Chapter 55
Ema's
I rested my head against Derek's chest and felt the steady, heavy thump of his heartbeat under my ear. The sound was comforting and slow, like a drum that told me I was safe. We lay together in the large bed, the sheets tangled around our legs in a messy pile. The room was mostly dark, but the curtains were half-open, and the moonlight spilled across the wooden floor in a bright, silver patch. I felt the warmth of his skin against mine, and it made the world outside feel very far away.
Every few seconds, I found myself looking up at him. I wanted to make sure he was really there and that the events of the day hadn't changed him. Each time I moved, he looked back down at me. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and his eyes were warm and clear in the darkness. He looked peaceful, even though I knew his mind must be racing with everything that had happened with his brother and his mother.
