The Arrangement

Chapter Twenty-Four

Taylor's POV

I knock on Nicolas' door, shifting on my feet as I hold both my elbows.

He opens the door, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Thomas?"

"Hey Nicolas. Um, I couldn't sleep. So I thought I'd come and sleep with you?" I ask in the sweetest tone I could muster.

"Sure Taylor," he says, stepping to the side and holding the door for me. I awkwardly step inside the room, the all black interior familiar to me.

We both lie down, getting comfortable under the covers.

"Goodnight Taylor."

"Goodnight Nicolas."

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I toss and turn in comfort as I lay in Nicolas's bed. I sigh and close my eyes again, ready to fall back asleep when something stops me.

Nicolas.

His forehead is covered in a thick layer of cold, glistening sweat and he continuously turns his head side to side in discomfort, his eyebrows creased.

He mumbles something quietly and his forehead creases more in confusion as his body tenses.

I sit up on my forearms and shake his shoulder as he continues shaking his head. He doesn't wake up and that scares me even more.

What's been going on with him lately?

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Nicolas's POV

My eyes flutter open and I blink as I try to adjust to the night glow shining in my room. I sigh and get from under my covers ready to get a glass of water from downstairs.

I stop in my tracks as I hear sounds coming from downstairs. I slowly tip toe to the stair railing, leaning over it and peeking downstairs to see if I can see anything.

Nothing?

I sigh and shake my head, running a hand through my hair as I head downstairs for my glass of water.

"No! Stop!" I hear a familiar voice yell loudly. I gasp and run down the rest of the stairs, two men hovering over Taylor and pinning her arms down above her head.

"Nicolas! Help me!" She screams. The man hovering over her clamps her mouth shut, silencing her whimpers and crys for help.

"Get off her!" I shout, running towards the men.

Suddenly I'm hit on the back of my head, falling to the floor and hitting my head on the hard floor, the darkness consuming me.

I jump up, breathing heavily. The same nightmare has been happening for months now. Except tonight, it was different. It was Taylor being hurt, instead of my mom.

My heart hurts at the thought. A familiar vanilla scent fills my nose and I look to my left, Taylor looking worried as she looks down at me, her forehead creased.