(Katelyn's POV)"Your arm," Ryder murmured, though he made no attempt to slow down. Instead, he only kissed me more fiercely, the fingers of one hand entwining themselves in the hair at the nape of my neck while the other grabbed my butt, holding me firmly against his body."I don't care," I said breathlessly, my palms pressed against his chest. I could feel his heart racing beneath my hands, the rhythm so comforting and familiar.The way he touched me, it felt like he was battling some kind of internal conflict. His touch seemed to shift between tender and caring to dominant and possessive. It was almost like he had to keep reminding himself to slow down. To be gentle.A soft moan escaped my lips as his kisses wandered down the side of my neck. He stopped suddenly, pulling away slightly with his jaw clenched. I could see something flicker in his eyes. Guilt, maybe? Regret?His eyes were fixed firmly on my neck and I watched as his expression darkened. I felt his thumb brush across it
(Katelyn's POV)The air outside the motel was cool and still, the sun barely making its way up the horizon, casting a pale light across the empty parking lot as it tried to heat up the day.Ryder and I moved quietly through the parking lot, the world around us seemingly deserted in these early morning hours.I shivered slightly as I slid into the back seat of the truck. The temperature adjustment between the morning chill outside and the hot shower inside was pretty severe, to say the least.Ryder and I had crept stealthily through our dark bedroom while Tyler and Jenna slept. He'd grabbed the car keys and the takeout bag on his way and then we stole down the quiet hallway, making our way to the truck to change my wet bandage out.And now, here we were, sharing the last remaining moments of a night that had stretched on for far too long.I watched as Ryder unwrapped the soaked bandage from my arm, the last physical reminder of our impulsive shower together. I bit my lip, regretting my
(Katelyn's POV)A familiar voice whispered my name, pulling me gently from sleep."Kate..."I barely stirred, the word slipping through the haze of my exhausted mind. I had slept so hard that I could barely remember lying down on the bed, let alone falling asleep. It was as if I had been swallowed by the darkness, and now I was clawing my way back to consciousness."Kate," the voice came again, soft but insistent.This time, I managed to crack one bleary eye open. The room was warmer now, the stale air heavy after hours of sleep. Through the thin, shitty, motel curtains, a soft orange glow seeped into the room.Tyler was sitting beside me on the bed, his fingers gently combing through my tangled hair."It's time to go," he said, his voice gentle and patient as he gave me a reassuring smile.I wanted to smile back, but instead I groaned, the weight of sleep still pressing down on me."I'm still tired," I mumbled, my voice thick and croaky.Tyler chuckled softly. "I know, but we need to
(Katelyn's POV)The steady rhythm of the tires on the asphalt was almost hypnotic as the afternoon sunlight cast a warm glow through the windows.I leaned into Ryder, his arm wrapped loosely around my shoulders, his thumb tracing slow, absentminded circles on my upper arm. Every now and then, I’d feel him adjust slightly in his seat, and I could tell he was fighting off sleep.The soft glow outside was beginning to fade, the daylight slowly turning to twilight.“How did it go with your mom?” I asked, turning my attention to Jenna as I remembered that that was the last conversation we had had before I had climbed into the shower with Ryder.Jenna shifted in her seat, turning her head slightly to glance back at me. The sunlight caught her face, and I could see the mixture of relief and sadness in her eyes as she processed the question.“It was… hard,” she admitted softly, her voice filled with emotion. “She cried a lot. She wants to quit working for Harlan’s family, which I get, but I c
(Katelyn's POV)Jenna’s question hung in the air, thick with curiosity and concern. Her eyes searched mine, waiting for an explanation that I wasn’t sure I could provide.I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of everyone's gazes on me. That's right, EVERYONE... Jenna’s from the front seat, Ryder’s just beside me, and even Tyler, who glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyes flicking back and forth between me and the road.I knew I had to say something, but what?“It wasn’t a vision like the others I've had before,” I started, my voice low as I tried to put the experience into words. “It wasn’t the past, and it didn't seem to be the future... I... I was experiencing it in first person... which... which isn't usual,” I explained, my gaze focused on the darkness outside while I tried to make sense of the strange experience.Jenna raised her eyebrows, waiting for me to continue. Even though a general weariness still hung over everyone in the truck, there was an alertness that now seemed
(Katelyn's POV)Tyler climbed out of the truck, stretching his arms and legs as he walked around the front of the vehicle. I watched him, taking in the fatigue that had been etched into his features. This whole experience had definitely taken its toll on him.Ryder headed towards him, also stopping to stretch his arms and legs before Tyler handed him the keys."You sure you're good?" I heard Tyler's muffled voice carrying from the front of the truck.Ryder nodded. "Better than you, at least," his muted response came. As Tyler climbed into the back next to me, his hand brushed against mine and a small, tired smile tugged at his lips. “You should sleep,” he whispered, his voice low and comforting.I nodded, leaning into him. "Trust me, I want to," I replied, sounding exasperated and exhausted. "Got a lot on your mind?" he asked gently.I sighed and nodded, resting my head against his shoulder.He kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me in close as he relaxe
(Katelyn's POV)The warm water from the shower ran over me, dousing me in calm tranquility. It washed away the grime from the journey and the weight of everything that had happened over the last few days. The shower I had shared with Ryder hadn't fulfilled the same need. Though, you could definitely argue that it fulfilled other needs...As I washed my hair and felt the knots in my hair beginning to untangle, I could feel myself becoming lighter, more like my usual self.After drying off, I threw on some clothes, just an oversized t-shirt and a pair of denim shorts, then I joined Jenna in my room. I'd let her shower first and now she was sprawled out on my bed, wearing my clothes and looking more like the Jenna I knew and loved.“At least your bed doesn’t smell like fast food and sweaty motel sheets,” she sighed in relief, her voice muffled as she buried her face into one of the pillows.I chuckled softly, sitting down at the edge of the bed while I towel-dried my hair.“Glad to kno
(Katelyn's POV)Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting soft beams of light across the bed. I opened my eyes slowly, relieved to see my familiar surroundings as I stretched and yawned.The room was quiet aside from Jenna’s soft breathing beside me. As I looked over at her I couldn't help but smile. It felt like we were just having a sleepover, like we used to when we were still in high school.I fumbled for my phone on the bedside table and saw that it was 11:15. Almost time for us to head to The Fortress.With another yawn, I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Jenna. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake up, letting out a soft sigh as she snuggled deeper into the pillows.“Lucky cow,” I mumbled under my breath with a smile as I grabbed a hoodie from the chair and slipped it on.I padded quietly across the floor and out into the hallway, wondering where Ryder and Tyler were. They hadn’t mentioned how we were getting to The Fortress. We all kind of just parted ways to do our