𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧|𝟑| [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

Chapter 17

ZARA

I woke some hours later, unsure if it's day or night. The room is in darkness, the light snores of Teddy could be heard.

Yes, I gave in to calling him Teddy.

I rolled over, fully expecting to hook my arm around Theo, push my leg through his and nuzzle into his chest. But I was met with my pillow. I felt around the softness, lifting my head and when my eyes adjusted, I realize I'm alone in bed.

"No." I let out a heavy breath, covering my mouth.

I knew it. I knew this was too good to be true, it was just one big dream. And there's that feeling again, the rush taking over me that's making me dizzy and close to vomiting. I sat up against the wooden headboard, hugging my knees to my chest, feeling the pain in my chest amplify when I try to hold in my tears.

I silently wept until my eyes felt raw, the pressure in my head nearly putting me back to sleep. "Wait," I whisper to myself. Looking around, I notice that this isn't the room I've been sleeping in for months, there's no small crib at the end of the room with my son sleeping in it.

Rushing, I threw the comforter off and got to my feet, clicking on a lamp that's next to the bed. I tiptoed into Teddy's room, pushing the door open until the light from the lamp shone on to the bed.

I fall to my knees with relief, happiness, and feeling the weight lift off my chest when I see Theo sleeping in next to him. Teddy's arms are wrapped around his neck, both mouths wide open and lightly snoring. I couldn't hold in the sobs that I let out, burying my head into the carpet.

"Babe, what's wrong?" I hear Theo mumbling, carefully pulling Teddy away from him and sitting up, frowning. "Why are you crying?"

He climbed off the bed and grabbed my hands, pulling my up and into his arms. I placed my forehead on his chest, smiling, shaking my head. "I thought this wasn't real. I woke up and you weren't there," I sobbed again, sniffing. "It happened a lot when you were gone."

"Come on," he said, taking my hand and slowly closing over the door. He wipes at my cheeks for probably the tenth time since yesterday, kissing my forehead so tenderly my eyes flutter closed.

"I missed that," I smile, wrapping my arms around his torso when we lay down. He looks deep in thought, twirling a strand of my hair around his fingers. "Are you going to tell me what happened with your dad?"

He took a deep breath, running his hand down his face and placing it on my shoulder. "Thomas killed him. Oh," he stopped himself. "Thomas is my brother."

My head jerked back, opening my mouth to say something but closing it again and shaking my head. "What? I've known him my whole life, Theo. He isn't."

I remember growing up that Thomas didn't have a father. When Grace met her boyfriend, he took Thomas on but left when she fell pregnant with the twins, never spoke to Thomas again. The memory is so clear, we were at school and he just looked tired all the time, destroyed.

His real dad never made an appearance, not once. And now I know why.

Fucking hell. Thomas and Theo, brothers?

"I have so much to tell you," he laughed. "But Thomas and I are both my dad's sons. Well, was, until Thomas gouged his eyes out, chopped off a few limbs, and drowned him in shitty water."

My face contorts, twisting at the image with each piece of detail. "Ew. So, he's actually dead?"

I shouldn't be so happy to hear that someone died, but he killed my brother, and I'm a little mad I missed seeing him suffer.