Chapter 38

I jolted awake, my heart racing like a jackhammer in my chest. The darkness of my room seemed to swirl around me, shadows that threatened to pull me back under. I gasped for air, my lungs burning as if I'd been holding my breath for far too long.

As I sat up, the sweat-drenched sheets clung to my skin like a cold shroud. My mind was foggy, but fragments of the nightmare lingered. I rubbed my eyes, trying to scrub away the images that still lingered: Dan and Tyson demanding to know the truth, the feeling of being caught in my own web of lies. Damn, that was one twisted dream.

It was dark outside, and I probably slept more than I anticipated. I threw myself back on the bed and realised Dan was sound asleep next to me. I turned and looked at me while he slept. He looked so peaceful and handsome, I softly touched his feelings of guilt and regret, absorbing me like a blanket.

Before I could move and lie on his chest, he suddenly started shivering and chattering. I looked at him, confused by what was happening, and I slightly shook him so he could wake up. He didn’t open his eyes; instead, he started sweating and shivering. He jolted awake, and for a brief second, I swear those orbs were a shining gold. He quickly sat up and looked at my eyes wide open. I stared back at him, too shocked and confused to say anything.

Does he have magical powers? I asked myself, confused and scared. If he did, could he have hidden it from me? I’ve never hidden who I am from him. “Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked in a voice rough and hoarse from sleeping.. “What do you mean? How am I looking at you?” I asked him, still undecided about whether to tell him what I saw or let it go.

“Seriously?” He asked, looking at me with an annoyed look on his face. We stared into each other’s eyes, and suddenly he closed the space with a deep, heated kiss. Our lips moved in sync, but I softly pushed him away, breaking the kiss. “Let’s go back to sleep, I’m tired.” I lay wanting to just sink into bed and think about what just happened. It seems like he's hiding something from me. Why would he just kiss me? It is a romantic gesture, or should I be worried? I wasn’t even looking at him in a certain way; I probably looked freaked out more than anything.

“Okay, are you okay though? Do you want something to eat? You didn’t eat yesterday.” I shook my head, faced the opposite side, and placed my head on the pillow. I heard him sigh and went back to sleep, putting his hand on my bump. I quickly fell asleep after that.

When I woke up in the morning, the weather was beautiful as always, and Dan was also not in bed as always. “Hey, I made you breakfast.” I looked up as Dan walked into the bedroom with a tray and food in his hands. I smiled at the kind gesture, but my smile faltered as I saw the tray, which had every kind of breakfast meal you could think of. “You didn’t have to go through the trouble of making so much food. I don’t think I will be able to eat all of it, but thank you, love.” I said, taking the tray from him and placing it next to me.

I got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. “I was wondering if you will wake up hungry this morning, and I don’t like that you don’t eat. You will starve my son.” He said as I climbed back to bed. I laughed as he said to his son, “You already know the gender?” I asked my hands, which were shaking immediately, and he looked at me and smiled without saying anything in reply. This man looks like he knows something.

“What happened to Tyson? Did you ban him from your mansion?” I asked, laughing awkwardly, the mood instantly changed, and his face went from smiling to angry in a split second. “No, I don’t know why he no longer comes around. I don’t need him, though, do you?” I looked at him, shocked by what he was asking me, and he looked dead serious. “No, why would you ask that?” He shrugged, stood up, and quietly left the room without saying another word.

I sighed, feeling disappointed. Bringing Tyson's name up, it feels like I just ruined a good time by mentioning him. I got up from the bed, took a shower, and got dressed in a black short dress. Dan walked as I was about to get into bed and take a nap. The pregnancy has been taking a toll on me; all I want to do is eat and sleep. "That dress is way too short, take it off." He instantly said the moment he laid his eyes on me, I laughed, thinking that maybe he was joking.

"I'm not joking, take it off. I don't want to see a man staring at your ass." I stopped fixing the bed and turned to look at him as his tone had changed. "This dress is not that short, and it's not like I am going somewhere," I said, trying to reason with him even though I could see in his eyes that he's not going to change his mind. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of me, standing tall with his hand placed behind me on the wall. "You are mine, and mine alone." It's a great time to set boundaries, after I ended up in your brother's bed.

"What's wrong with you?" I slightly pushed him away when I felt him slightly put his nose on my throat and sniff it. "What's wrong with you?" I slightly pushed him away when I felt him put his nose on my throat and sniff it. He didn’t answer, his jaw clenched as his eyes burned into me. Slowly, he walked closer again, every step heavy, like something was pulling him toward me against his will.

“Dan, stop,” I warned, my back against the wall. His gaze was wild, dark, and I felt his fingers graze my arm before gripping it like he owned me. “You’re mine,” he growled, the words low and rough, sending chills down my spine.

“I said stop!” I snapped, my palm igniting with a faint flicker of heat. I pressed it against his chest, the fire sparking between us. He froze for a second, eyes widening, but instead of backing away, he turned around and walked out of the room. I followed him, angry and confused. Why is he suddenly so short-tempered and possessive?

He quickly walked down the stairs in strides. I followed closely behind him, anticipating the right words to say to him so he wouldn't lash out at me. "Dan, can I speak to you for a second ?" I asked, feeling out of breath, as I rushed after him down the stairs. He stopped, but didn't turn around to face me. His body was rigid, with his gaze looking at he wall. I also stopped, too scared to walk up to him. I immediately thought of calling his brother; there's something wrong with him, and he's scaring me.

"You are scaring me, Dan." My voice quivered as I said those words, my only hope to bring him back to reality. He turned and looked at me, and I immediately noted his shifting eye colour, which went from its normal blue to silver. I held back a gasp, my mouth in my hand, unable to process what I was seeing. "Your eyes." I think he could feel the change happening because he didn't answer anything but turned around and left. Seconds later, I heard his car start outside, and he drove away. I sat down on the staircase, my body shaking like I was about to fall.

The front door suddenly opened, and I looked up. Dan's mother walked in, looking around as if looking for someone. I didn't even hear her park in the driveway; I must've zoned out for a minute. I stood up and approached her, a bit grateful that she had arrived. "Dan is not here, but he is not okay. I'm worried that something is wrong with him. I don't know if I'm the effect or what." I said, my voice shaking as I tried to explain, I hate feeling this vulnerable, especially to someone like her.

"I know." I stared at her, confused as she looked back at me with a panicking look on her face. "What do you mean?" She wiped her trembling hands on her dress as she closed the door behind her and walked to the last staircase, and sat down, looking stressed and worn out. "There's something that you need to know about Dan."