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I press my palm to Hudson’s chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath my hand. He’s solid under me—warm, grounding, waiting. I can feel the tension in him, the restraint. He’s letting me lead. Letting me take . And it’s exactly what I’ve been needing.

Not to forget. Not to escape. But to reclaim.

I shift, guiding him onto his back. I straddle him slow and steady, palms braced on either side of his chest. His eyes widen slightly, but he doesn’t stop me. His hands stay at my hips—anchoring but loose, like I can push them away at any time. He’s brushing the bruises left behind by Rad with his fingers, lazily, gently, and that alone speaks of acceptance, more than words ever could.

My hands roam across his chest, tracing each line of muscle, every breath he takes. I savor the slight tremor in his body, the way he holds himself still. His eyes stay locked on mine, dark with want but soft with something else. Something steadier.

“Parker,” he murmurs, voice rough and low. His fingers twitch where they rest, aching to explore.

I shake my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Not yet,” I whisper.

This is mine. My moment. My choice.

After feeling helpless and hunted for so long, and now twisted up in darkness—I need this.

To feel powerful. Desired. Safe.

I lean down, brushing my lips along his jaw. His stubble scratches against my skin, sending shivers dancing along my spine. I breathe him in—warm and familiar with that faint trace of vanilla—and let it anchor me.

“I need…” I trail off, unsure how to finish the sentence. I’m not even sure what I’m asking for.

But Hudson nods, like he understands anyway. “Take what you need, Silver.”

His voice wraps around the nickname like a promise, and something inside me cracks open in the quietest way.

I kiss him—slow, deep, intentional. He matches me, never pushing, never demanding, just meeting me exactly where I need. My fingers slide into his hair, tugging gently. He groans into my mouth, and the sound vibrates through me.

I rock my hips experimentally, the friction against the hard length of him resting on his stomach sending a delicious lazy shiver down my spine. His hands tighten on my hips but don’t shift. He’s holding steady, giving me the lead, letting me steer the storm.

I break the kiss to trail my lips down his neck, pausing at the place where his pulse flutters just under the skin, where Rad’s teeth mark is already fading. Guilt squeezes my chest but I decide there will be time for that later. Right now it is about embracing a bit of normal. So I bite down gently, replacing that memory with one of my own.

His hips jerk beneath me. “Fuck, Parker,” he gasps. “You’re killing me.”

A quiet laugh escapes me. “Good.”

I lean back, drinking in the sight of Hudson beneath me. His chest rises and falls rapidly, a flush spreading across his tanned skin. The white streaks in his hair seem to glow in the light, making him look almost otherworldly.

My fingers trace the lines of his collarbones, dipping into the hollow of his throat. Hudson swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. The muscles in his arms flex as he squeezes my hips just a tad more, fighting to keep his hands from roaming.

“You can touch me,” I say, voice soft. “Just… gently.”

He doesn’t hesitate.

His hands slide down to my thighs, slow and reverent, like he’s afraid to break the spell. His thumbs stroke lazy circles into my skin. I close my eyes, letting myself feel it—the heat of his hands, the steadiness in his touch, the way my body responds without fear.

“God, you’re so strong, Silver,” he murmurs, and I feel it in his voice—that awe, that admiration. “So damn strong.”

The words land deeper than I expect. I didn’t know I needed them until they’re already echoing inside me.

He reaches up to push a stray strand of hair behind my ear and I turn my face, pressing a kiss to his palm, then guide his hand down my body, showing him where I want him. Where I trust him.

Hudson’s breath stutters when he finds the wetness between my legs.

“Are you sure?” he asks, his voice rough but quiet, his gorgeous eyes filled with emotion.

I nod. “Yes.”

And I mean it.

He touches me with care—exploring, learning, coaxing pleasure from me until I’m trembling above him, clinging to his shoulders as he steadies me with one hand and strokes me with the other.

“That’s it,” he murmurs. “Let go. I’ve got you.”

His voice is the tether I didn’t know I needed.

My hips grind down against his fingers, chasing something sharp and hot and healing. Every time I start to falter, he’s there. Quiet. Steady. Mine.

When the orgasm crashes through me, I break. Cry out. Shake. Come undone in his arms.

Hudson holds me through it, whispering my name like it’s sacred.

And then—when my breath evens and the world sharpens around the edges again—I find his eyes again, the storm I find brewing in them bringing me back to that dream that wasn’t a dream.

“Please,” I whisper, hips still rocking lazily. “I need to feel you inside me again.”

His eyes darken. A growl rumbles from his chest. His hands grip my hips like he’s afraid I’ll vanish.

“Are you absolutely sure?”

I answer by grabbing hold of his cock and sliding my hand down the length of it, loving the weight. Then, guiding it to my entrance, I lift my hips and sink down onto him in one smooth motion. We both gasp at the sudden sensation, the feeling of fullness, of connection. For a beat, we’re perfectly still, my eyes on his ocean blues, a world of meaning being communicated without words while savoring the moment.

Then I move.

Slow. Intentional. Riding him with purpose, taking what I want, savoring every second. Hudson’s hands roam my body, reverent and exploring, like he’s discovering me all over again. I kiss him, searing and deep, and he matches every thrust with words whispered against my lips.

“You take me so well.”

“You’re fucking perfect.”

“I’m right here.”

The heat builds, curling tight and molten at the base of my spine. I’m gasping now, chasing it again, barely holding on.

Hudson knows. His grip tightens. His thrusts grow deeper, matching my rhythm.

And then?—

I fall.

Pleasure crashes through me like a wave, dragging a cry from my throat as I shatter against him. Hudson holds me together, keeps me steady. And even as I’m coming down, I feel Hudson’s control slipping. His hips buck up into me, rhythm growing erratic. I tighten around him deliberately, drawing a strangled moan from his throat.

“Shit, Parker,” he rasps. “I’m close. Where do you want me to?—”

“Inside me,” I whisper, kissing the corner of his mouth. “I want to feel you filling me up.”

He buries his face in my neck and lets go, hips stuttering as he spills into me. I hold him close, arms wrapped tight around him as he trembles through it.

For a long moment, we stay like that, tangled together and breathing hard. I can feel Hudson’s heart pounding against my chest, his skin slick with sweat. My own body feels liquid, boneless with satisfaction.

Slowly, gently, Hudson eases us onto our sides, grabbing one of my legs to rest on his hip. He doesn’t pull out, keeping us connected as he strokes my hair back from my face. His thumb strokes my cheek, searching my eyes like he’s afraid of what he’ll find there.

“Are you okay?”

I nod, feeling surprisingly calm for the first time since Hudson fell through the porch. “Yeah,” I whisper. “Thanks to you.”

He kisses my forehead, his thumb brushing over my cheek like I’m something worth keeping safe.

And I let myself believe it. For now.

But safety is always temporary in my world.

And peace never stays long.