Chapter 26
Ophelia
The ride back to the warehouse feels unreal. Like I’m floating somewhere between happiness and heartbreak with Hayden’s touch still burned into my skin with the promise of tomorrow already threatening to ruin me.
I park the bike carefully behind the warehouse, taking one last glance at it before pulling off my helmet.
God. He bought me a bike and rebuilt it.
Not because he had to. Not because I asked.
Just because somewhere deep inside that violent beautiful boy…
he still dreams about making me happy. The thought alone makes my chest ache.
I slip quietly through the warehouse doors expecting silence. Instead, I hear moaning. Very loud moaning.
“Oh God, Stone. Right there—“
My eyes widen instantly and I freeze in the middle of the room staring at Bianca spread across the poker table while Stone nearly falls off the damn thing trying to yank his pants back up.
“What the FUCK?!” he yells as Bianca screams, throwing a beer towards me.
“KNOCK?!”
“This is a warehouse!” I yell while covering my eyes. “Why are your ass cheeks out on the communal furniture?”
Stone points accusingly while still half naked. “YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GONE ALL NIGHT!”
“FUCK YOU, YOU DISGUSTING MAN WHORE! I WAS brINGING MY BIKE BACK WHILE I WAIT ON HAYDEN!”
Bianca bursts into horrified laughter while trying to fix her shirt. “I’m literally going to die.”
“I’m already dead,” I mumble traumatically. “My innocence just evaporated.”
Stone snorts. “Girl, you lost your innocence to Hayden Marks the summer before freshman year.”
Fair. Unfortunately.
“I hate both of you,” I groan. “This is not about me. Since when are the two of you fucking?” I ask, specifically looking at B but she shakes her head slightly and winks at me.
“You won’t hate Hayden in about twenty minutes though,” she says, and my face heats.
“SHUT UP! STOP DEFLECTING!”
Stone starts cackling. “Yeah, her man’s definitely blowing her back out tonight.”
“Oh my GOD!” I yell, then practically sprint upstairs while their laughter echoes through the warehouse behind me. Idiots. Absolute idiots.
My phone buzzes halfway up the stairs so I take it out and my heart skips a beat seeing his name on my screen,
Hayden:
Are you ready?
And just like that… my entire body warms.
Me:
Stone and Bianca traumatized me.
Three dots appear instantly.
Hayden:
Did you walk in on them?
Me:
Yep! How did you know?
Hayden:
I heard them whispering about it.
Me:
Yeah, well, I’m filing emotional damages.
Hayden:
I’m here. Come to me, Firefly.
And there it is again. That pull. That gravity only Hayden has ever had over me.
Two minutes later, I flip both Bianca and Stone off as I fly past them and out the doors, climbing back on his bike with my arms wrapped around his waist while Brimstone glows beneath the moonlight around us.
The second we get inside his apartment, he grabs my face and kisses me like he’s been starving since we parted ways an hour ago. Maybe he has. Because God knows I have too. There's nothing soft about this tonight. No hesitation. No carefulness, just emotion.
All the anger—grief and stolen years pour out of us in messy desperate kisses and rough hands with whispered words of I missed you’s against bruised skin.
He backs me up and presses me against the wall while dragging his mouth down my throat hard enough to leave marks.
“God, Firefly. I can never get enough of you. I could do this for the rest of my life and never tire of it,” he rasps, and I shiver.
“Good. Because I never want it to stop,” I whisper as my fingers tangle into his hair, pulling out the hair tie. Letting his crazy hair flow down his shoulders. “Hay—don’t ever cut this,” I say, pulling at the strands.
“As long as you keep your nails long for me, baby. I love when you sink them into my skin,” he growls as he sinks to his knees, unbuttoning my jeans.
“Hayden…” I breathe, and his eyes snap up to mine as my pants and thong slide down my thighs. “I don’t want soft tonight. Leave your mark,” I tell him, and his eyes darken.
“Are you sure?” he asks, and I smirk.
“Yes.”
“Why are you so perfect?”
“Because I love you,” I say, and he smiles that crooked smile that makes my knees weak. He helps me out of my jeans then lifts the hoodie over my head as I stand in front of him completely bare, breathing heavily.
