09 >< Can you hold me for a while?

LEVI

After tucking in the girls, I went to bed. I lay staring at the ceiling for a while, thinking about Simone and her family. She truly worked hard for them. It had wrenched my heart to see her so scared earlier, drowning right in front of me, despair and terror vibrating all over her body. I knew how it felt to feel that way, and I hated that she had to go through it.

Also, I was pissed that her previous employers said that about her. I was going to rip them to shreds ..... later. Simone was very pretty. Extremely so even. She had clear light brown skin, bright green eyes and a contagious smile. Her hair was soft and curly, it looked great however she styled it, even when it wasn't styled at all and just around her face and shoulders in a chocolate brown puffy halo.

She was slim and a little tall with gentle curves. I couldn't help but notice them when she moved around the house and I felt the perfect dip in her waist when I held her the other night.

I'd had to stay a respectable distance otherwise she would have been horrified at what was going on in my shorts. I groaned as I rubbed a hand over my face. Thinking about Simone in her nightwear and all was not good for me. I got very uncomfortable every time.

If I wanted her to live, which I wanted so badly, I would have to leave as soon as possible, that was in a few days. But first I had to help her out, unanimously dump a few million in her bank account. I went to bed thinking about how they would all be so happy. Simone, Raven, Mica, Coco and Lila.

I opened my eyes a few hours later at two when I heard Simone get back in the house. She checked on her sisters as usual then sleepily waltzed into her room. I watcher her disappear into the bathroom before she came back out in her comfy pyjamas, not in her formal clothes anymore, her hair down as usual. I wanted to bury my hands and face in that hair.

"Hi," she said, getting under the covers, her skin cold as usual.

"You're cold," I said to her. "you should wear a jacket more."

"I don't have one," she said, her eyes closing.

I frowned. Why didn't she? She always got the best for her sisters but didn't have a coat for herself. I was fairly pissed.

"This weekend I'm taking you all out to get new clothes." I said to her. She weakly protested but then went to sleep.

I watched her sleep for a while before I went to bed myself. However, that peace was broken when I noticed Simone start up with her nightmares. I pulled her to me again but this time it was bad. Very bad.

She was shaking and crying. Her face contorted into one one of terror, agony and pain. She moaned as she clutched her head. Her skin was burning and she had broken out into a cold sweat.

This was serious, Simone was really sick and she wasn't waking up, trapped in a place where no one could reach her. She desperately needed to get out but she couldn't, it was getting worse by the second.

I had to get out of bed and go get something cool from the fridge to get her fever down but it wasn't working. She had soaked her sheets and half the bed within an hour, tossing, turning, clutching her head and moaning. There was nothing I could do to help and that feeling was agonizing.

I couldn't go to the hospital because that would put her on the target by all my enemies, I couldn't let that happen, she had enough problems as it was.

Simone's fever got progressively worse but she still wasn't waking up. She couldn't. I was up all night with her, trying to break her fever and it finally did at about five in the morning.

At that point, her eyes snapped open as she sat upright and began sobbing. Her eyes were blood red, most of the capillaries in her eyes having burst. I was terrified of how red her eyes looked, really.

She looked like she had been shot in the eyes. Her hair was plastered on her face and the rest of it was puffy as usual and she was panting hard. The life had been shattered in her eyes and she was completely terrified.

I pulled her to me and hugged her. She hugged me back and I was still wondering how she wasn't crying blood. She muffled her sobs in my shirt as I held her close. I rolled onto the bed and held her completely against me as she wrapped her hands around my neck and pressed up against me, needing me to be there. She stopped shaking and crying half an hour later but was still completely spooked.

"It was so horrible," she croaked, her face buried in my neck. "I never want to see that again but i don't know how to stop it. I just keep seeing so many faces."

I really wanted to know what her nightmares were about but I knew how hard talking bout the could be so I generally didn't ask such touchy personal questions.

"Its okay, I got you." I said, rubbing up and down her back.

"I have to het the others ready for school," she groaned, trying to get out of bed. I held her firmly against me.

"No." I said, "I'll do it. You rest."

"But ....." she said as she continued to struggle.

I held her firmly but not tightly until she finally calmed down and slipped into sleep again. She was exhausted this time, no nightmares plaguing her. I changed her sheets and all then put her down to sleep. I headed to the kitchen next to prepare her siblings for school then Raven walked in.

"Where is Simone?" She asked, the sleep leaving her eyes as she noticed the ring of tears on the top left area of my shirt where Simone had been crying earlier.

