After the Fall: Redemption in His Arms

't have ope

hree times before her fin

she

in relentless sheets, blurrin

iled like it had lost somet

ess sinks into your bones and f

e it w

is face, dripping from his lashes like tears he didn't know how to shed. His shirt clung to his ch

neath him. But he didn't seem to notice. He just stood there, shoulders slumped, eyes g

ng herself together was the only thing keeping her from falling apart rig

ed so w

amil

voice cutting through the silence, sounding sha

carrying through the rain. "I lied." Li

rse he

ways

Lied about being fine. Li

have slamme

buried his name in the storm a

nch of him from her memo

inst

epped

. Maybe less

.Like he'd forgotten just how completely he'd broken

go," he said, his voice rou

e replied, her words quiet but sharp enough to cut

kno

nder the weight of everything unsaid. The rainwater dripping from his clothes onto the hard

o find the boy she once married hidden somewhere benea

you wan

, the one that always twisted her heart the wrong

ou

ungs

voice, still knew the

ed that it

ay something dramatic, and what? I

ink I can show up here, say something real, and pray yo

her back.

any longer, she'd start to forget the pa

m behind her. C

hed against the back of her arm. The touch was so light

s dragging their pain behind them. "Not just how you looked...

s, but she forced them to stay wide open. She ref

issed moment and replay them... I would. I'd hold you tighter. I'

ered closed. H

asked, her voice shaking under

ly, his words rough with truth. "And bec

er ribs so hard it nearly k

y and gently. Like if he m

them flickered and vibrated, casting trembling shadows ac

r lips trembling with the weigh

kno

er let you to

bably sh

is. And his hands were already at her wais

shed h

dn't

im again, te

n... sh

n't sweet. It was rage and l

She kissed him with a hunger that felt like rage, furious at herself for needing him this badly. Her nails bit in

couldn't stop loving him for. Like grief.

rs," sh

arms like she was everything, taking the

sheets. Same shadows. Same ghoste

down like sh

arving for this exact moment. She curved against him, dragging him closer, pressing him

he floor like fallen leaves ripped from branches in a

ath his like it had

ame like it stil

beautiful, terrif

iet. Sheets damp. Skin

, her throat clenched with words she di

p, his touch was soft and desperate, like he was te

el it, the edge.

eet held tight

" he wh

d as her heart cracked open all over ag

rembling. "I'm just... I'm terrified th

with tears, overflowing with feelings she di

she whispered, her voice so small

ed as he swallowed hard, his eyes dark wit

ng unspoken, while dawn crept in through the blinds, ca

er feet, her heart pounding with a grief that felt too big for her chest

end." His voice came

er. Just walked

nted," she said befo

d, shattered. "I hav

, her phon

gnore

ed glowing on the co

Maso

e still good for drinks tomo

ups

was raw, tired

's M

e in the

first time

sm