Broken Beginnings

Chapter 14

Chloe

The ride into town Monday morning was tense. Galen had spent the night in the garage beneath my suite waiting for me to scream into the night again and I had spent the night listening to him work – trying to keep myself from falling asleep so he wouldn’t come running. So he wouldn’t hold me all night. Even through I wanted him to – desperately. More than anything, I had wanted him to hold me like he had the night before, but I couldn’t allow that to continue happening. It wasn’t safe for our relationship. I was already starting to care for Galen and I couldn’t let myself continue on down that path of illusion. That path would lead me to hope for love and I knew that wasn’t possible. If my own father couldn’t love me enough to live a better life – then why on earth would this man love me? If I let myself entertain notions of love, I would be the one who, in the end, suffered from a broken heart. No thank you.

“How did you sleep?” Galen asked tensely. His hands were gripped tight onto the steering wheel and his hair was a mess. He looked tired and stressed.

This is what you’re doing to him. I hated myself as the thought moved around in my mind, poisoning my hope. “Fine.” I murmured.

“You look tired.” He stated, peeking at me.

“So do you.”

“I was up all night.” His words were matter of fact, like a knife through the heart. “I was waiting for you to have another nightmare.”

I flinched. “No nightmare last night.”

“Because you didn’t sleep?”

I frowned, my eyes swinging to meet his. “What?”

“I know you didn’t sleep.”

“And how do you know that?” I was toying with the cuff of the beige cardigan I wore.

“You just told me.” Galen looked straight ahead again. His jaw was working, clenching and unclenching as he thought. I didn’t say anything in response, but I didn’t need to. He asked another question. “Why didn’t you sleep? What are you afraid of?”

You. I am afraid of you. Fucking terrified of everything you represent – of everything I could never have with someone. I am terrified of you. I didn’t say any of that. “I’m not afraid of anything, Galen. You were making too much noise in the garage for me to sleep.”

He growled low under his breath, his hands tightening around the steering wheel, gripping it tight. I shivered despite the heat. The man was angry – but why? “We both know that isn’t true.”

I shifted in my seat. This man knew how to read me and that was irritating as all hell. He had no business demanding to know what my reasons were for not sleeping through the night. He was my roommate – not my boyfriend. But did I want him to be my boyfriend? Goodness gracious – no! Of course I didn’t. “Galen, I have a hard time sleeping.” I lied. I actually found it very easy to sleep when I wasn’t terrified of the nightmares. Of being alone forever. “I’ve always had a hard time sleeping.”

Steel blue eyes fastened on me and I froze beneath his glower. “You slept fine in my arms.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, looking out the window. I was going to ignore that. There was no way that comment deserved a response. Nope, I don’t think so.

“Chloe,” my name on his lips shook me to my core and I found myself looking into his face again, finding his eyes with my own. “Don’t shut me out.”

I frowned. “I’m not shutting you out, Galen.”

“You are.”

“No I’m not.” I shook my head. “I never invited you in.”