Soft || 18+ Reverse Harem ||

47 - Nice

She set her head against my shoulder. "I missed you. I haven't seen you since..."

"Yeah. I was...occupied. I missed you too, Dahlia." I held the tub so that she could dig her spoon into the ice cream.

We ate in silence. I knew Dahlia had what happened on her mind, just as I did.

"Andros..."

"Hm?"

"I don't like you in chains."

"I...I don't like the chains either, baby."

She looked up at me, those big dark eyes looking right at my fucking soul.

"Sleepwalking Andros listens to me."

"Good to know he has two brain cells to rub together."

"Does it hurt?"

"What?"

"There were red marks on your body. And, there are wounds on your palms. Can I put something on them?"

She blinked up at me.

I stared. "Darling...I don't think I deserve to be tended to after what happened."

"Don't worry, I'll scream at sleepwalking Andros. I promise."

I chuckled. "You're fucking adorable. I just want to eat you up." I kissed her neck, right where the spot that made her squirm was.

"Can I?" She asked, not to be ignored.

"Yes, baby."

. . .

She pressed an ice pack on the brises the chains had left on me. "I think if I get off your lap I'll be able to do this better."

"No." I snuggled my face into her neck, breathing in her lavender scent. I felt calm now. I was tried still. I was really tired. I wanted to sleep like this, with her on me.

She set the ice pack down and wrapped her arms around me. "Andros."

"Baby."

She pulled back, looking up at me. "Is it getting worse?"

"The sleepwalking?"

"Yes."

"It is."

"Why do you think that is?"

"The chains." I didn't want to talk about this. But I didn't want to shut her out, either.

"I'm going to propose something," she said. "I need you to hear me out."

"Okay." I undid her bun, letting the strand of her hair fall over her narrow shoulders.

"I think he likes me."

"Who?"

"You, when you're sleepwalking. I think...if we sleep in the same bad, sleepwalking Andros won't go on a rampage."

"Too risky. No."

"Please?"

"Baby, you're asking me to endanger you. That can't happen."

"What if one of Hedeon, Lucian, and Alexandre are in the room? We can try it out. Maybe it will work. You know it can."

"Too risky."

"Please? I want to help you. Maybe this way you won't have to hurt yourself like this."

"No."

She sighed and tried to get off my lap.

"Where do you think you going?"

"You don't listen to me."

"I'm trying to keep you safe, Dahlia. I will not listen to you only when you're trying to put yourself in danger. I don't..." My jaw clenched. "I don't fucking trust myself with you even when I am awake. I'd rather be dead than expose you to me when I'm sleepwalking."

Her breath hitched. "Well," she said, her voice shaking. "I trust you with myself. Does that count at all?"

"Baby."

She squirmed off my lap. "I get you're trying to keep me safe. But I don't like this."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. That's not what I want."

"What do you want? Anything except what you asked for. I'll give it to you."

She folded her arms against her chest, looking adorably angry. "Okay. When you're down there in your cell, I want to be there. Outside. Don't look at me like that. Then, if you do not show my aggression while sleepwalking with me there for like, I don't know, a week, we will try out what I suggested."

I considered it. There was no way in hell I could break the partition. That thing could not be broken.

"Okay," I said. "I will set up a camera. I will monitor my actions when I wake up. If they're not violent with you around, we will try out what you suggested."

She smiled, her anger melting away. "Awesome!"

I stared at her. She wanted to help me. I liked it a bit too much. I took hold of her hands and pressed a kiss on her lips.

"You..." I sighed. "I don't know what I'd to deserve you."

"You're nice to me." She cupped my face. "That's all I need."

. . .