Somniphobia

Chapter 6. Understanding

Aria POV
I woke up whimpering softly from a nightmare I had. I tried to sit up, but strong arms were wrapped securely around my waist. I looked over to my side when I heard soft snoring.

It was the scary man, his arm tight around me.
I smiled to myself, remembering how he said he didn't like being touched — yet here he was, touching me.

I felt special and wanted, knowing he was comfortable touching me when he hated everyone else doing it.

But even though I loved being close to him, I knew I needed to stop this. I didn't want to burden him.

My mother's words echoed in my mind like they always did. No one wants a childish brat like you. No one will ever love you because you're too much to handle.

I heard it so much I started believing it.

I slowly grabbed his arm, trying to pull it off me so I could get up and leave. Instead, he tightened his grip around my waist and pulled me even closer.

My eyes widened as he mumbled something sleepily into my ear. I couldn't understand him, and my whole body stiffened so I wouldn't wake him.

I waited another two... maybe five minutes, just to be sure he was fully asleep again. Then I tried gently pulling his arm off me. I laid it carefully on the bed and slowly sat up, getting ready to crawl off the mattress.

But before I could get off, a hand grabbed me by the neck and pushed me back down firmly.

My eyes widened as he hovered over me, anger flashing in his eyes while his fingers tightened around my throat.

"Where are you going, princess?" he asked, almost angrily.

"I-I-I w-wa-was g-go-going t-to t-the b-ba-bathroom," I lied out of pure fear.

He released my neck and stared at me with a blank, unreadable expression.

"Go. And come back once you're done," he ordered.

I nodded quickly and got off his bed. I could feel his eyes watching me as I rushed toward the door.

"Use mine," he demanded, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned around with an unsure look.

"Hurry," he said.

I slowly walked into his bathroom and shut the door, locking it to make it seem like I needed to use it when I actually didn't.

I stood silently by the door, pretending. After a minute or two, I flushed the toilet just to make it sound real.

I cracked the door open, peeking out to see if he was asleep. He was on his back, arms behind his head, eyes closed.

I tiptoed out, heading toward the bedroom door.

"Get in this bed right now, or I'm gonna introduce you to your first punishment, little one," he said suddenly.

I froze.
I shut the door quietly and turned around, cheeks burning.

"I w-wan—"
"Get in the bed, Aria," he cut me off.

I timidly walked back to the bed and crawled onto it. I sat up instead of laying down because I knew I wasn't sleeping again after the nightmare.

"Lay down and go to sleep," he instructed.

I laid down and closed my eyes, pretending.

"I know you didn't use the restroom. And you don't need to fake sleep either, little one," he said.

My eyes opened. I stared at him, embarrassed and confused about how he knew.

"Don't look at me like that. You're not fooling anyone. Keep up your bad behavior and you're gonna be over my knee in a second," he warned, making my cheeks burn.