"She's not doing too good," I said. Something changed in Raven's eyes. "hey," I said, hugging her close, rubbing her back and one hand in her hair. She hugged me back weakly. "I promise she'll be okay. I'll be here with her the whole time."

Raven hugged me tighter.

"Its her nightmares," Raven explained, pulling away briefly. "she carries so much for us and its too much but she keeps on holding on a little longer. It's not fair that she does this alone but she wont let us help, she prefers if we just go out there and be happy."

"I see," I said. "does she ever talk about what happens in her nightmares?"

"She was there when our parents died." Raven explained, "they were hit by a drunk driver. Dad was ....." she swallowed, "...... he was decapitated right in front of her. Mom was impaled by glass shards and her face was cut open. Simone was in the back seat with a few broken bones and she continues to blame herself for what happened.

"That night they were from a piano recital of hers then they stopped to get gas. Simone went into the store to get us some snacks and then they got hit. She believes if she had let them leave earlier, they would have lived. She cant talk about her nightmares, but I know that day is a prominent feature in her head."

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that." I said, hugging her close again when she started to cry, "but I promise I'll help how I can."

"Please take care of her," Raven said into my shoulder. "She's all we have."

"Don't worry," I said. "you have me too now." Raven smiled, "go get everyone ready."

I managed to persuade Coco, Mica and Lila that I would take good care of their sister while they were away. In the end they chose to trust me and head out for school.

"Simone?" I called to her gently when I got back to her room. She moaned softly. "Can you see?" She nodded. "you should take a shower as I air out the room a little. Then I'll bring down some breakfast and you can sleep okay?"

She sat up, rubbed her face and nodded.

"There anything else you need?" I asked.

"My throat is sore," she said. "and I have a severe headache."

"I'll get you some meds for that. In the mean time, go take a quick shower."

Simone got out of bed and went to get cleaned up. I changed the sheets so she would find clean, cool ones then I went to get her some breakfast. The weather was nice and cool, with some amount of wind blowing outside, swaying the trees from side to side. I also grabbed some painkillers for her then went back to check on her. I found Simone crawling back into the blankets.

"Here," I said, handing her a warm bowl of soup. "Eat this for now then you will have something more solid later."

I sat with Simone and helped her eat then I gave her her medicine and helped her back into her blankets. Her eyes were still red as hell. I was about to stop hovering above her and leave, when she grabbed my wrist.

"Can you stay?" She asked. "I'm afraid of going to sleep on my own again."

"Let me shower first," I said, pulling the blanket up to her chin, her skin was still cold.

She nodded and let me leave. I took a quick shower then went back to bed where Simone was still awake and staring at the ceiling. I got into the bed behind her then we just lay there.

"Can you hold me for a while?" She asked, breaking the silence.

I reached across and put an arm around her waist, pulling her closer until her head was resting under mine, my knees gently bending into the insides of hers in a loose spoon. We lay that way for a while but Simone wasn't seeming to relax so I gave my hormones a stern talking to and pulled her completely against me so we were basically touching everywhere.

Her feet rested above mine, her knees and mine were both bent into a slight foetal position. The backs of her thighs were pressed against the front of mine, I could feel how soft they were and I wanted to touch them so bad but I kept my arms wrapped firmly around her waist.

I had leaned back a little in the groin so she wasn't uncomfortable but then her back pressed into my chest and her hair was in my neck, giving me lots of time to sniff it and drown in how nice it smelled.

Simone placed an arm above mine then pulled it closer, making it slide up her flat stomach and rest just under her firm, round breasts. I muffled any reaction and leaned in further, so her head was resting firmly between my chest and my own head. It was a firm exaggeration to say I didn't want to kiss her.

"Like this?" I asked, feeling the vibrations go down her spine.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I need to go to work."

"You're not going anywhere." I said to her.

She started to protest and I let her, still not saying a word. She eventually just shut up and grumbled, earning a chuckle from me.

"I hate you." she whispered.

"I'll pay you to stay home with me and get better." I said.

"Blackmail," she said back as she got drowsier. "that's so unfair."

"Go to sleep Simone." I coaxed.

"Levi?" she said, suppressing a yawn.

"Mmmmmm?" I mumbled.

"You're not going anywhere right?" She asked.

"No. I'll be right here." I said.

We lay there for a while as Simone started to fall asleep. I monitored her breathing get even as her eyes began to close. I'm not sure what made me do it, but I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the slope of her neck. She shuddered.

"Is that okay?" I asked.

