Page 64 of Sticks & Serpents

A long beat of silence stretched between us as we stood in the rain-soaked night. I could feel every heartbeat echoing in my ears while my chest tightened with anticipation.

Finally, she whispered, “I don’t know.”

That’s all it took—those three little words ignited something deep within me. They unraveled whatever threads of control I’d managed to weave together since I’d first laid eyes on her again.

I moved before I could think, my instincts taking over. My fingers wrapped around her wrist, pulling her into me with a force that surprised us both. Her breath hitched, and for a fleeting moment, I expected her to push away. But she didn’t.

“Tell me to stop, Holly,” I murmured, my voice ragged as I brushed my lips against her temple. The warmth of her skin ignited something deep within me—a primal need that demanded release.

She didn’t answer.

My grip tightened, desperation clawing at my insides as I held onto the only anchor I had left in this chaotic storm of emotions. She always pulled me back from the edge; she still could if she wanted to.

With that thought spinning in my mind like a wildfire, I kissed her—hard, desperate, brutal. It was a collision of everything we were and everything we’d tried to forget. Our lips crashed together with an intensity that left no room for doubt or hesitation.

And to my astonishment, she kissed me back.

It was raw and hungry—like she was drowning too and I was the only thing keeping her afloat. The world outside faded into nothingness as our connection surged like electricity between us, drawing us closer even as it threatened to consume us whole.

I felt the rain drench us both as our bodies pressed together—each drop mingling with the heat radiating from our skin. Every part of me screamed for more, to lose myself in this moment where nothing else mattered but Holly and the way she made me feel alive again.

Her hands found their way into my hair, tugging gently as if trying to pull me deeper into this whirlpool we created together. A moan escaped from her lips, igniting every nerve ending in my body until all rational thought slipped away entirely.

The rain drummed down around us, a relentless curtain that blurred the world beyond our cocoon. Each drop hit my skin like an electric pulse, but neither of us pulled away. I could feel her warmth seeping into me, mingling with the chaos that raged inside.

This was what we did. This was what we were—two broken pieces colliding in a storm of desire and desperation. It felt so familiar, yet so dangerously thrilling. I pressed my body against hers, feeling her breath hitch as if the mere contact ignited a spark between us.

Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer as if she was afraid I might disappear into the tempest. I gripped her waist tighter, claiming her as my own under the onslaught of rain and memories. This was our dance—the push and pull of passion and pain.

If she didn’t run after this moment, if she didn’t pull away from me now…

I knew it in my gut—she never would. There was a wildness in her eyes that mirrored my own chaos, a fierce fire igniting between us like an unstoppable force.

Her lips parted against mine again, each kiss becoming more desperate, more hungry as if we were both drowning and needed to breathe through each other’s air.

It wasn’t just about the past anymore; it was about here and now. And with every kiss, every touch that sent shivers coursing through me, I realized how badly I needed this—how badly I needed her.

Holly wasn’t just another girl; she never had been. She was my tether to something real in a world filled with lies and masks.

I pulled back for just a moment to catch my breath and gauge her reaction. The rain cascaded down her face like tears—beautiful and raw.

And then it hit me: whatever happened next wouldn’t matter—not if she stayed with me right here, right now.

Chapter19

Holly

Ishould stop this. Should pull away. Should run like hell and never look back. I should remind myself of all the reasons why this was wrong—the severed hands, the blood, the mayhem he brought into my life.

But I didn’t.

Damien’s lips crushed against mine, hot and demanding. His hands gripped my waist like he feared I’d vanish if he loosened his hold. And God, how I wanted to disappear into him. For the first time in forever, I felt grounded. Safe. Wanted.

The rain poured down around us, a wild symphony drowning out everything else. My mind screamed at me to break free, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him instead. His kiss deepened, rough and desperate as if he were trying to pull something from me I couldn’t name.

I lost track of everything—the world outside, the storm battering against us, even the dark thoughts swirling in my head about what had just happened with that guy. None of it mattered when I was here with Damien, wrapped up in his warmth and intensity.

His fingers slid under my shirt, igniting a fire beneath my skin that made me gasp against his mouth. I couldn’t think; all I could feel was him—his breath mingling with mine, his heart racing against my chest.

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