Page 38 of Darkened Promises

Rosy reaches out a trembling hand, but Bry clasps it and gently lifts the glass up to her lips. “I’ve got it for you. Take small sips.”

Noah quietly moves away to give Bry more room.

“Max, can you bring over that blanket next to you?”

I drag the soft material into my hands, gripping it tightly as I stand, only to stumble on locked knees when I step towards her. My body wages against the need to comfort her and not allowing myself to be close.

Bry stands, so I hold the blanket out to him, but he takes the almost empty glass into the kitchen, leaving me to…stand awkwardly.

Rosy releases a shaky, hiccupping inhale, and it tugs my body forward until I’m draping the blanket around her compressed body. Pain shoots up my jaw as I bite down on my cheek to stop the apologies wanting to spill out.

Because saying I’m sorry won’t take away everything she’s been through.

I want nothing more than to get rid of her fears and wipe away any more tears that grace her cheeks. Instead, I tuck her tightly into the soft fabric and step away from her.

Logan remained quiet and motionless throughout Rosy’s panic, but once she’s breathing calmer, he says, “Would you like to continue or leave it for today?”

“I-I’m sorry. I’m messing this up for you.” She shakes her head, dropping her gaze.

“No,” Logan says firmly. “You’re a survivor, Rosy. You bravely survived through all of that, and you’re here. I know it’s not easy for you to rehash everything that happened to you, but you should never doubt how strong you are.”

Tears still cling to the sound as she laughs. It’s self-deprecating and not the laugh I love to listen to. This one is full of doubt, scorn, and loathing.

“Respectfully, I d-disagree. I can’t even say certain things without panicking. I can’t sleep without nightmares suffocating me, and I don’t even recognise the person who survived, let alone what other fears and triggers I’ve yet to panic over,” Rosy rasps, head tilted back as she stares up at the ceiling, eyes blinking furiously.

“I know this is hard, and it’s not going to get easy straight away. Maybe not even for a while. I’m not going to sugarcoat that. But you have people here who fought hard to find you, and they fought even harder to get you out. I don’t need to ask them to know they will fight with you to make it through this. All you need to do is look after yourself, heal, and give yourself some grace. In the meantime, I will do everything I can to find the bastard,” Logan says, leaning forward in his seat.

“He’s right,” Nate promises, and his finger nudges her face round to his. “You’re not alone in this. Anything you need, we’re here.”

“Always,” Bry agrees.

Rosy’s eyes glance at him, then move on to Noah when he says the same. Then she looks at me.

“I…” The reservations halt in my throat, trapped.

I can’t tell her no.

“Yes.” I’ll be here for her until she decides she doesn’t want me.

TWENTY-ONE

ROSY

Soft noises rouse me awake, not that it had been a satisfying sleep. I’d been thrown from one fitful dream to the next. It hadn’t been like my nightmares last night; this time I was trapped in the dark, running and running, unable to escape.

The rise and fall of a chest beneath me is comforting. Thankfully, there’s no immediate panic about where I am or who I’m with. Everything smells and feels familiar. I can hear Bry moving around in the kitchen. A mixture of sweet and savoury smells lingers in the air, too intertwined to determine what exactly he’s cooking.

I must’ve fallen asleep on the sofa after Detective Thorne left. It all feels hazy; my mind and body felt too heavy and depleted after reliving the last few days out loud.

The buttons pressed against my face rule out Nate, and at the snick of a page turning, I immediately know it’s Noah’s chest I’m resting against. It makes me want to stay here, with my eyes closed forever, just listening to them around me. There are no careful words, no worried expressions.

And it’s safer here.

The idea of leaving, of going outside, and him still being out there is too much to think about.

It’s the sound of Max huffing that has my eyes opening, curious about what could be causing his impatient reaction.

Since getting home yesterday, I’d not really seen him until he sat in on the statement I gave earlier. I don’t know if he’d wanted to be there either; he’d positioned himself as far away as possible.