"A little lower." she said. I smiled against her skin and kissed her a little lower before I let her go to sleep.

Simone fell into a peaceful sleep and after watching her for a while, I ended up falling asleep too. We slept that way for a few hours, me wrapped around Simone and her holding my arms, breathing peacefully.

After a while, she suddenly stirred and turned completely around so her front was facing me. I wasn't prepared for her to do that so my face ended up dangerously close to her boob.

I Inhaled and slowly moved my head away, swallowing hard in the process. I had to remind myself that Simone wasn't feeling well. And that for the hundredth time, I could not sleep with her. She had more value than a random casual relationship. Screw her for having a heart of gold.

The position we were in did feel really good though. Simone had slipped her one leg between both of mine and rested her arms loosely over my shoulders. I had my arms around her waist and my head was lower between her neck and chest. I figured I wanted to be the wrap and not the wrapped, so i slid myself further up so she was resting her head on my chest.

Simone let out a small moan as she fisted my shirt and I had no option but to pull her closer to my chest feeling the pillow that was on hers. I began to breathe deeply in order to control the growing situation in my pants. If she so much as moved a few inches forward with her pelvis, it was not going to be comfortable.

Simone, being the extreme hugger that she is, suddenly flung a leg over my waist, positioning her right in a place she wasn't supposed to be. I groaned and bit hard on my lip to keep myself from moving. Simone lightly scrunched her face in her sleep then her eyes slowly fluttered open. She looked up at me for a moment before realising that we were wrapped around each other and she had positioned the middle of her legs right on my hard-on. And it was not a small one for that matter.

I noticed a flash of desire in her eyes before she froze and turned red.

"Sorry ...."

"Sorry ....." we both said then burst out laughing, causing my hips to grind into her a little.

I frowned a little, trying to put a leash on the extreme lust I was feeling. Simone bit her lip and went even redder. That was not helping things. I just got harder, in the end, I groaned.

"Sorry." I started. " this is not exactly ........."

"No, no, no." she said, "I shouldn't have pressed up against you so much. This is my fault really." I technically didn't really see the problem, but some sane part of my mind yelled at me to keep my shit together.

We still didn't move an inch from our current position. I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift. If I just slid it out, I could move Simone's underwear to the side and ........ I cut off my thoughts as I grunted again. I the grabbed her hips and moved her away from my throbbing and swollen erection. I rarely got that hard.

"Should I move over?" She asked, starting to pull out of my arms.

"No it's fine." I said, "you can stay. We just shouldn't be too close."

"And which direction exactly should I face?" She asked.

"That's up to you." I said.

She then nodded and wrapped her arms around my middle and placed her head on my chest, keeping her hips away from my swollen shorts.

"Do you need me to ...... ummmm." she started, gesturing down at my pants and tensing.

"No," I said "I'll be fine. Just stay still ok?"

"Isn't it uncomfortable?" She asked. I chuckled.

"Nothing that I can't handle." I said, "just stay still. I'll be fine."

She nodded but I caught her looking at the bulge in my shorts, wondering how big it probably was.

"Hey." I said, "that's not fair."

Simone turned red and buried her face in my chest.

"Sorry," she said. "I had just never seen one before and I didn't think it would be so big and ........" she started rambling before she turned even redder and groaned then stopped talking, "just kill me please."

At that I burst out laughing. I could feel my erection ease off.

"Wait ........" I said, "you said you've never seen one before?" Simone groaned some more.

"Why do I do this to myself?" She said, rolling away from me.

I laughed some more before I dragged her back. She protested weakly but let herself back in my arms, this time her back was to me. Simone being a virgin cemented the fact that I would never, not ever, have sex with her. She deserved better, and having her first with someone like me was not fair to her.

"I didn't say anything was wrong with being a virgin, you know." I said, my erection completely eased off at that point so I was able to hug her comfortably.

"You make me feel really good about myself," she said. "no one apart from my sisters ever do that." she turned slightly so she could face me. She stared at me for a while then smiled, "thank you."

"Anytime." I said.

The way she was looking at me right then. I was so tempted to lean down and capture her full lips in mine but I chose not to. I was a master at self control but the way this girl threatened to unravel me was scary. All my restraint just flew out the window with her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, leaning closer and tucking her head under my chin again.

"My eyes hurt a little. But I can see just fine." She said, "I'm still a little conflicted on the inside on whether I'm cold or hot. My migraine has worn off, so I'm on my way to recovery."

"Great."

"Can we go and get something to eat?" She asked, rolling out of my arms and out of the bed.

