“Ryder?” Her voice sounded groggy with sleep.

“I’m here baby girl.”

“I thought it was a dream.” For a few seconds more, she held on tight until she came fully awake and reality set in. Then she tried easing away from me, but I wasn’t yet ready to let go.

I knew that once I did, the fear would be back in her eyes, and it was killing me that, once again, I’d handled things so poorly. I should’ve waited until things were settled, but still, how could I have ...