Page 66 of Shattered Dreams

Jo stopped moving. “What’s wrong, Grady?”

“He was in my dream.”

“Awww, baby. I’ll be right there. You go to the bathroom, and I’ll bring you a drink of water.”

“Okay.” He sniffled, and I heard him shuffle off.

“I’m so sorry.” She half whispered to me.

“Don’t be.”

“Let me get him settled and I’ll be back.” She leaned in and kissed me. “Will you wait for me?”

“Always.”

She whimpered as she pulled off my cock and picked up her nightshirt before going to the other room. I stretched out in bed, waiting for her to come back.

Jolynn

My mind spun a thousand miles an hour.

Well, he didn’t say anything when I slipped up about the number of births. Maybe he didn’t catch it.

I got a cup of water for Grady and tucked him back in with his brothers. Looking around, I saw Briar in a make-shift bed away from the boys and Emma in her playpen. The other bed was neat and cleaned up.

“You’re safe, Grady. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

He nodded and took another drink of water. “Thank you, mama.”

“You’re welcome.” I kissed his head. “Want me to stay in here?”

He shook his whole body. “I’m okay now.”

“Good night, baby boy.”

“Night, mama.”

I went back to the other room, and it looked like Richard fell asleep in the middle of the bed.

Well, nothing like a kid to be a buzzkill.

I climbed into bed on the dry side and before I got all the way in, his arms snaked out and pulled me to him in an embrace. My back was against his front.

“Grady okay?” His soft voice gave me goosebumps.

“He will be.”

“What’s his nightmare about?”

“The boys have been opening up and they sometimes have nightmares about how their dad choked them.”

“That mother fucker did what?” His voice was low and deadly.

“The, uh, worst instance was when he choked Grady until his lips turned a blue and then he threw him to the floor. It was meant for Harrison, but Grady stepped in.”

He kissed my shoulder. “That was really brave of Grady.”

“It was. But it shouldn’t have happened.”