It All Started With A Deal

Chapter 22.1

Chapter twenty two
*** trigger warning****
I bolted up from my sleep, panting violently as I tried to catch my breath. My chest heaved up and down, my entire body coated in sweat as I tried to recover from the extent of my nightmare, the dream foggy but the effect still lingering as my body quaked.'

A warm arm reached out to hold me, to stop the trembling.

I let out a faint scream, tears rushing down my face as I pushed the person away, unable to breathe.

"Baby! Baby!" The voice yelled, trying to catch my arms which were flying out in any attempt to hit whoever was in bed with me, "Beautiful, it's okay, it's okay. It's just me."

I stopped fighting the second I recognized the voice. "Liam?" I whispered, my voice faint and barely noticeable.

He cupped my face in his hands, "It's okay, baby, it was just a dream. It was just a dream."

My lip quivered as I flung my arms around him. "What are you doing here?" I sobbed into his chest;

He chuckled softly, pulling me closer to him, "I live here," he brushed through my hair.

I frantically glanced around the room, quickly recognizing the blue walls and football gear. I was in Liam's room, in Liam's bed in Liam's clothes.

I started sobbing harder,  "But you hate me,"

He moved me away so he could look me in the eyes, "Sapphire, I could never hate you. It was just a dream." He wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

It was just a dream? It was all just a dream?

I pulled away from him, "No! No, it wasn't. Bradley was there and-" I heaved in a few breathes.

"Bradley? Your ex," he questioned.

I nodded, biting my lip to keep from crying anymore,

Liam held me, the feeling so refreshing after not touching him for a month. I clutched on to him, digging my fingers into his back holding him as tightly as I possibly could. He rubbed my back, "He's not here, it was just a dream."

I buried my face into his chest, "It was so scary," I cried, "He made me cheat on you and, and, and he hurt me and I had to do drugs and drank and, and I-" I paused, I was becoming everything I had feared I'd become, "I missed you."

"I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. Nobody's going to hurt you," he soothed.

"I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, kissing the top of my hairline, "You didn't do anything. It was just a dream."

"I cheated on you," I protested.

"It was just a dream, you didn't do anything."

It felt so real. I could have sworn Bradley was there. I could have sworn he hit me.

And I couldn't possibly fathom how my mind could possibly play such cruel tricks on me.

I could feel the way my body yearned for the drugs. I could still smell the pungent aroma of marijuana, so strong it had to be real. I could feel Bradley's hands as he touched my body nonconsensually.

It felt so real.

The ache in my chest when Liam left, the tremble in my voice as I tried to convince Athena to stay, the pounding of my heart as Chase ran away from me.

I couldn't believe it had all been just a dream.

"It wasn't real?" I sniffled.

"Just a dream," he repeated, stroking my cheek softly.