Page 5 of Burn for Me

I groan while rolling my neck, too absorbed in my thoughts to remember who is nearby. A touch at my waist prompts me to turn and pin the person against the wall by the throat.Mesmerizing golden eyes meet mine, and a sweet aroma fills the air, so I draw in a deep breath.

“I-I’m sorry. Are you okay? You're straining your waist–” I silence Jasmine by flexing my fingers around her throat.

She looks fucking gorgeous like this—wide-eyed and trembling, more worried for me than for the life I almost took. It's a test of my restraint; I want to envelop her in my darkness, knowing she'd shine even brighter that way, but I can't.

“Let another man touch you,” I murmur through clenched teeth; her lips part, and I can't force my focus away from them. “Give me a fucking reason to lay a body at your feet, little devil.”

As her shallow breaths dry out the plump flesh, I struggle to resist the urge to lean in and moisten them with my own. I've kept my distance for selfish reasons, but I'm unraveling, and I'm not sure how much longer I can protect her from myself. Her gasp pulls me back to reality, and I abruptly pull away before our noses can touch.

“Sam!” she yells, but I don't glance back. I promised to keep her safe, but all I can think about is all the ways I want to destroy her.

Before I can process my direction, I enter the armory and head for the cleaning station. When I'm worked up, I usually hide in the surveillance room, but I can't trust myself right now. I'd search for Jeremy across the cameras—I know all the soldiers' schedules by heart, so locating him wouldn't be hard.

“Sam,” a familiar feminine voice calls out, carrying a strong American accent similar to Jasmine's but with more of a southern twang.

“Out,” I grumble, pulling the chair back hard enough to scratch the floor.

“You never loosen up, do you?”

Take a damn hint, Sharkie.

I pull my pistol from the clip and place it on the table as I gather tools from a drawer.

“What do you want?” I growl.

“Caspian asked me to check on you.” She bites out, kicking the bench leg, sending my gun skidding off the table. I'd think she was fearless if I didn't know her fears.

“I’m fine. Distracted.” I huff while bending for my weapon.

“Admit it or not, people like us don’t get distracted.” She kicks the pistol out of my reach with an aggravated groan. “You’reloyal; there’s a difference.”

Ignoring her ‘us,’ I stand tall, pinching the bridge of my nose. We may have dealt with brutal superiors, but we’re different. She’s just like everyone else, wanting to escape her conditioning.

“For instance, you wouldn't have been shot if she hadn't opened that door, yet you knew it was her. Just like she's not reckless enough to willingly walk in there, but you were in danger.”

She's wrong.It only shows I can keep promises and that Jasmine has a death wish. Finally getting the pistol in my grip, I turn my head towards the heavy steel door creaking open.

"That doesn’t prove anything. Even aperfect soldiercan get distracted," I mutter as I cross the room. The door doesn’t close properly, so I glance at the silhouette illuminated in the frame, my finger poised on the trigger, prepared for her to attack me for my choice of words.

Instead, she glances over her shoulder, saying, “I’ll let your mental breakdown slide this time, but don’t let it happen again. If I remember correctly, Caspian doesn't like selfish people.”

Two

8-20-2024

We're all just pawns in someone else's game.

-Jasmine

It’s beautiful up here. Miles of concrete, filled with walkways and guard towers, line the outer edge of the base, offering a perfect ocean view. The light breeze carries sea salt through the air, filling my nose, as the sun casts soft hues of red and orange across the water.

This place is my favorite and worst nightmare, reminding me that I'm trapped—trapped by my past and by Depth, or whatever it's called now. Even though many people surroundme, I still feel alone; no one truly understands me, despite their assumptions.

What’s the point of correcting them? We’re all just pawns in someone else's game.

Although my story remains unvoiced, I've listened to many others around me. This place represents their hope, a second chance at life. I lean against the ledge, the jagged rocks pressing into my skin as I admire the dark sky. I never envisioned myself as a soldier, yet here I am, lying in a grave meant for someone else. The first tower beams its light across the beach, revealing the expanse where sand meets the ocean, and boardwalks hide behind dry grass.

“Jasmine, I was told to relieve you.” Laura pushes her large framed glasses up her nose as she steps beside me. Though she's just a medic, her military background earns her the trust to step in when needed.

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