Tonight? All the shadow selves show up at once. And in the dreams, I’m screaming the same words every time: “Daddy,please, don’t leave me here!Come back!”
But he never turns around. He never comes back.
No one ever does.
But wait. That’s not true anymore…
Caleb did.
Not because he had to. Not because anyone made him. But because he wanted to.
And not just ’cause he’s trying to get into my pants. He… wants strings with me.
Guys don’t say that. Not to girls like me. Not andmeanit.
I try to shove it away, but it keeps playing on repeat.
I want strings attached with you, Harper.
Like it mattered. LikeImatter.
I snuggle closer, letting his body heat drive the cold out of my bones. I’ve never slept beside anyone except Z before. And even with Z, I always had to keep one ear open, ready to bolt. But here?
I feel…safe. I’ve let my walls down.
And that’s the scariest part.
Because if it’s real—if Caleb actuallydoescare about me—then I have something to lose now. And I’ve never been good at holding tight to the things that matter. Something always steals them away.
My brain tries to knock it all down before it can even settle:
He felt sorry for you. You were crying. He just wanted to shut you up.Darlene’s voice slides in, sour and slurred.Who could love trash like you?
But that’s not what Caleb said. That’s not what he showed me when he fought for me. He said I was his to protect.
He looked at me like I was worth something. Worthfightingfor. Worthstayingfor.
And that’s the part I can’t make peace with—because what the hell am I bringing to the table?
Eighteen years full of trauma. A resume of red flags. And he’s…Caleb. Golden boy. Solid. With a future so bright it’s practically blinding.
What does someone like him want with someone like me?
A tear slips down my cheek and soaks into his now-dry shirt.
His arms tighten, even in sleep. Instinctive. Reflexive.
God, he doesn’t evenknowhow to let go. And I don’t know how to hold on. He’s giving me everything, and I don’t even know how to love myself.
How do you give something you’ve never had? How do you believe you’re lovable when the only proof you’ve ever known says otherwise?
There are a hundred reasons this thing between us shouldn’t work. The step-sibling part is just the cherry on top of the fucked-up sundae.
And yet…
I curl tighter into him, tucking my face against his chest like I’m trying to memorize the blueprint of safety.
What if I could learn?