Chapter 53. I Felt Like a Fucking Man

Tristan

I woke up drenched in sweat, my heart hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape.

The same nightmare that had been chasing me for months was back with a vengeance. It had disappeared for a while, giving me hope that maybe I was finally healing, but tonight it returned in full force.

I sat up and reached for the glass of water on my nightstand, bringing it to my lips for a sip. That’s when I heard it—a scream filled with terror and pain that made my blood turn to ice.

I knew that voice. Knew it belonged to Athena.

The glass slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor, but I barely noticed. She was having another nightmare, and I’d seen this coming from the moment we’d left the beach tonight.

I’d wanted us both to sleep in her room. Over the past weeks, I’d noticed she slept peacefully when I was nearby, like my presence somehow kept the bad dreams at bay.

But she’d insisted on sleeping alone, claiming she was f