“Fucking stunning,” he breathes, then takes a step back removing his hoodie and shirt as I lick my lips, staring at his tattooed chest then follow his fingers to the button of his jeans.
I watch as he gets naked, never taking his eyes off of me.
“Don’t look at me like that!” he growls, fisting his length in his hand, but I can’t help it.
“You’re beautiful, Hayden,” I say, biting my bottom lip.
“Is that right?” And my God the way his eyes hood with want. The way his stomach flexes as he drags his hand up his thick cock.
All I can think is he’s mine. All fucking mine, and I’m not going to waste another second staring when I can devour.
So, I take a step as he watches my every movement then I sink to my knees in front of him and sink my nails into his thighs making him hiss.
“Take it,” he orders, wrapping his fist into my hair roughly, bringing my face closer to his cock.
He rubs the tip against my lips, spreading his precum against the tender flesh.
My eyes shift up to his and I lick my lips then part them as he guides himself inside my mouth.
“So fucking warm,” he growls as I suck down his length then drag my teeth up, flicking the tip.
His grip on my hair tightens while his thighs tremble beneath my fingers.
“Gag me,” I tell him as I take him to the back of my throat, swallowing.
“Fuck, Firefly,” he praises. “Your throat is so fucking tight,” he says as he thrusts into me. I gag as tears begin to fall down my face. He picks up the pace, sinking deeper and deeper.
“Such a good girl, Firefly. You take me so well. Baby. Fucking perfect,” he growls, biting his bottom lip as my heart pounds wildly in my chest. His grip tightens once more, shoving my face into his pelvis and holding me in place as he moans.
I swallow and gag, almost vomiting around him, but he pulls me off just in time, and a string of saliva hangs between my lips and the tip of his dick.
“You look so fucking gorgeous on your knees. Mouth swollen. Fuck, Firefly,” he praises, then lets go of my hair only to rub the tip of his dick against my lips.
I snake out my tongue, rubbing it against him, making him hiss.
“Come on, baby. I need to feel your tight cunt,” he growls, pulling me up against him, but not before sucking my bottom lip into his mouth then biting down my jaw and throat to my tits.
His tongue swirls around my nipple, making me shiver as his hands grip my hips then move around to my ass, giving it a squeeze.
My hands find his hair as I kiss his neck, making him groan.
And that’s when I notice the tiny Firefly sitting just below his collar bone. How did I not notice this before?
“Hayden…” I whisper.
“Yeah, baby.”
“You carved me into your skin?” I ask, and he chuckles.
“Yes, baby. I did,” he states, continuing to suck my nipples while his fingers dig into my ass, spreading my cheeks.
“Can I get one for you?” I ask, and he stills.
“No! You will not touch this perfect skin,” he growls, and I roll my eyes.
“My body. My choice,” I say as his eyes flash to mine.
“Do it and see what happens,” he warns, and I laugh.
“Oh, now we’re going to kill the tattoo artist that does it?” I ask with a raised brow, and he smirks. “Jesus Christ—”
“Shut up,” he grits, lifting me by my thighs and slamming me against the wall.
“Or what?” I groan as the tip of his dick sits at my entrance.
“Ride me!” he orders, sinking inside me. We both moan as he pulls out then slams back in, only to rip me away from the wall and walks us over to the couch.
He sits down and grips my hips painfully. I shove my hands into his hair, pulling his head back, and rock against him, then lift only to sink back down hard. His body trembles as we kiss. His hands spread my cheeks, thrusting up into me as I slam down, tightening around him.
My body shivers and goosebumps litter my skin as I ride his cock. I sink my nails into his scalp as my teeth drag down his jaw, making him hiss. My movements become erratic while I chase my orgasm.
“Fuck! Hayden… I’m—I’m,” I whine, and he growls, slamming up into me, then reaches between us and flicks my clit. “Oh. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” I scream as my pussy flutters around him and my body shakes uncontrollably.
“Mmm, yes. I love watching you cum,” he growls, not letting up on my clit. He pinches it as my hips roll and his fingers dig deeper into my thigh. “Just like that, Firefly. God, you’re so tight. Fuck!” he moans.
