Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
She looks over at me, her expression shifting from relaxed to a little guarded. I know it’s a sensitive subject, but I need more details, for the case, yes, but also because I want to understand more of what she’s been through.
She sighs softly, glancing out at the horizon where the waves crash against the shore in a rhythmic, calming pattern. “It wasn’t easy,” she starts, her voice quieter now. “I think part of me didn’t want to believe I had to. I kept hoping he'd change, that things would go back to how they were at the beginning.”
I nod, staying quiet so she’ll keep going. I can tell this is a wound she’s hesitant to reopen, but there’s strength in her voice that wasn’t there before. She’s not the same woman who let Jason control her life.
“He became... different,” she continues, her brow furrowing as she pulls her knees up to her chest. “At first, it was subtle, you know? Little comments here and there. A few controlling tendencies I brushed off. But then it escalated. He started isolating me from my friends, demanding to know where I was at all times.” Her hands clench the armrests of her chair, like she’s holding onto something invisible, something heavier than the beach chair beneath her.
I clench my jaw, feeling a rush of anger I didn’t expect to feel. I’d seen this kind of behavior before, with other cases, but hearing it from her—it hits differently.
“He had this way of making me feel like it was my fault,” she admits, shaking her head slightly, as if she’s still trying to shake off the hold Jason had on her. “Like I was the one doing something wrong, like I was overreacting or imagining things.”
I take a breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “And when you finally ended it?”
“It was messy,” she says, hugging her legs tighter. “He didn’t take it well. There were a lot of angry phone calls, text messages, showing up unannounced. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.” She pauses, biting her bottom lip as she looks down at the sand. “I was scared, Orion. Scared he’d never stop.”
I reach over, gently placing my hand on hers. She looks up, surprised by the contact, but doesn’t pull away. Her skin feels warm under mine, and for a moment, neither of us says anything. The only sound between us is the ocean’s steady, relentless rhythm.
“I won’t let him hurt you again,” I say, my voice low but firm. There’s more to those words than just a professional promise.
She offers me a small, grateful smile, though there’s still a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I know. I believe you.”
For a moment, I forget about the case, the job, and everything else. All I can think about is how much I want to protect her—not just from Jason, but from everything that’s ever hurt her. It’s a dangerous feeling, but one I can’t shake.
I lean closer, an overwhelming need building inside me, pulling me toward her like a force I can’t control. Her eyes lock with mine, wide and searching, filled with a mixture of vulnerability and something else. It’s something that makes my pulse race even faster. Maybe this isn’t the best moment, not right after she’s just opened up about Jason and all the crap she went through. But damn it, I can't stop myself.
My heart pounds in my chest, drowning out every rational thought. The ocean breeze tangles her hair, framing her face like a painting that’s too perfect to be real. For a split second, I hesitate and think maybe I should give her space, give her time. But then my gaze falls to her lips, soft and slightly parted, and that tiny flicker of doubt disappears.
Three seconds. That's all I give myself to contemplate before thinking, fuck this shit. My body moves on instinct, and I close the distance between us, leaning in until her warmth is right there, just inches away.
Then I capture her lips with mine.
The kiss is soft at first, tentative, like I’m testing the waters, waiting to see if she’ll pull away. But she doesn’t. Her breath hitches, and she responds, her lips melting against mine with a heat that catches me completely off guard.
I feel her hands, tentative at first, slide up to grip the front of my shirt, pulling me closer. It’s like something snaps between us—this electric charge that’s been building for days finally erupting, and I deepen the kiss, my hand sliding up to cradle the back of her neck.
Her taste is intoxicating, a mix of sweetness and something entirely her, and I can’t get enough. Every brush of her lips against mine makes me want more, need more. The world fades away—the sound of the waves, the seagulls, the soft rustle of the wind in the palm trees—it all disappears, leaving just us in this moment.