Page 52 of Theirs to Treasure

“Sam, Honey, it’s okay, I’ve got you.” Soft hands.

What the fuck? Where am I? This isn’t—

“Zee, get away from him right now!” Chance yelled. Sam couldn’t remember Chance ever sounding so angry. He woke up in an instant, nightmares from his past fading, and found himself on the floor. He stood and glared at Chance.

“Don’t you ever yell at Josie like that again, you asshole,” Sam yelled at his friend.

“Don’t you call me an asshole! Take a look at her.” Chance reached over the edge of the bed and coaxed Josie up off the floor where she’d been trying to wake Sam up. She was holding her arm up close to her body, so he stopped her.

“Josie, what’s wrong with your arm?”

“It was one of your goddamn nightmares. You know, the ones that you told me you aren’t having anymore?”

Sam winced at the accusation in his friend’s voice. “What happened?”

“You were moaning in your sleep, Sam,” Josie softly answered. “When I tried to wake you up, you mumbled someone’s name. I think it was Nathan. Then you grabbed me, and I couldn’t get away. I must have made a noise and that’s when Chance woke up.”

“You fucking screamed. Look at your arm. He could have broken it!” Chance reached for her hand, and she slowly extended her arm out from her body. Both men hissed when they saw the clear set of fingerprints and the swelling.

“It’s fine. If I put ice on it, it’ll be fine by morning.”

“Oh, Jesus, Baby, I’m so sorry.” Sam swallowed, swallowed again, and then abruptly turned to the bathroom, where he puked his guts out. When he got back to the bedroom, it was empty. Sam went to his room, threw on some clothes, then went in search of the others. He stood between the kitchen and dining room and watched where Josie sat in one of the soft tall chairs while Chance held ice against her arm.

Her brown eyes were warm with concern as she turned to him, but Chance’s eyes were angry blue shards.

“Sam, it isn’t that big of a deal. You just had a nightmare.” Josie tried to soothe him.

“Actually, Josie, it is a pretty big deal. Me physically hurting you is probably the biggest deal there is.”

“Come here,” she said holding out her good arm.

Sam shook his head. “I’ve got to take off. Look, I don’t want you two to worry. I’ll be back in a few days. I just need some space. I figure you guys could use some time without me.” Sam turned and left.

* * *

Josie felt like she’d just been kicked in the heart. Not because her arm hurt like the very devil, but because of the devastated look on Sam’s face. When she turned to Chance, he just looked mad and frustrated. When her chin started to quiver, Chance instinctively understood what was wrong, and he put down the ice pack. He gently folded her into his arms and cupped her head, resting it against his chest.

“He’ll be back. That’s the first time he ever said when he was coming back, so he will be back tomorrow. He cares, Zee. Never doubt that he cares.”

“Why are you so mad, Chance? You know it was an accident. He was having a nightmare, and you act like he did it on purpose. You’re not being reasonable.” Josie felt his sigh blow softly against the hair on the top of her head.

“I’m mad because he hasn’t been taking care of his emotional issues. He’s only been taking care of his physical issues. The doctors told him he has PTSD, and he hasn’t addressed it. He’s smarter than that, Josie. I thought…”

“What did you think?” she coaxed. When he didn’t answer, she stroked his back, and decided to drop it. She just rested her head on his chest, thankful to be in his arms.

“Why don’t you get dressed, and we’ll head out and make a day of it?” Josie looked out the kitchen window and realized that it was dawn.

“Chance, I need to go to my apartment for a change of clothes. I hate wearing the same thing two days in a row.” Josie shuddered at the idea.

“Honey, you really didn’t understand when we told you that was our room, did you? Let’s go take a tour.” Chance held out his hand and led her down the hall to the master suite. He opened the closet, and she saw women’s clothing hanging up, and a shoe rack that didn’t contain a single pair of high heels. Leading her back into the bedroom, she saw three dressers. He then pulled her to the middle dresser and opened the top drawer. It contained panties and thongs in a rainbow of colors. The second drawer held nothing but corsets. In the third drawer was a selection of bras of every style and color imaginable, and the fourth drawer contained the silkiest nighties Josie had ever seen or felt.

Josie couldn’t take it in. Obviously, Chance was insane. That was the only reasonable explanation. When she said as much, he threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, Zee! If you only knew how many times, I’ve been told that very thing. But here’s the deal, eventually everyone always sees things my way.”

Josie got quiet. “Do you think Sam will see things your way?” she asked, trying not to let her lip tremble.

“I’ve known Sam most of my life, Zee. Even if I must drag him kicking and screaming, I intend to get him to see things my way, and get his shit together, you have my promise.”

She went to put her hands on her hips, then thought better of it when her arm hurt enough that she flinched. Instead she raised her eyebrow. “And I’m supposed to just go along with this whole new wardrobe?”