The Hate Game

Chapter 17

"NO! Alp, please no!"

Eda bolted up, hearing Serkan tormented voice. He was tossing on the bed, panting heavily.

"Serkan, it's just a dream." Eda shook him to wake him up. Serkan startled and sat up, hiding his head in his hands. 

"No." He said in a broken whisper. 

"Serkan." Eda took his hands from his face, but he was looking down, not acknowledging her presence.

"No." He repeated, and Eda heard in his voice so much pain that tears came to her eyes. She couldn't bear seeing him in that state.

"Serkan!" Eda cupped his cheeks and turned his head, forcing him to focus on her the same way he helped her during her claustrophobia episode. 

"Let go." She kissed him softly. "Just let him go." 

Serkan was watching her with wet eyes. He was trembling under the weight of guilt he was carrying on his shoulders for almost sixteen years, which wasn't his carry.

"You're not going to leave me again?" He asked, almost pleading. 

"No, I'm not afraid anymore."

"You know I'm really fucked up?"

"More than me?" Eda gave him a small smile which he returned. 

"We both are fucked up."

"We can heal each other. You've already healed me, just being by my side."

Serkan rested his forehead on hers. "I love you, Eda."

"I love you too, Serkan." She whispered. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She knew Serkan loved her, but finally confessing to each other and hearing the love words from him made her incredibly happy.

Eda embraced him tight, pulling him down to the pillows. She ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his cheek, kissing him softly. Serkan still was shaking, but the pain in his eyes lessened and was going away with her every touch and kiss. He pulled her to himself even closer, and they lay on their sides with their bodies tightly pressed to each other.

"You're mine everything." Serkan whispered.

"You're mine."

He smiled at her, kissing her again, and Eda kept stroking his cheek until he closed his eyes and his breath even out. Only then she pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes too.

In the early morning, Eda felt the sun rays falling on her face. She squeezed her eyes tighter, not wanting to give up on her sleep. She was laying on her side, and the sun was bothering her through her closed eyelids exactly as when she didn't close the curtains in her room properly. Her pillow and her cover felt like the one in the castle. It was the same material. 

Was that all just a dream, and she was still in her bed? Did she just dream crazy events of the last day, and more importantly, she only dreamed to be back with Serkan and him telling her he loved her? All of this was so surreal that it was hardly believable.

She sighed in disappointment and moved slightly on the bed, rolling on her belly. A hand resting on her hip slid to her ass, and then Eda felt it going under a shirt she was sleeping in, moving up through her waist to her breast and pulling her back to her side, pressing her to hot, firm body.

Eda's eyes opened, and she saw that she was in the commander's room, dressed in a male white shirt, lying on a bed with Serkan spooning her from behind. She let out a breath of relief. She wasn't dreaming, and Serkan was with her.