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"Milia?" I murmured, still half asleep. I turned my head and saw her thrashing around, caught in some kind of scary dream. Her face was twisted in pain, her body jerking. She whimpered, then suddenly yelled, "Malakai, please stop!"
My heart dropped. I realized she was having a nightmare, and not just any nightmareβit was about him. Without wasting another second, I reached over and gently shook her. "Baby, wake up," I whispered, my voice calm but urgent.
Milia shot up with a gasp, screaming, "No!" Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her eyes wide and frantic. I quickly cupped her face, trying to calm her.
"Hey, hey, it's me... You're okay, Milia, you're okay," I said softly, hoping to pull her out of whatever nightmare she was trapped in.
Her eyes darted around for a moment before they settled on me. "W-Wyatt?" she stammered, her voice small and shaky.
"Yes, baby girl, it's me, Wyatt," I assured her, nodding.
For a moment, she just stared at me, her expression shifting from fear to relief, and then, all at once, she broke down. The sobs shook her body as she clung to me like I was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.
"Baby, what's wrong?" I asked, holding her tighter, though I already had a good idea.
Through her tears, she whispered, "H-he was hurting me, Wyatt. He was hurting me again."
Hearing those words made my chest ache. I hated that even in her sleep, Malakai still had a grip on her. I hated that she had to relive that kind of pain.
I tightened my arms around her, rocking her gently. "It's just us, okay? You're safe here. He can't hurt you anymore," I whispered, trying to comfort her, even though I knew words could only do so much.
"I know I'm safe," she said, her voice trembling. "But why does it feel like I still can't move on from this?"
I pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. "Milia, you were with him for six years. And for one of those years, you endured some of the worst things a person could ever endure. You won't just forget about it in a matter of months. These things take time."
"But Wyatt," she said, her voice breaking. "It's been months since Malakai and I broke up. I shouldn't still be having nightmares like this. I shouldn't be scared to sleep at night when I'm in your arms."
She wiped her tears away, but it didn't do much good as more just kept falling. Seeing her like that, so vulnerable and hurt, made me feel helpless. I hated that I couldn't just fix it all for her.
I thought about what I could do, somethingβanythingβthat might help ease her pain, even just a little. And then an idea came to me.
"I think you need a weekend away from Austin," I said, the thought forming clearer in my mind.
Milia looked at me, confusion clouding her tired eyes. "Wyatt, I've been in Austin my whole life. Where could I even go?"
I smiled softly, a plan already forming in my head. "Wiley has a lake house in East Texas. All I have to do is talk to him, and he'll let us use it."
Her brows furrowed, and she shook her head. "Oh no, Wyatt, there's no need for that."
I rolled my eyes playfully, trying to lighten the mood. "Milia, come on. It'll be a small getaway weekend. I can invite Akhilles, and you can invite Sienna and Sawyor. Sawyor can even bring Jonah. It'll be a couples retreat. How does that sound?"
She hesitated, biting her lip as she considered it. For a moment, I wasn't sure if she'd agree, but then she nodded slowly. "Fine. Let's do it."
A grin spread across my face, relief washing over me. "Good. I'll talk to Wiley later today, okay?"
She nodded again. "Now lay down," I said softly, guiding her back to the bed. "Let's get you back to sleep."
I settled down beside her, and she curled up against my chest, her head resting just under my chin. I held her close, feeling her heartbeat slowly calm, matching mine.
As I lay there, listening to her breathing even out, I promised myself I'd do whatever it took to help her heal. She deserved peace, and I was going to make damn sure she found it.