Page 10 of Descent

Our ragged breaths are the only thing you can hear in the quiet room, and after a few moments I lean up to check on her. She hasa satiated smile on her face, her eyes dazed and calm as her hand lifts, fingers running through my hair in the way I fucking love.

Sinking into her touch I allow her to play with my hair, waiting for her to speak first.

“Wow,” she says softly.

“Did I hurt you?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “No. That was…perfect.”

I smile down at her. I don’t smile often, honestly, I never do. There used to be running jokes about how I didn’t have the right muscles in my face to do so. I’ve smiled more since I met Skyla than I probably have in my entire life. Which isn’t saying much, but fuck it takes some getting used to.

“I love you, Siren.”

She practically melts beneath me as I roll off her, dragging her body into my side as I do.

“I love you too, so much.”

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I blow out a long breath. I haven’t felt peace like this in so long. I know it won’t last forever, but for now I want to hold onto it with both hands, swim to the depths of the sea and never come up for air.

Chapter Six

Skyla

When I woke up the next morning, Vincent was gone. He told me he would have to leave, but a small part of me hoped he wouldn’t. I know that’s dumb, but I don’t care.

Last night was incredible. It was everything my first time should have been. It’s only mildly surprising that it came from, easily, my most broken boy. It makes sense, though. Of course, he is the one who would know how to put my shattered pieces back together. To fix what he never broke.

I’m ready for the day and I step out of my bedroom when I bump into something hard. Correction, someone. Looking up, I see Asher standing before me, his hands gripping my biceps so I don’t fall. Though I’m not so sure it’s to keep me from falling, because the way he is gripping me feels a lot more like he wants to take the opportunity to hurt me.

It is his favorite past time.

Ripping away from his touch, he lets me go easily as I look up at him. His hair is messier than usual, a lack of fire to those hazel eyes, with deep dark circles surrounding them.

“You look like shit,” I say flatly, running my eyes over him.

He just blinks at me, his tone and emotions unmoving as he speaks.

“Couldn’t sleep with the porno being made in your room.”

I scoff at that and turn on my heel, making my way down the stairs. Fuck him. Good, I’m glad I kept him up all night. My only regret is that I wasn’t louder.

As soon as my feet touch the bottom step, a knock comes from the front door. I open it to reveal a smiling Wesley. He’s in another long-sleeved black dress shirt, with the first two buttons undone, and a pair of black slacks. He seems way overdressed for a driver, but looks nice, nonetheless.

Those deep blue eyes lock onto mine as he holds out a coffee cup in offering.

“Good morning, Miss Parris. I wasn’t sure how you took your coffee, so I went with a vanilla latte.”

“She hates lattes. She prefers apple cider,” Asher snaps as he comes up to stand behind me, his eyes raking over Wesley. “And it’s Mrs. Putnam. Who the fuck are you?”

I turn around to look at him, disgust hopefully readable on my face before I turn to face Wesley. To my surprise, he doesn’t back down. Instead, he levels Asher with an unimpressed stare.

“Has it been that long, Ash? You don’t recognize me?”

Asher’s eyes squint for a moment before surprise fills them.

“Wesley.”

He nods his head. “See you grew up to be the little shit you’ve always been.”

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