Page 31 of The Way We Fell

Movement ceases, and the water sloshes, clusters of bubbles splashing over the sides as the inertia plays catch up.

“No gods here. Only me, you hear me? You only come with my name on those pretty pink lips, Princess.” His voice rumbles like a warning before his fingers push all the way in again, somehow even deeper than before. And fuck, it’s almost too much. Almost. I circle my clit hurriedly, two fingers pressing against my swollen, sensitive flesh. Water sloshes over the sides of the tub as my hands move hurriedly beneath the surface.

“Are you ready to scream my name?”

“Yes, fuck.” The words come out short and sharp as my breath comes in quick, heavy pants. Heat coils in my core, winding up tightly, and with one last curl of his fingers, I’m pushed over the edge. The fire in my belly unfurls, spreading throughout all four limbs and my hips buck wildly, spilling bubbles and bath water everywhere.

“Jay, oh, please, fuck, ffffuuuuck!” My orgasm might have built slow, but it hits hard, and I writhe in the tub, stretching and twisting, seeking reprieve from the sensory overwhelm of his continued ministrations.

My breathing slows and I pull my legs back into the water, shivering as the warmth envelops me and soothes the chill that had blanketed my exposed knees. I’m alone in my bathroom with my ears ringing, blinking against the flickering candle flames, three fingers deep inside my pussy and the other hand still pressed against my clit.

Fuck.

I’m no virgin. I’ve had boyfriends. I’ve had plenty of fun on my own, too. I’m no stranger to a little self-care with a hot fantasy, either in the bath, or anywhere else. But it’s never been so unbelievably hot, and a fantasy has never felt so real. I close my eyes again, trying to regain my composure, and I swear I can still feel his warm breath on my ear.

Fuck, this is even worse than I thought. Because not only does he sound, look and act like the perfect man, I think the imagined version of him might have ruined me for any other sexual encounter. And he’s the one man in the world I can’t have.

Chapter fourteen

Jay

19thAUGUST,2026

I feel like I’m underwater. I’m hot and cold all at once. My stomach hurts like hell. I think I might—no, I’m definitely about to throw up. Someone yells something and then an alarm goes off and then someone is pulling at my body but all I want to do is sleep…

2nd SEPTEMBER, 2026

“Welcome back, again.” Have we met? A man with a pink face peers down at me over wire-rimmed glasses. “You gave us quite the scare for a moment.”

There’s a bright white light behind his head, casting an eerie halo around him.

My tongue is thick in my mouth. Someone with fine bones and short hair paints my dry lips with a damp sponge on a small stick, and I suck greedily at the moisture. My body feels heavy, weighed down by… something. I have arms. I can feel those. I can feel my hips as I clench my glutes. That means I probably still have a dick, too. Thank god. But I can’t feel anything else.

Why can’t I feel anything else?

PRESENT DAY

Everything is hot. Everything hurts. Everything is spinning. I can’t move, but I’m falling through space, pinned but plummeting. Was it a bad jump? Where’s my parachute?Where’s Caleb?I’m bathed in flame, but ice flows through my veins. And it’sdark. It’s so dark, and I can’t breathe. My ears feel heavy. Somewhere in the distance, there’s yelling, but around me, there’s nothing. It’s like I’m floating through space.

I want to get out of here.

I wave a hand in front of my face, but it’s invisible in the blackness. The acrid smell of burning flesh mingles with molten metal and hot rubber, turning the air around me blue and making my stomach lurch. I cough to clear my throat of the smoke that blankets me. It’s everywhere, consuming, like the flames raging just beyond my fingertips.

The flames. That’s why it smells like burning flesh. Because my flesh is burning. That’s why it feels like fire. But I’m so cold.

I want to go home.

I twist and battle against my restraint. I don’t know who or what is pinning me down. My ears feel full and heavy, my head is spinning, my lungs feel like they’re full of cement. I want to scream, but nothing comes out.

There’s nothing but the creaking of the upside-down jeep, the crackle of flames, the distant pop of gunfire, and the blood rushing in my ears, the loud ringing warning of my impending death. I’m on fire, upside down, alone. And I’m stuck.

I want my mum.

I don’t want to go like this. I don’t want to go home in a body bag. I don’t want my family to know this was my last moment. I open my mouth and push out a breath, and finally, it comes with a yell, just as I fall free from whatever had me pinned in place.

Fuck.

I kick my feet in the tangled sheets as I sit bolt upright, eyes wide open and blinking in the darkness. My heart is racing, pulse throbbing in my wrists and throat. Sweat coats my skin, and my breath comes in heavy pants. My entire body feels itchy, like it’s vibrating, like a million ants are crawling just under the surface of my skin. I swallow hard against the bile rising in my throat. Finally untangled, I fling the sheets away and throw my legs over the side of the bed.

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