𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛

15

(I'll tell you when to play the video)

𝓢𝓪𝓵𝓿𝓪𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓮'𝓼 𝓹𝓸𝓿:

It has officially been 2 days since I took-no, retrieved Kailani, she has been having a hard time sleeping because she's not used to the bed or room yet, but she'd adapt eventually, she had to.

I had to go in the room a couple of times to rub her back and adjust the setting on her nightlight and the temperature of the air conditioning, but I didn't mind, as long as I was doing it for her.

It's finally morning, so I'm now on the way to the locked room to go see her.

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of her nightlight casting long shadows against the walls. There she was, curled up in the large bed that seemed to swallow her small frame whole. Her chest rose and fell in a rhythm that told me she was still struggling to sleep soundly. My Kailani.

Quietly, I approached her, my heavy footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. She didn't stir, but I could see the tension in her brow, the way her delicate hands clutched the sheets like she was holding on for dear life. I couldn't have that. She needed to feel safe-needed to know that I was here, watching over her. Always.

I sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under my weight. Gently, I reached out, my gloved hand brushing against her cheek. She whimpered softly, her eyes fluttering open, still hazy with sleep.

"Shh," I whispered without words, my touch speaking for me. I rubbed slow, soothing circles on her back, feeling the tremors ease under my palm. Her eyes met mine, wide and innocent, a world of confusion and fear swirling within them. But she didn't pull away. She never did. She was too sweet, too trusting, even now.

"You'll adapt," I wanted to tell her, but my silence was enough. She would, because she had to. She was mine, after all.

She finally relaxed into the mattress, her breathing steadying, and I adjusted the nightlight, dimming it to just the right level where the darkness wouldn't scare her. The temperature needed tweaking too; I lowered it a notch, just enough to keep her comfortable.

I lingered, not ready to leave her just yet. The scent of her filled the room, a subtle sweetness that drove me to the edge. I leaned in, close enough to feel the warmth of her breath against my skin. My heart pounded in my chest, a relentless reminder of the desire that coursed through me, threatening to consume every rational thought.

But I had to be patient. She needed time to understand that this was where she belonged. With me. Dependent on me.

I forced myself to stand, leaving her side was the hardest thing I'd ever done, but I had work to do.

In the kitchen, I measured out the doses of her medicine, the ones that kept her weak, kept her needing me. It wasn't much, just enough to make sure she'd never feel strong enough to leave. I stirred it into her morning tea, watching as the liquid swirled, knowing she'd drink it without question. She trusted me, even now.

When I returned, she was sitting up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. I handed her the cup, the finest china, of course. I watched her every move as she took it, her hands still trembling slightly. She sipped slowly, her brows furrowing as if she could sense something was off, but she wouldn't say anything. She never did.

"I miss school," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I miss painting."

My heart twisted at her words. Of course, she missed it. She had a life before me, a world I had to erase. But I couldn't deny her, not when she looked at me with those wide, pleading eyes.