Page 65 of When the Storm Breaks
Or would he have torn me apart, his hands gripping, mouth claiming, fucking into me like he was trying to brand me from the inside out?
Would it have been lust?
Or something deeper, something neither of us is willing to name?
“No, Haiyden,” I whisper. “I wanted it.”
For a second, I think I’ve made a mistake.
But then he looks at me.
He leans back—not in retreat, but like he’s letting the truth settle between us. Like he’s letting himself believe it.
I look at him for longer than I should, feeling the weight of everything we haven’t said.
My fingers curl against my thigh. I’m fighting the urge to reach out, to close the space between us.
Because the moment I do, everything changes. And I don’t know if I’m ready for that.
Haiyden exhales, dragging a hand through his hair. The movement is slow, almost like he’s trying to pull himself out of whatever we just stepped into.
“I need to grab something to eat before my shift,” he says, voice quieter now.
It’s not abrupt. Not a door slamming shut.
Just a careful, intentional step away.
I nod automatically, gathering my things, even though I can still feel him lingering in the space we left behind.
As I start toward the door, his voice stops me. Quieter this time, like he’s trying to find the right words.
“Calla, I…” He hesitates, exhaling slowly. “I’ll be on nights, starting tomorrow. There won’t be anyone here in the morning until Chase gets back.”
I turn to face him, my pulse kicking up. There’s something carefulin the way he says it. Like he’s testing the weight of it before handing it to me. Like it’s not just information—it’s a decision.
An invitation. Or a warning.
Maybe both.
“You should come in tomorrow night.”
His eyes lock with mine. The words aren’t casual. They aren’t tossed out without meaning.
Everything is still.
The idea of coming back should be simple. It’s just a few hours at Driftwood. Just another shift.
But it’s not.
It feels like stepping forward and stepping off a ledge, all at once.
I nod, though I don’t trust the word that’s about to leave my mouth.
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Okay.” He nods.
His eyes stay on me, searching, like he’s waiting for something else. But nothing comes.
