The Sit - N - Spill Chronicles: Brewing

Chapter 20

The cabin was quiet, wrapped in the soft embrace of a predawn mist. Annie's dreams had turned dark, a tangled web of fear and helplessness. She saw Davis's cold smile and Benji's sinister eyes looming over her. Their hands reached out, pulling her into the shadows as she screamed.

Annie's body jerked awake, her scream echoing through the cabin. Her chest heaved as she clutched at the blankets, the vivid images still gripping her mind. Before she could fully process where she was, Kane burst into the room, his eyes wide with alarm.

"Annie?" he called, his voice filled with concern as he flicked on the bedside lamp. The warm glow illuminated her tear-streaked face. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Annie shook her head, unable to speak. She buried her face in her hands, trying to stifle the sobs threatening to break free. Kane hesitated for only a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed and gently pulling her hands away from her face.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice steady and reassuring. "It was just a nightmare. You're safe. No one else is here, Liam would have caught them before they got in anyway." He rationalized with her.

She nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks as she leaned into him. Kane wrapped his arms around her, his touch firm but comforting. "They... they were taking me," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I couldn't stop them."

Annie could not shake the feeling that something far worse was closing in on them. The familiar feeling of fear she had locked away rose up again, fresh and sharper than ever. "I feel like I am right back there, at risk of losing everything, Kane. My family, the tea bar... you. I am still so afraid I will somehow disappear like they did."

Her voice quivered with the weight of the fear she couldn't hold inside anymore. Kane tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer.

Her tears fell freely now, the dam she'd built around herself beginning to break. She had kept so much inside, always trying to be strong, to fight through it all without letting anyone see how much it hurt. But Kane's reassurance was like a lifeline.

Kane's jaw tightened. "Them taking you, or anything from you, is not going to happen," he said fiercely. "They are in prison now and will be there for a long time Annie. They can not get to you anymore. They can not send anyone either. You are safe. No one else will let anything happen to you either."

She tilted her head to look at him, her watery eyes searching his face for reassurance. His expression was resolute, his gaze locked on hers. In that moment, the weight of her fear began to lift, replaced by the warmth of his presence. He pressed his lips against her forehead giving her a small comforting kiss.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Kane brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You don't have to thank me. I will always be here for you."

The weight of his words sank into her, the tenderness in his embrace filling the spaces left by her fear. Annie pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze with tear-filled eyes. "You mean so much to me," she admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

His eyes softened, his hand gently cupping her face as he wiped away her tears. "You mean everything to me, Annie."

Before she could respond, Kane leaned in, pressing his lips to hers in a slow, emotional kiss. It was more than just a kiss; it was a promise—one of safety, of protection, and of something growing deeper between them. When they finally pulled away, both were breathless, the vulnerability they had shared hanging in the air.

Kane smiled gently. "Do you think you can get some sleep now?"

Annie nodded, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "Only if you stay."