Page 75 of Shadows Within

“Hey.” She says, shyly.

Scarlett’s never shy, especially around me.

“What’s the matter, Angel?” I grab her chin.

Her skin between my fingers feels like heaven might exist.

“Nothing.” She looks out the front of the window.

“I’m not going to ask again.” I squeeze her face enough to force her eyes on me.

“You left. You practically witnessed me having a meltdown and then you left me…”

“Scarlett—”

She pushes my hand away from her face. “No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to come and go whenever it’s convenient for you, Callum. Am I not worth more than that?”

She’s worth everything.

“I get it your scared, but I’m scared too Callum,” she adds.

“Scared?! You think I’m scared? No, Scarlett. I’m fuckingterrified.”

Her face drops, telling me she didn’t expect it.

“You are theonegood thing in my fucking life. The reason I do as I’m told. The reason I go to class and try so hard. The reason I do things you’llneverunderstand. I don’t care about this.” I grab my shirt and point at the interior of my car. “I care about you. I’ve cared about you for four years, and now… now I’m realizing I can’t fucking live without you.”

It kills me that she thinks of herself as an issue, when she’s the solution. My heart pumps faster and I force the air out of my chest. I stroke her face with my thumb. Her wet eyes lock with mine.

“I can’t say those words, Angel.” I don’t tell her, but the moment I say them is the moment I’ll die for her. Instead, I take her hand and place it on my chest.

“But this— this beats for you. I’m yours. Until my last fucking breath.”

She quietly sobs. There’s so much I can’t tell her, so much I’m protecting her from. But the one thing she should fear the most is what I can’t protect her from—me.

Familiar Fries

Scarlett

I can’t stop the tears from falling down my face. Even if he can’t say it, I know that Callum loves me. I want to protect him, like he protects me. And that starts with not mentioning the note.

Before I came outside, I already knew he was parked out front. Something just feels different when he’s nearby— like a magnetic pull I can’t escape. So, it wasn’t a surprise when I spotted his car from my bedroom window. As I approached, I saw him sitting there. He was probably debating whether to come inside. I know him too well at this point—or at least it feels like I do. I’m not naive to the parts of him that I’m not familiar with. I know I must accept them all regardless.

Sitting here with him feels heavy. There’s tension in the air. I know he feels it too. We both need a distraction, so I let him kiss me.

A fire is ignited between my legs when our lips meet. His tongue pushes into my mouth, the pressure building on my clit. Wetness builds as he gently grabs a handful of my hair and pulls my head back.I need this, I need him.His arms are the only place I seek refuge lately.

My hand finds the back of his neck as he pulls every bit of sanity from me. I don’t want to do this here, but I can’t tell him to stop.

His hand snakes its way through my jacket and up my shirt—the sensation causes my skin to feel alive again. He caresses my nipple between his fingers. My hips rock to relieve the burn, before he pulls me back to reality.

“Not here, Angel.”

“So, you’ll fuck me while my dad is in the next room but in your car is where you draw the line?”

“No, Scarlett. We’re in the open, anyone can watch us. And if anyone sees you like this, I’ll have a body to clean up.” By his tone, he doesn't sound like he’s bluffing.He’d kill for me.

“That’s not funny, Callum.”