Chapter 27

I held Cora tightly, inhaling her soft scent mixed with an earthy undertone that always clung to her. I felt the warmth of her skin through her clothes, a delicate contrast to my rough, calloused hands. I wasn’t used to this tenderness, but it felt…right. It was comforting, unfamiliar, and yet, I found myself craving more of it.

Cora’s eyes met mine, and she smiled up at me with an unwavering trust that I could barely comprehend. I couldn’t explain how or why she saw something good within me when no one else ever had before—especially not after discovering my darkest secrets if they got close enough.

I shifted, sitting down on the couch with her still in my arms, her legs straddling my lap. She wrapped her arms around me, holding me close as if she never wanted to let go. I was momentarily mesmerized by the sight of her thick thighs peeking out between my fingers as I held her thighs against me with both hands.

“I’m sorry for leaving you there,” I murmured into her hair, resting my chin on her shoulder. “I truly thought you were killed when that tree limb hit you on the head. I didn’t…I didn’t know just how much you meant to me then.”

I felt Cora’s soft laugh against my chest. “Haides,” she whispered, lifting her head to look into my eyes. “There’s nothing you could’ve done that would scare me away.”

As she spoke those words, I felt a strange mixture of relief and confusion wash over me. I never expected to see someone look at me with this much devotion in their eyes—not someone who knew every single part of me, like Cora did.

I reached up, gently taking Cora’s chin in my hand and gazing into her honey brown eyes, which were reflecting the warm glow of the sun filtering in through the nearby window. At that moment, I felt as if I was standing on the edge of a great chasm, hesitant to step forward into the abyss of the unknown.

“You are…a gift I never thought I could ever receive,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve…I’ve always thought that if someone ever got close to me, they’d run away as fast as the wind would take them. But here you are, despite everything I am, or everything I’ve done…”

Cora smiled, reached up to touch the side of my face, and slowly moved her hand back through my hair. “You don’t need to worry, Haides,” she reassured me. “I never felt wronged by you leaving me there, only upset in the fact that I couldn’t find you on my own afterward.”

I felt her words piercing through the darkness that often threatened to consume me, her unconditional acceptance both heartwarming and terrifying at once. This level of trust she placed in me made me feel raw and open, but it also ignited a fire within me, a burning need to do right by her.

As we continued to hold each other close, I knew that despite the tangled web of danger and uncertainty surrounding us, I was determined to protect Cora at all costs—even if it meant confronting the monsters lurking within the deepest, darkest corners of my own soul.

I pulled Cora closer, her form fitting against mine as though we were two pieces of a puzzle, crafted with the intent to interlock perfectly. In her embrace, the relentless maelstrom within me began to abate, replaced by a serene stillness that I had never dared to imagine possible. This woman, with her sunny disposition and boundless optimism, had become the unexpected anchor in the tumultuous sea of my existence.

“I don’t know how you knew everything about me before we even met,” I whispered, my lips brushing against her ear. “But I don’t care. The way you wrote about me, with such admiration and love…it was the first time I’ve truly felt cherished in a long time.”

Cora lifted her head from my chest, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Haides, I-“

I silenced her with a gentle finger on her lips. “Let me finish, please.” She nodded, and I continued, “Your words, the way you displayed them for all to see, made me fall for you, Cora. Regardless of the chaos your book brought to my life, I wouldn’t change a thing about it because it brought you to me.”

A single tear escaped her eye, and I wiped it away with my thumb. “You’ve seen the deepest parts of me, and yet, you’re still here. You’ve accepted me for who I am, and that’s more than I could have ever hoped for.”

Cora smiled, her hand reaching up to caress my cheek. “I’ve always seen the good in you, Haides. Even when you couldn’t see it yourself. That’s why I wrote about you the way I did.”

I leaned into her touch, my eyes closing for a moment as I savored the warmth of her skin against mine. “I never thought I’d find someone who could understand me the way you do. It’s like you’ve seen into my soul and embraced every part of it.”

“That’s because I have,” she whispered, her lips just a breath away from mine. “And I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”

My body moved with a determination fueled by an ache that had taken root within me, a need to be as close to her as humanly possible. Every step toward Cora was a step toward redemption, toward salvation—toward the kind of life I had never allowed myself to believe I could have. Her eyes, wide with anticipation, locked onto mine, and in their amber depths, I saw a reflection of everything I had ever wanted yet never thought I deserved.

As I closed the distance between us, I felt a shift within the very fabric of my being, as if her mere presence had the power to realign the chaotic, discordant rhythm of my existence. The world outside ceased to exist the moment our lips met—a fervent, almost frenzied kiss that conveyed every unspoken word and emotion between us.

With my hands tangled in the soft waves of her hair, I held her close, pouring my soul into our connection, claiming her, worshipping her, loving her. I was lost in a sea of sensations that were as intoxicating as they were overwhelming—her taste, her smell, the gentle pressure of her hands on my chest as she pulled me even closer. I had killed before, inflicted pain beyond imagination, yet in this moment, the tenderness I felt made me realize that I had never truly understood the profound nature of connection until I met Cora.

Her kiss was an oath, a whispered promise of devotion, understanding, and unyielding support. The kind of promise that no amount of bloodshed could ever shatter—a vow that seemed to echo through the endless corridors of my tortured mind, offering me solace, peace, and hope.

Our kiss slowed, the frantic pace giving way to a leisurely exploration that allowed me to savor every nuance of our connection. Our breaths synchronized, chests rising and falling in perfect harmony as we navigated this uncharted territory together. With a sigh, Cora softened against me, a sign of complete surrender, and it was that display of trust that finally unraveled the last threads of my restraint.

I drew back slightly, my breathing ragged as I searched her face for any hint of doubt or fear—found none, and instead saw the reflection of a love so fierce and so unwavering, it made me feel as though I had been touched by the divine. And perhaps I had, in a way that only someone like Cora could understand or forgive.

“Cora,” I murmured, her name like a prayer on my lips. “What have you done to me?” It was a question born from wonder and confusion, not accusation.

She smiled up at me, her eyes shining brightly, reflecting an inner light that seemed to chase away the shadows lingering in my soul. “Just fucking kiss me.” She said before threading her fingers in my hair and pulling me against her once more.