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Novel Catalog
Chapter 48
Shaun’s frown deepened as he stared at Catherine, her face pale and anxious, eyes wide with fear. The vulnerability in her expression tugged at something deep within him, something he’d been trying to suppress. He had no idea why it affected him so much—maybe it was because he knew the horrors she’d gone through, or maybe it was because, despite everything, she was still asking him for help.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Catherine stood there, clutching the blanket tightly to her chest, and Shaun stared at her with conflicted emotions. He had been through a lot, but he was still a man used to his space, his rules. The idea of sharing his room, especially after the tension between them, wasn’t something he was prepared for. But the raw desperation in her eyes made it harder to refuse.
Finally, he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Fine,” he said, his voice rough with exhaustion, “but if you wake me up again, I’m kicking you out.”
Catherine’s heart gave a small leap at his words, though his tone was far from warm. She nodded quickly, relief flooding her. She’d been afraid he would turn her away. “Thank you,” she murmured, voice soft and genuine.
Shaun stepped back and motioned toward the side of the bed. “The floor’s yours.”
Catherine hesitated for just a moment before she moved toward the floor. She didn’t want to impose on him any more than she already had. However, her body ached for rest, and the nightmares had drained her. Her fear still clung to her, but she felt a bit safer knowing she wasn’t alone.
She placed the blanket on the floor and lay down, her back to the bed, her mind racing as she tried to calm herself. Shaun didn’t say anything more, but she could feel the weight of his presence behind her. She could hear him moving, the sound of him settling into bed, and the quiet click of his bedside lamp being turned off.
She didn’t expect sleep to come easily, but eventually, her eyelids grew heavier. The warmth of his presence, despite the tension, helped her relax. It wasn’t long before she finally drifted off, though her sleep was light and troubled, filled with flashes of the past.
Shaun, however, couldn’t sleep easily. He lay awake for what felt like hours, listening to the sound of Catherine’s breathing. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts—about her, about everything that had happened, and about the strange sense of protectiveness he felt toward her that he couldn’t quite shake. He had never been the type to get involved emotionally, especially not with someone like her, but seeing her so fragile, so human, made something inside him stir.
For the first time in a long while, he found himself questioning everything he’d believed about relationships and his own cold detachment. But then, that bitter laugh from earlier, her defiant spirit, flashed through his mind. He couldn’t let her get too close. He wasn’t the kind of man who could offer her what she needed.
“Get a grip, Shaun,” he muttered under his breath, trying to focus on the case he had to prepare for tomorrow.
But no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept returning to Catherine—the vulnerability she’d shown, the way she trusted him despite everything, and the way her presence in the room had made everything feel… different.
By morning, Catherine had managed to get a few hours of sleep. She awoke to the soft sound of the morning light filtering through the curtains. Her body still felt heavy, but the night had been far more peaceful than she’d expected. She slowly sat up, her gaze flickering over to Shaun, who was already awake and sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed for the day. He glanced at her for a moment, his eyes as unreadable as ever.
“Feeling better?” he asked, his voice steady, though there was a trace of something softer in his tone.
She nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed by how she had disturbed him. “Thank you… for letting me stay.”
Shaun gave a small grunt in acknowledgment but said nothing more as he stood and moved toward the door. “I’ll be in the study. Get some rest if you need it.”
“Okay,” Catherine replied, still unsure of what to make of his subtle kindness.
As he left the room, Catherine stared at the spot where he had been standing, her heart racing a little faster than usual. There was something undeniable about the way they were beginning to interact—something that made her wonder if, despite the walls he had built around himself, he was starting to care in his own way.
But she couldn’t let herself get distracted by those thoughts. She had her own path to follow, her own goals to achieve. She couldn’t afford to lose sight of that, no matter what was happening between her and Shaun.
But even as she tried to remind herself of her priorities, part of her felt the pull of him—an ever-growing connection that neither of them could ignore.