Don’t Let Go

35. Tyler

35

Tyler

When I joined Rory on the window ledge, I wanted to ask her questions and understand how her family was tied to the mafia. Shouldn’t I have been told about this before they moved me in?

All the questions curled into their little boxes when I saw Rory holding that stuffed bunny. Lizzy always had that bunny somewhere close to her in the living room when she was playing with something or watching TV.

Rory looked worse than anyone else in her family. The rest were torn up, but they were showing their pain. Rory swallowed it, kept it bottled up. She was going to explode, and with a gun so close to her grasp, she’d take more than just herself out.

My left arm wrapped around her upper body. She softly snored as she used my chest as a pillow. I gingerly tunneled my fingers through her hair. I slid a couple of chestnut locks between my forefinger and middle finger, savoring its silkiness as it fell back onto her shoulder.

She looked at peace. Her mouth relaxed, no longer pulled down around the edges by a heavy frown. Her skin was smooth, and the wrinkles of stress and frustration washed away.

Her breath caught as she wedged herself closer to me. Her left leg rested across my thighs. I never slept with a girl, like fell asleep in the same bed together. I was always told to leave, but this, having Rory so close to me. It felt like she should’ve always been sleeping by my side.

Her hair smelled like apples, and the idea of my scent lingering on her pillow made me smile a little.

“You’re beautiful and strong, Rory.” I tenderly kissed her forehead. “I don’t care what you’re mixed up in. I’ll always protect you. You can trust me. I’ll never let you down.”

Rory’s fingers grasped my shirt as she slept. “Shh,” I murmured, putting her at ease.

Her breaths became deeper as she fell into a comfortable slumber. I rested my cheek on the crown of her head, falling asleep with her body perfectly pressed against mine.