As he drifts off to sleep, his arm draped protectively over me, the weight of this secret presses heavily on my chest. I watch him in the dim light, his face relaxed in sleep, and my heart aches.
He’s the man from Nocté, the one I’ve dreamt about—fantasized over.
And he doesn’t know.
He doesn’t know that I’m the woman behind the mask. The one who shared that intense, anonymous night with him.
I wait until his breathing evens out, then quietly, I slide out from under his arm, my movements careful not to disturb him. I gather my clothes as I’m wrapped up in a whirlwind of emotions.
I should tell him.
I should wake him up right now and confesseverything.
But the words stick in my throat, fear and uncertainty holding them back.
Instead, I dress silently, my eyes lingering on his peaceful face one last time.
There’s a part of me that wants to stay, to bask in the warmth of what we have. But the larger part, the part gripped by fear and guilt, knows I have to leave. I need to sort this out.
I need to plot the ending …
With a heavy heart, I slip out of the room, closing the door behind me with the softest click.
As I make my way out of his house to wait for my Uber, the night air feels cooler,harsher. I’m leaving behind more than just a man. I’m leaving behind a part of myself, a piece of my heart that I’m not sure I’ll ever get back.
The realization hits me like a physical blow, and I pause for a moment, leaning against his front door. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I force them back.
Now’s not the time for tears.
Now’s the time for decisions—for figuring out what the fuck comes next.
If I were writing this scene, it’d be raining—dramatic, poignant, a metaphor for internal turmoil. But tonight, the sky is clear, leaving me to navigate my own storm.
Stupid,unreliablenature.
The road ahead is uncertain, filled with questions and doubts. But one thing is clear—I can’t keep running from the truth.
Sooner or later, it’ll catch up to me.
And when it does, I’ll have to face the consequences of a night that changed everything.
But now the question is … which one?
CHAPTER27
Adam
Waking up to an empty bed wasn’t what I expected—especiallyafter last night.
My body is a confusing combined state of utter satisfaction and bliss—mixed with a worried alertness that wasn’t there a minute ago.
The first rays of morning sun filter through the blinds, casting a soft, golden light across my bedroom. But the warmth of the sun does nothing to fill the void left by Carlie’s absence.
In fact, she must have left a while ago because her side of the bed has gone cold.
I lie still for a moment, listening for any sign of her in the house as I inhale her scent, lingering in this bed like a ghost.
The stark contrast between the heat of last night and the chill of the morning hits me hard.