Chapter 34 - Fred Ashford

Fred POV

Tatum has been asleep for hours and I can’t bring myself to lie down next to her. I am sitting in the most uncomfortable armchair in the world. I don’t know what the interior designer was thinking when she bought this for my room. I make a mental note to get rid of this chair as soon as possible.

Tatum moves on the bed, and my eyes dart to her immediately. She’s wearing one of my Nirvana t-shirts that cover her body all the way to the middle of her thighs. I watch as her lips part slightly and her eyes shut tighter as she moves on the bed. Her head darting from one side to the other and I realize she’s having a bad dream.

Immediately, I fall on my knees on the floor next to the bed and hold her hand between both of mine while I whisper. “It’s okay baby, you’re safe. No one is going to hurt you, not while I am here,” I keep repeating until her body stills and her breathing goes back to normal. I move my hand, but hers squeezes mine, stopping me.

“Stay with me,” she whispers as