"Thank you. Everything was just beautiful. And I wish one day I could go into that lake and feel the water against my skin." I said as I wrapped my arms around King.

His arms descended to my back and he clutched me softly. I took a deep sniff of his scent as it drifted all around me. It was of everything great and beautiful.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. There are many other places in this town that you must've not seen." He placed a peck over my shoulder before moving back and taking my face in his hands. "I hope to show you them all." He continued, his voice raspy.

"I hope to see them." I smiled in his embrace.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

We shared a quick mouth to mouth kiss that ended soon. As much as I was hungry for more, I needed to control my urges before letting them get the worst out of me. There was something real about this all and I wanted it more than I wanted sex or a simple hookup. What I felt at the lake, in King's arms was something I never felt before. Whether this was a game or not, I wanted to take the chance. I wanted the hope this world was offering to me after years and years of misery.

I wanted to feel full.

I wanted to live.

"Take care of yourself." King said while I stepped out of his car.

Just down the street, I found my house, lights switched off as Aunt Carol was gone for her night out with her girlfriend's. It was just going to be me, alone with my great memories of the night spent with King and no one else. I took in a fresh breath of air and shook my hand while the engine started. King drove his car out of the street and soon, it was gone into thin air.

The smile over my face grew wider while I walked back to home. I pushed my hands inside my pockets and kept my head narrowed as the rain continued falling over me. My body felt the cold but my heart didn't. It was warm and filled with love and a hundred more emotions—one I thought I would never feel again.

I placed a hand to my waist and there was no pain.

I stopped by the entrance of the door and shuffled through random keys before finding the one for the house. As I pushed the key inside the lock, I realised the door was already left open. A wave of fear spread across my body and I stepped inside cautiously.

Why did Aunt Carol leave the door open?

Wrinkles appeared on my head. My brows tightened and my body straightened while I moved into the house and searched for any intruder that had walked in during the time the house was left open. It had been more than a while since Aunt Carol left. She dropped me a text several hours ago, right when she was leaving and I was expecting her to return a few hours later.

"Bryce?" My lips thinned at his appearance.

My cheating ex-boyfriend was sitting inside my kitchen, in front of the window and waiting for me to return. My heart dropped at his presence. For days, I waited for him to come to me and beg for forgiveness but he never did until the day I no longer cared nor expected for me to get back with him.

My blood warmed and my chest hurt once more, "What are you doing here? How did you even come in?" I questioned as I dropped my bags on the floor.

"Baby," He stood up, eyes red and his breath reeking of alcohol. "I'm so sorry for leaving you."

"What—" Before I could say anything or yell, I was cut off.

He grabbed my wrist tightly and held it without will. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm really sorry. I did wrong. I shouldn't have slept with her. It was a mistake. I don't love her at all, Eos. I love you and I'm sorry again. I don't want her, I want you and only you." He pleaded while tears fell from his eyes and onto his wet cheeks.

I didn't let my heart open for a second—not for him—not for Bryce. He had done a terrible mistake by sleeping with another woman while I was with him. It wrecked me beyond repair. It crushed the one last thing inside of me and took away all of my hope. I felt unwanted and damaged for weeks after learning about his infidelity. I hated him with all my heart and never wanted him back.

"Get out." I pushed my hand and directed him to the door. "I don't want you here. Get out of my house!" I yelled, raising my voice.

He shook his head and grabbed my upper arms. "I don't want to leave you, Eos. I love you more than anything else in this world and I'm sorry. Please, please, forgive me once, baby. I'll never do this again. I'll never look at her or any other woman. I promise." With every word leaving his mouth, he pushed me farther back till I was pressed against the wall.

"Leave me!" I cried. Real tears burned my eyes and swept down my cheeks. "Please. Get the fuck out of my house. I don't want you."

"No, baby, you want me." He sneered while rage flashed his face momentarily. His grip tightened, causing pain and bruising. "I know you do. You only love me, Eos. I know that and I know you want me back. Just take me. I can't see you with anyone else."

We stumbled across the wall and I felt trapped by his frame and the large wall behind me. I took a quick look at my surroundings, hoping to find something to end this threat. Bryce and I were over. I didn't want him back. I wanted him gone.

"Leave me. You're hurting me." I spat out while wincing in pain.

My heart raced in fear while I looked into his pair of angry eyes. "No." He gritted his teeth together. "No, no."

"You're drunk! Get off me." I tried pushing him back but my every try bought him closer and closer to me. My bruised wrists ached and I felt the wound itching in sudden pressure.

"No. You're mine. Just mine." He grabbed my hair in his fist and set his mouth over my lips.

"No."

This couldn't happen.

Pain ripped through every inch of my skin and before I knew, a bundle of great energy collected inside me and I slammed my knee into his stomach, successfully pushing him off. For a second. He grew angrier at my rejection and raised his hand to strike my face but was quickly stopped by a strong force.