juliet's breathing eventually got slower as she drifted off into sleep, and it wasn't much longer before I followed.

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I felt the bed shift as someone sunk down onto the mattress beside me. The moon light filtered through the window, barely illuminating Juliet's figure. I kept still as she curled up against my side, keeping my breathing even.

The month of June was almost over. A warm breeze blew through the slightly open window, causing the curtains to flutter and cast a long shadow across the bed. I was sweating slightly, but it wasn't because of the weather. This was the third week in a row that Juliet had shown up in my room, give or take a few days. It really did help with the nightmares during the night while I was sleeping, but unfortunately not the nightmare I had to face while awake. I stayed as still as possible, and after Juliet's breathing finally slowed, I quietly slipped my body out from under the covers.

I got dressed quickly, checking my watch to make sure I had enough time. It was just past three in the morning, leaving me a little less than two hours to complete my job. I shuffled down the stairs, making sure to skip the steps that creaked the most. The last thing I needed was Juliet to wake up and wonder where I went. I opened the small closet at the base of the stairs, reaching past the hanging coats to grab the item they were hiding.