Cheating Myself

36

Emily's POV

I was deep in slumber when I felt a body thrashing behind my back. I groaned and slowly opened my eyes adjusting to the night. My first thought was that it wasn't my room nor was it Daniel's room. I panicked but the next second I turned my head and saw Tony lying on his back near me. His brows were furrowed and his expression was telling me that it wasn't a good dream he was having. He was constantly thrashing and what looked like groaning from pain.

"No...No!" he was mumbling under his breath but I couldn't catch all his words.

I sat up and gently stroked his arm trying to soothe him. But when I touched him he snatched my hand and gripped it harshly. I was so much in pain but I knew that he didn't know what he was doing.

"Tony... It's okay. It's me, Emily. Please wake up." I tried to wake him up but the minute I tried to hold him with my other hand he rolled me down with his eyes still shut and squeezed my neck with both his hands towering over me.

"NO! You won't do it again to me! I won't let you!" his screams resonated in the room like thunder. The pressure that was on my neck was almost impossible to handle. I tried to push him off me but in no vain. He was too strong and I already started feeling my air leaving my lungs and burn. My brain got dizzy and my eyes felt really heavy. The pain from his hands was slowly absorbing me. With all my willpower I put my hands on his face.

"T-tony...I-it's y-y-your Pr-r-rincess" I barely could make it a whisper before I felt my hands leave his face and my eyes started rolling in the back of my head.

I huge burning gulp of air was finally released to my lungs and I felt his hands loosening the grip on my neck.

"Emily?" his voice was trembling but I couldn't hear what he was saying next as the darkness took me.

I smiled when I felt the warmness on my face. I loved waking up to the sun beaming on my face through the curtains. My eyes were still closed but I so wanted to open them and get my morning retinue started. I moved my hands to rub my face but agonizing pain stopped me halfway.

"W-wa..." as soon as my mouth opened I felt like someone had torn my throat in half. I popped my eyes open and froze looking at a man kneeling on the floor near my bed. Tony's head was lying near my right hand and his head was buried in the comforter. All the events from the evening came rushing in my head and my body switched in panic mode. I tried to move up to the headboard as far as I could away from him. I knew he was dreaming back then and it wasn't his fault but seeing him sleeping again made me dead scared. What if this happens again?

I moved my legs slowly like a caterpillar trying to reach to my phone that was lying on the other end of the bed but I heard shuffling and froze.

"Princess?" Tony whispered and I shot my head to him. He was looking at me like a scared animal. His hair was a real mess and his eyes were all red. He stood up and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Princess... Please... Say you're okay" he pleaded but I couldn't gather the courage to answer him. I only nodded my head not moving from my spot.

"I am so sorry. I never should have let you sleep near me..." his voice was so broken. I've never heard him talking in this kind of manner. He clearly regretted what he did.

"The doctor said it will hurt for a week and you need to try not to talk much to help the healing process..." he moved his hands to me but stopped in the midair and then stood up.

"Please, Princess. I can't bear the thought that I made this to you. Please forgive me" he bowed his head.

I am not a wuss but in this situation, I was scared to move. I knew it wasn't him and now I knew that something bad happened to Tony in the past. But he was like a brother to me. I loved this guy.