Seventy four

Athena

My pulse quickened with forbidden longing. He was all I wanted, all I could think about. Blood throbbed in my veins with a scarlet web of desire. I wanted him badly.

Cameron and I lay in bed, the quiet between us filled with unspoken words and emotions I was too afraid to acknowledge. His arm was wrapped around me, holding me close as if he were trying to imprint the memory of this moment. I knew it was reckless, foolish even. But in this fragile moment, I didn’t care. I couldn't lose everything—I had already lost too much. If I was going to let him go, I didn’t want to regret not holding on to him one last time.

He gently caressed my hair, his touch warm and familiar, sending shivers down my spine. His voice was soft, almost a whisper. "I love you, Athena. I love you more than you can ever imagine."

Instead of responding, I felt a knot tighten in my chest. The words he spoke were too much for me to handle. Instead of letting them sink in, I changed the subject, pushing away t