Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Only the balcony door was open. Patrick walked over and peered outside, finding the balcony completely empty.
Below him, the pool was splashing. Soft light cutting through the clear water gave it a turquoise glow, and a figure was floating in it.
It was Juliette.
It was too late to head downstairs, so Patrick jumped off the balcony into the water below.
Splash! The sounds of water surrounded him.
As he surfaced, he noticed that Juliette had also come up for air. Now, she was at the edge of the pool, pressed against the cool wall, her white shirt gently moving in the water.
“Ms. Vaughn?” he called out softly, frowning at the lack of response.
Juliette’s eyes were cast downward, staring at the glimmering water, but it seemed like she wasn’t really seeing it–her gaze was distant
Is she sleepwalking?‘ he wondered. Jumping into the pool must’ve been quite a jolt, but she still didn’t seem to wake up if
that was the case.
He approached slowly, trying not to disturb the water too much, then waved his hand in front of her eyes. In an instant, Juliette grabbed his wrist.
Patrick froze for a moment, caught off guard by her strength. He attempted to pull his hand back, but she held on tight.
“It’s burning,” she murmured, her face twisted in discomfort.
Though the breeze made Patrick feel a bit chilly by the open–air pool, she insisted it was sweltering.
When she looked up at him, he saw her eyes filled with tears that she stubbornly held back. Amid the tears and determination was an overwhelming sense of pain, as if she were trapped in a nightmare.
“As the daughter of the Vaughn family and engaged to one of the most powerful families–the Montgomerys–how could she look so lost? Patrick wondered.
Remembering what he knew about sleepwalking, he realized it wasn’t a good idea to wake her right now.
“I’m cool over here. Do you want to join me?” he said, trying to coax her over, his voice gentle.
But Juliette didn’t move, as if she hadn’t heard him at all. Yet, when Patrick gently took her hand with his other one, she didn’t resist.
He could feel her relax a bit, almost like she was clinging to him for support–like she was grasping at her life–saving straws.
Patrick edged closer, taking his time until he gently pulled Juliette into his embrace, holding her against his chest, She seemed to settle in, rubbing against him to find a cozier position
A wave of warmth washed over him as her unique scent filled the air, making his heart race and causing a knot to form in his throat. He took a breath to steady himself, trying to push down the heat rising inside him.
Chapter 12
The pool was calm again, and the morning breeze softly stirred the treetops, their rustling whispering like a secret to the
world.
Patrick stood there, frozen. Time seemed to blur, but Juliette in his arms stayed asleep, her breathing steady and deep. When he glanced down, he noticed her eyes were shut, completely at peace.
Carefully, he lifted her and walked out of the pool, making his way back to the room.
It was bright inside, and he caught a clear glimpse of Juliette’s stunning face–a beauty that radiated an almost icy detachment, like a fragile flower blooming high in the mountains.
A memory flashed in his mind of her fierce expression, holding a dagger, eyes burning with anger. He wondered which one was the real Juliette.
He laid her on the bed and started to head for a towel and some dry clothes. But Juliette frowned in pain, her hands flailing as if she were trying to grasp something.
Without thinking, he took her hand, and she clutched it tightly like it was her lifeline.
Patrick couldn’t help but frown. What has she been through? Why is she like this?‘ he pondered.
Forgetting about the towel and clothes, he wrapped them both in a quilt.
Juliette shifted again, mumbling, “Hot, burning hot. Water, give me water.”
Patrick stood up to fetch her some but realized she wouldn’t let go of his hand.
“What’s going on? Why does she feel so hot?‘ he wondered. The room was far from steamy for an early fall day, and she was soaked, but all he had done was tuck her in.
That didn’t make any sense.
Patrick pressed his forehead against Juliette’s. Her body temperature was normal. She wasn’t hot at all. “Water…” she murmured, clearly in distress, as if she were on the verge of waking from a bad dream.
Patrick’s jaw was tight with tension. Time felt warped. Maybe it was only a second, or perhaps even less.
He leaned in, his slightly cool lips meeting hers, and in that moment, Juliette went quiet. But when she couldn’t drink the water she wanted, she began to reach out, searching.
Patrick’s body tensed, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. It was then he truly felt the heat, the blood in his body rushing to the surface.
Juliette continued to explore until her thirst was somewhat quenched.
As dawn broke, Juliette blinked awake, momentarily confused about her surroundings.
Sitting up in bed, she noticed the room was washed in white, sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains.
Suddenly, it all came back to her–she was in Patrick’s house. She was thrown back in time.
Last night, she had tossed and turned in nightmares, trapped in a nightmare landscape where she was burning alive, skin
11:47 Wed, Jan 29 u BG.
Chapter 12
dry and cracked, desperate for water.
In those dreams, Finn had watched from the flames, providing no relief, no rescue.
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Her heart sank at the memory. In that nightmare, she’d seen Patrick throwing himself into the fire to shield her, kissing her so she could taste a bit of water from his mouth.
‘Was that really just a dream?‘ she wondered, rubbing her lips. The sensation felt too real to be a dream.
After getting ready at eight o’clock, she noticed that Patrick had left clothes for her by her door. After changing, she made her way downstairs.
As she rounded the corner of the staircase, she caught sight of some movement outside the window.
There stood a young, attractive mom, Aurora Reed, with a little boy in front of Louis, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Baby, let’s not play with him. He doesn’t have a mommy to teach him. He could easily hurt you.”
Louis had his tiny fists clenched so tightly, ready to blow up at any moment.
That little boy of his age chimed in, “Louis, you don’t have a mom, so who’s going to help you make cookies for kindergarten tomorrow?”
They had an assignment this weekend to bake cookies with their parents and bring them in on Monday for judgment day. Louis was livid. “I do have a mom! I don’t need you worrying about me!”
The boy shot back, “You’re lying! My mom said you don’t have one, and I’ve never seen her!” He then pushed Louis, who tumbled onto the grass.
Aurora laughed and said, “Hey there, buddy, do you want to chat with your dad and see if he’ll let me help you make cookies? If he asks, I might just say yes. Plus, I’ll let my son play with you because, honestly, no one else around here seems to want to play with you.”
