Page 44 of Hidden Echoes

“And?” she challenges.

She slides her mouth from my ear to my collarbone, lips barely skimming my skin, and my breathing turns ragged. Her fingers trace my jaw, then move lower, gripping onto me like I’m hers.

And maybe I fucking am.

What the fuck was that thought?

“I like the way you make me feel,” she murmurs, her voice smoky, rich with something raw and unguarded.

This is dangerous. Very, very dangerous.

“How do I make you feel?” I ask, barely recognizing my own voice.

Her lips hover near mine. “Like you were made for me,” she whispers, her vulnerability slicing through me like a blade. Her hands move over me, slow and deliberate, as if she’s memorizing me by touch. “And suddenly, I don’t feel alone anymore.”

Jesus Christ.

I shut my eyes, gripping onto the last shred of logic I have left.

Mia is dangerous.

You put her in a coma.

You don’t trust her.

She tried to kill you once.

She carries more baggage than you know how to handle.

But then she breathes my name—soft, pleading. “Zane.”

And I fucking lose it.

I let her press her mouth against mine, the kiss starting slow, testing, before it shifts—before we shift.

Her hands tangle in my hair, my grip tightens around her hips, and soon, we’re not just kissing, we’re consuming each other.

Every groan, every ragged breath, every desperate movement pulls me deeper, until I’m drowning in her.

And fuck, I don’t even care.

Because for the first time in a long time, I want this.

I’m sober and I still want this.

And that thought? That realization? It fucking terrifies me.

I break away first, chest heaving, hands still gripping her thighs.

“We can’t do this,” I whisper, my voice hoarse. “It’s not right.”

Mia stills.

For the first time since she walked in, I see a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. And it guts me, makes me want to take back my words, to erase whatever hurt I just caused.

But then, just like that, she schools her expression and gives me the softest, most understanding smile.

“It’s okay,” she murmurs, her fingers brushing against my cheek for a fleeting second before she pulls away completely. “I understand. I can wait until you’re ready.”

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