Page 152 of Promises in the Dark

Red’s breathless laughter filled the space, her body pressing even closer, as if my words were all the approval she needed. “If this is sin,” she murmured, her nails digging in my thighs, “then fuck forgiveness—I want more.”

I pulled out slowly, watching with dark satisfaction as my cum leaked from her hole. The sight of it made my spine tingle, reminding her who she fucking belonged to.

Turning her around, I cupped her face in my hands, staring intensely into her eyes. There were no words needed between us; the hunger in my gaze said it all.

Her lips were soft—so soft it almost made me lose my mind. I pressed harder, needing more, feeling more than I ever thought possible. I could taste her breath, feel the heat between us, our bodies too close to breathe, but I didn’t care.

My hand cupped the back of her neck, pulling her in until I could barely tell where I ended and she began. She kissed me back like she needed it just as much, like we were the last two people in the world.

When I finally pulled away, we were both gasping for air, chests rising and falling in sync. Her lips were swollen, her eyes half-lidded, and I couldn’t look away. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, louder than I ever felt before.

What the fuck was that?

I’d fucked girls before, but this… this was something else. My whole body was humming, head spinning, like she was some drug I didn’t know I needed. I could still feel the ghost of her lips on mine, and for a second, I was lost in it—completely fucking gone.

I had no idea what love was supposed to feel like, hell, I wasn’t even sure I was capable of it. But looking at Red, breathless, wrecked, and more beautiful than ever, I knew one thing—I’d do anything for her. Anything.

It was insane—I barely knew her, but none of that shit mattered. Whether this was love or something else, it was the best fucking feeling I’d ever had, and I wasn’t ready to let it go.

But love? Could I even love her? My mind was racing, confused as hell, but my heart, my body—they knew. They fucking knew.

Red’s eyes opened, searching mine, like she was trying to read something in me.

“Fuck,” I whispered, my voice rough. “I don’t… I don’t even know what the hell this is.”

She didn’t say anything right away, just kept looking at me, her lips still parted, her breath still coming in short bursts. Her hand slid up to my chest, resting right over my heart, and I could feel it thudding against her palm. Her touch grounded me, but at the same time, it made everything more intense.

"I... I don’t know how to feel this shit," I admitted, my voice raw. "I don’t even know what the hell to call it, but it’s real, whatever this is between us. It’s real. And I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing, but you…”

I couldn’t even finish the sentence. The words didn’t exist. But the way she looked at me, the way her lips curled into the smallest smile, like shegot it—like she understood what I couldn’t say—it hit me harder than anything else. She could see through me in a way no one else ever had, and that scared the shit out of me.

“You don’t have to explain,” she said softly, her hand sliding up to my cheek. “I know.”

How could she know? I didn’t even know. But the way she said it, so sure, so calm, it settled something inside me that had been spinning out of control since the moment I laid eyes on her.

“I’m not good at this,” I mumbled, my thumb tracing her bottom lip, still swollen from our kiss. “But whatever this is… I don’t want to fuck it up.”

“Neither do I,” she whispered, her thumb brushing over my chest in slow circles.

I just nodded, swallowing hard, my hand still tangled in her hair. “Good,” I muttered, my voice low. "Because I’m not letting you go. And I would rather die that let anything happen to you.”

Chapter 40

_______________________

lying there with Red in that cramped, dusty room, something felt strangely… peaceful. Her body was pressed close to mine on the worn-out mattress, her warmth making up for the chill that crept in through the cracks in the walls. It was a shitty room—nothing more than a box with a mattress on the floor and barely any space to move—but somehow, it didn’t matter.

It was a goddamn miracle, really. Me, Rogue the fuck-up, actually feeling... content? Happy, even? Christ, I’d never felt anything like this before. Being close to someone, I mean. Really close. Not just some sloppy, fucked-up hookup, but this... intimacy.

It was new, strange territory, and part of me wanted to run, to reach for the bottle that was always my escape hatch. But I didn’t. For once in my miserable life, I wanted to stay right where I was, feel every fucking second of it.

I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She fit perfectly against me, like she was supposed to be there. I buried my face in her hair, breathing her in. For once, the constant itch for a drink was quiet. I didn’t need to drown my thoughts or numb my feelings. This – just being here with her—was enough.

The silence between us was heavy, but not uncomfortable. It was the kind of quiet that settled after everything had been said and done. But there was one thing gnawing at the back of my mind.

“Hey,” I said softly, “can I ask you something?”

Red tilted her head up, those bright eyes of hers searching my face. “Shoot.”

---