“Shit. I’m-I’m cumming,” I scream as another orgasm roars through me.
“Just like that, baby. Shit,” he groans as I feel his dick twitch inside me.
“Oh. God. You feel so fucking good,” I say as he growls deep in his chest.
“Firefly…” he moans as his body trembles beneath me, and I slow my pace, letting him fill me to the brim.
“Fuck, Hayden,” I pant as he presses his forehead against mine.
“I love you, Firefly,” he whispers against my lips.
“I love you more, Hayden,” I say as he wraps his arm around me and lays my head against his chest. I listen to his pounding heart. And for a little while… nothing exists except us. Not fathers. Not Brayden. Nothing. Just Hayden loving me hard enough to make up for every year we lost.
Hours later, the room smells like sweat and us as I lay tangled against his chest while his fingers lazily trace circles down my spine. Neither of us speaks for a long time. Because speaking means reality comes back eventually. And neither of us wants it yet.
“You’re staying next weekend too,” Hayden murmurs, and I smile softly against his skin.
“Bossy.”
“You like it.” He chuckles, and he’s right. I fucking love it.
I lift my head slightly to look at him. “What if my father notices?” I ask, and his expression darkens.
“Then I’ll deal with him.”
Fear flickers low inside me. “Hayden...” I warn.
“I mean it.” His hand slides into my hair gently. “I’m done letting people take you away from me,” he whispers as tears sting unexpectedly behind my eyes. Because no one has ever fought for me like this. Not once.
“We’ll figure it out,” he whispers softly. “School. Brayden. All of it.”
I want to believe him so badly, but I know. I know this will never fucking work.
“So what?” I laugh shakily. “We just sneak around like teenagers forever?” I ask, and he smirks.
“Worked pretty well the first time.”
That pulls a real laugh from me, then he kisses my forehead gently.
“Meet me at the spot I took you to tonight next week,” he says.
“Hayden.”
“I’m serious.” His green eyes lock onto mine.
“Stolen moments. Lunch breaks. Weekends. Whatever I can get,” he says, making my chest ache so badly.
I can barely breathe around it because he says it like scraps of time with me are enough.
Like he’d happily survive off crumbs if it meant keeping me.
And maybe he would. That’s the terrifying part.
Eventually, the sky outside starts turning soft shades of blue and gray. Morning. Reality. The death of this little fantasy bubble we built for ourselves all weekend.
I sit up slowly, already grieving it. Hayden watches me quietly from the bed. Neither of us says the words out loud. We don’t have to. Tomorrow always comes for us eventually.
“I should go,” I whisper, and his jaw tightens.
“I know.”
God. That hurts worse somehow.
I pull his hoodie over my bare skin while he sits up, running both hands down his face tiredly. Then suddenly, he grabs my wrist before I can move away completely.
“Come here,” he commands, and I climb back into his lap, because apparently my body belongs there now.
He holds me tightly. Quietly. Like he’s trying to memorize the exact shape of me against him before the world rips us apart again. “I love you,” he whispers against my hair. And it sounds broken. Terrified. Real.
Tears immediately slid down my cheeks. “I love you too.”
His breathing shakes slightly. “You know what kills me?” he murmurs softly. “I finally got you back… and I’m still scared every second that somebody’s gonna take you away from me again.”
That completely destroys me.
So, I cup his face carefully, forcing him to look at me. “No matter what happens…” My voice cracks. “You have me, Hayden.”
His eyes close painfully. “Even if the whole world burns?” he whispers.
“Especially then.”
For one terrible, beautiful moment… I think we both almost believe love might actually save us. Then the moment ends, because it always does.
He walks me to the door quietly before sunrise fully breaks across Daggerspoint. Neither of us want to say goodbye. You can feel it hanging there between us. Heavy and devastating. Like goodbye has become its own kind of trauma for us.
I kiss him one last time anyway. Slow. Aching. And when I finally pull away, he rests his forehead against mine, whispering softly.
“Next weekend, Firefly.”
Promises. Nothing but dangerous promises.
But as I walk away from him while the city wakes around us—my heart stays behind in that apartment with the boy who was supposed to be dead.