Still alive. Still breathing. Because I fought back.
When nightmares pull me under, I ache for the fire I wish I’d found sooner. If only I’d fought harder, run sooner. Maybe my mom and dad would still be alive.
A well-worn ache unfurls in my ribs.
Deep down, I know I was powerless. Damon wanted them gone, so he made it happen. Sometimes, no matter how much light you carry, the dark still swallows everything.
That day it did.
Tomcat’s hand finds my thigh, his gentle squeeze anchoring me to the present. The storm inside me quiets, his silent support pulling me from spiraling memories.
That’s the thing about him, isn’t it?
He’salwaysthere. No matter how many times I push him away, no matter how often I run or waver between craving him and fleeing. He still shows up, unwavering, ready to set the world ablaze for me.
Maybe it’s finally time to tear off the mask and let him see the real woman beneath.
Tomcat rolls into my driveway and kills the engine, the sudden silence ringing loudly in my ears. He helps me off the bike with steady, practiced hands. The kickstand thuds down, and he rises to his full, imposing height. He steps in, unfastening the strap beneath my chin. The helmet slips away, and his hand instantly finds the back of my neck, thumb tracing that sensitive spot behind my ear.
“You good?” he rumbles.
I nod like a marionette, my breath gone, my brain useless. “Uh huh. Yep. All good. Totally good.”
A low chuckle rumbles from his chest. “You sure, Goldie? You look a little flustered.” He steps in, heat radiating from him, swallowing the space between us. “I haven’t even gotten my face between those juicy thighs yet, and you’re already shaking.”
γαμ?το.
Fuck.
His thumb presses the spot he claimed earlier with his teeth. Lightning crackles between my legs. A helpless moan escapes me, my body arching into his touch before pride or reason can catch up. His eyes darken, heat flaring when he hears it.
The tension between us coils tighter with every heartbeat as we lock eyes. The air sizzles with electricity. My soul aches, wild with hunger for this man, gnawing at me until I can barely breathe. My pulse hammers as our mouths inch closer, drawn by a force I can’t resist.
Our breaths mingle in hot, ragged bursts.
His fingers tighten at my neck as he drops the other one to my waist.
Closer.
Closer.
My mind fractures, and a blade of cold terror cuts through me as something over Tomcat’s shoulder snaps into focus, wrong in a way that sends a glacial rush through my veins.
No one else would notice, but I do. This is my home. My space. Everything here sits exactly how I need it to be. Nothing shifts without purpose. A flowerpot, moved to a new spot? Of course, I notice. That was the whole point.
My body goes rigid as realization dawns, horror settling in as the shifted flowerpot signals an intrusion. I can’t ignore what this means: someone has been here, violating my sanctuary.
Tomcat moves in a heartbeat. His face goes blank, all warmth vanished as he releases me so abruptly it sears. Bitterness flashes in his eyes as he steps back, yanks off his hat, rakes tense fingers through his hair, then jams the cap on, bill now facing forward.
“Don’t know why the fuck I keep putting myself in this position,” he snaps. “You run so hot and cold it fucks with my head. This shit,” he gestures sharply between us, “this is why I don’t get involved. Shit is messy as fuck.”
Every word lands like a blow.
“You either want me, or you don’t, Marigold. It’s as simple as that. Not going to continue to push for something if you really don’t want it.” His gaze pins me in place. “Straight up. Do you want to be with me or not?”
The world shrinks to a pinpoint. I tremble, adrenaline and emotion crashing together in my veins.
This is it. This is the moment I tell him. The moment I finally admit I’m his shadow, the one who follows him everywhere. The moment I confess I love him.