I followed her out and we headed to the kitchen. We spent lots of time fooling around and chatting. A few times we just ended up staring at each other before snapping out of it and going back to friendly conversation.

"If you leave," Simone said as we were having lunch on the living room couches, "will we ever see each other again?"

I sighed.

"I honestly don't know." I said, "I'm scared that any enemy of mine might use you guys against me. And sometimes the mission is greater that a person's needs. I don't want to end up sacrificing you guys for anything. It would literally kill me."

Simone silently nodded, biting into her sandwich.

"It's been nice having you around," she said. "I'm not going to lie here, your cuddles are addictive ....... and they make me feel very safe, despite the fact that we barely know each other though."

I gave it some serious thought. We had all been living together for a month and knew almost nothing about each other. I didn't even know Simone's last name ..... she didn't know mine either.

"Is there anything in particular that you want to know about me?" I asked.

"I don't really know ........ ok. Why are you an assassin?" She asked. I shrugged.

"Family business." I said.

"You never wanted to be anything else?" Simone asked, looking up at me.

"I wanted to be a fireman," I said. "and my parents had no issues with me doing whatever I wanted, assassination was just the first trade. After I was proficient enough, I could do whatever I wanted."

"So why didn't you?" She asked again.

"I just kind of lost the passion for life mid way. I realised I was good at what I did so I stuck with it."

"And your parents?"

"My dad owns an architecture company and my mom has a chain of orphanages and such. She works volunteer stuff with any organisation that will have her. Churches, government, NGO'S, anybody."

"Wow," Simone said. "so if you have kids, will you have to train them to be assassins?"

"Yes. Basic stuff. Then they chose if they want to continue or not."

"So, aren't you wanted by the government?"

"I work with them sometimes, but yes. I'm wanted for a few crimes here and there."

"Say, aren't you risking it, showing your face around like this?"

"That's the thing. The government has no idea what I look like. And the no one government doesn't know my name. Literally no one knows how to find me."

"But what if they put two and two together?"

"They still wouldn't find me. They know nothing about me really. Not even my age and they doubt my gender. Literally the only thing they know is that i go by 'Levi'"

"Is that even your real name?"

"Yes it is. I chose to keep it simple. They have no idea whether it's my name or not. It's just what I go by."

"What if I'm the government and I've been stationed to bring you down?"

"Are you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. At that, Simone smiled and laughed.

I smiled along with her then we went to the kitchen to clear up. We then went back to chill on the couch and chat about lots of stuff, exchanging funny stories and all.

"You have nice eyes, you know," Simone said. We had sat at opposite ends of the couch with our legs tangling in the middle.

"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked. She rolled her eyes playfully.

"Maybe I'm on a mission?" She said.

"What kind of mission?" I asked.

Simone got up, crawled over my body, then straddled my stomach.

"You don't get the satisfaction." she said. I rolled my eyes at her then brought her head down so we could lie like that.

She wrapped her hands around my neck and lay on my body. I lay my hands on her lower spine, right above the curve of her butt, thoroughly tempted to slide my hand lower and palm her cheek. Her legs loosely tangled with mine then she put her chin on my chest and looked at me.

"What are we doing?" I whispered.

"Cuddling some more." she said "I want to sleep. I feel like my migraine is coming for me again."

"Makes sense." I said. I couldn't help but notice and feel her soft body and well defined curves.

She didn't wear a bra inside her tank top and she was casually in pyjama shorts. She looked completely sexy in her pyjamas for some reason. She then turned her head so it was flat against chest then began to fall asleep.

"Goodnight Levi." she said, yawning.

"Night Simone." I replied, watching her sleep before I fell asleep too.

I woke up a few hours later when I heard the soft click of a camera. I opened my eyes and found Raven, Mica, Coco and Lila staring down at us.

"Aaawwwwwww." they cooed in unison. I rolled my eyes as I somehow rotated Simone so I could lift her and get her to bed.

I went back to the kitchen where I was met with a giant group hug from the girls.

"How is she?" Coco asked.

"She's fine." I said, "just sleeping a lot."

"I want to cuddle with Levi too." Lila said, raising her arms for me to lift her, which I did. I then placed her on my shoulders.

"So what do you guys want for supper?" I asked.

"How about we think about that, you go and continue hugging it out with Simone." Mica said, winking.

"Its not like that." I said.

"Screw that," Raven said. "heaven knows Simone needs you right now, so get out of here."

I rolled my eyes and put Lila down. I would miss all five of these girls when I left.