Chapter 26
Chloe finally falls asleep around eight in the morning.
Curled up under the blankets in her bed, exhaustion written into every part of her like her body had given up fighting it anymore.
I stand in the doorway for a second longer than necessary, watching her breathe.
Peaceful now.
Or as close to peaceful as she gets lately.
My chest tightens anyway.
Last night keeps replaying in flashes.
Her screaming.
Trying to fight me.
The look on her face when she thought I was him.
Ryan.
Just thinking the name makes something cold settle under my skin.
Ava squirms sleepily against my chest, pulling me out of it.
"There you are," I murmur, rubbing her back.
She yawns dramatically.
I take that as agreement.
The apartment is quiet now.
Sunlight spilling softly through the kitchen window. Coffee brewing. Pancakes half-finished on Chloe's stove because apparently, I've just accepted this is my life now.
Honestly?
Not mad about it.
Ava is chewing thoughtfully on my dog tags while I flip another pancake one-handed when loud pounding suddenly echoes through the building hallway.
Three heavy knocks.
On my apartment door across the hall.
I freeze immediately.
Not because I'm worried.
Because I know exactly who knocks like that.
Ava startles slightly at the noise, tiny face scrunching.
"Yeah, I know," I mutter softly. "He's obnoxious."
Another loud knock rattles my door.
Then:
"Kane! Open up before I report you missing!"
I close my eyes briefly.
Callahan.
Of course.
I glance toward Chloe's bedroom automatically.
Still asleep.
Thank Christ.
No way am I letting him wake her up after last night.
I shift Ava higher against my chest and head for Chloe's apartment door, opening it quietly before stepping into the hallway.
Then I yank the apartment door open.
Callahan is mid-knock again.
He looks up.
Sees me standing there barefoot, holding Ava against my chest.
He immediately starts laughing so hard he has to brace himself against the doorframe.
"No," he wheezes. "No way."
"Keep your voice down."
"You look domesticated."
"I look tired."
"You look like someone's husband."
I glare at him.
Unfortunately, Ava picks that exact moment to let out a tiny sleepy babble while gripping my shirt.
Callahan clutches his chest dramatically.
"Oh my God, the baby likes you."
"She's half asleep."
"She still has standards."
I step fully into the hallway before he can get any louder.
"What do you want?"
"I brought coffee," he says, lifting a tray triumphantly.
Then his eyes drift past me toward Chloe's slightly open apartment door.
His grin turns dangerous instantly.
"Oh, my God."
"Don't."
"You stayed the night."
I say nothing.
Which is apparently answer enough.
Callahan looks personally delighted by this information.
"Kane," he whispers dramatically, "you're in love."
"I'm about two seconds away from throwing you down the stairs."
"You'd do it carefully so you didn't wake the baby."
Damn it.
Ava sneezes suddenly against my chest.
Both of us look down immediately.
"You good, bug?" I ask automatically.
Callahan stares at me in horror.
"You have a dad voice now."
"I do not."
"You absolutely do."
I take the coffee from him before he spills it, laughing at his own stupidity.
His expression softens slightly as he looks past me toward Chloe's apartment again.
"Is she okay?" he asks, quieter this time.
The amusement fades enough that I know he's being genuine now.
I glance back toward the bedroom automatically.
Still quiet.
Still sleeping.
"Rough night," I admit.
Callahan studies me for a second.
Then his eyes narrow slightly.
"The nightmare thing again?"
I nod once.
His jaw tightens immediately.
"How bad?"
I look down at Ava, tucked safely against my chest.
Small fingers tangled in my shirt.
Completely trusting.
Bad enough that Chloe woke up terrified and swinging.
Bad enough that hearing genuine fear in her voice is still sitting heavy in my ribs hours later.
"Bad," I say simply.
Callahan goes still for a second.
Then exhales slowly.
"Shit."
"Yeah."
Silence stretches briefly between us in the hallway.
Then Ava yawns hugely against my chest and settles closer.
Callahan watches the movement carefully.
The automatic way I support her head.
The constant awareness.
The instinct.
His grin slowly returns.
"You're gone," he says.
"I'm not."
"You're holding that baby like you came home from deployment to your family."
I open my mouth.
Pause.
Close it again.
Because honestly?
That hit a little too close.
Callahan notices immediately and points at me triumphantly.
"There it is."
"Shut up."
He laughs quietly before lowering his voice again.
"For real though... she trusts you."
The words land heavier than I expect.
Because Chloe does trust me now.
Not fully.
Not completely.
But enough to fall asleep while I'm there.
Enough to tell me the truth.
Enough to let me hold her together after she broke apart.
I glance back toward her apartment again.
Toward the woman asleep in the bedroom and the baby currently drooling on my chest.
Something settles deep in my chest then.
Protective.
Certain.
Callahan watches my face carefully.
Then mutters:
"Oh, you're really screwed."