I shiver as a light breeze blows against my skin, bringing with it the coolness of the night and the smell of damp earth. Dane moves in close behind me, shielding me from the wind. I allow the moon’s glow to sink into my skin, and with the warming comfort flowing from Dane, the dark parts overtaking my mind retreat, and the heaviness in my chest lessens.
Self-deprivation consumes me, “I guess even darkness has a soul…” and I pull back, not wanting to admit my past, my betrayal, everything that made it possible for me to be here.
“Serena?” Dane whispers, as he shuffles behind me. I lean back against his chest, and he tucks me in against him, both our eyes trained on the moon. “Serena, I don’t know what’s going on, or what happened to you, but you have us. And we’ll be here for you, no matter what. You’re one of us now—we have your back.”
He wouldn’t say that if he knew… I shake my head as I spin around to stare into his eyes, my fear still a persistent crawling sensation up my back.
“Dane, there’s so much you don’t know about me. I don’t think you’d like what you’d find if you…” I trail off and look away from his earnest expression and the longing flowing between us.
He tilts my head back to meet his eyes. “I can feel your emotions, Serena. I can feel the goodness inside you, even though sometimes you don’t think it’s there. I can feel the pain that makes its way through you whether you’re asleep or awake. I know that whatever it is haunts you. Someone terrible, someone bad, wouldn’t feel regret or pain or be as kind as you are. Even if you do try to hide it.” His lips quirk up at one corner, and the fluttering in my chest grows at how naked I feel under his gaze. “No matter what you think, you are good, Serena. You’re a survivor, and all that matters is that you survived.”
A lump lodges itself in my throat. I continue to stare into his eyes and feel the barricade around everything that I’ve locked far away begin to crack. I guess even someone who’s done despicable things can be affected by words like that.
My lips tug into a small smile as he rolls his eyes. “I may not be able to hear your thoughts, but your emotions speak louder than words. We’ve all done things we regret, Serena. That doesn’t make you a bad person.”
I open my mouth to rebut, but his hand cups the back of my head and his lips crash against mine. For a moment, only he moves over me, and I’m frozen, paralyzed by the emotions rebounding between the two of us. I clutch at his sweater when my legs wobble underneath me. One emotion from him shouts above the rest: Why won’t you see what I see?
He draws me closer to his chest, to the hardness underneath my hands. But this is too much. I want him, but I shouldn’t…
“Dane,” I whisper against his lips. “Dane, I can’t—”
He growls and nips at my bottom lip, forcing a groan out of me. “Yes, you can.”
His kiss softens and slows as his hand slides up my back, beneath my shirt. Ah, fuck it. A sigh pulls from my lips at the feel of his roughened, gardener’s hands against my bare skin. I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and thread my fingers through his hair. If I’m going to die and go to hell, at least I’ll have this memory.
Dane smiles against my lips and finally pulls away just as I was beginning to really enjoy myself, his hooded eyes filled with mischief.
“Now let’s get back. I’m sure the others are wondering where we are.” He waggles his eyebrows and heat floods my face.
They wouldn’t think we’d be doing it out here, would they? Dane gives me a look that I can only interpret as “Of course they would if we’re out here for much longer.”
With a grin, Dane grabs hold of my hand and leads me back through the trees. My legs wobble like a newborn lambs as I come down from the high that is Dane, and I find myself tripping on roots every few steps. The fear I felt before remains in the background, overshadowed by my elation and the equally electrified smugness coming from Dane.
His deep laugh rings through the night as we reenter the clearing, hand in hand. We maneuver through the dispersing crowds and back toward our team, earning a dark glare from Sabrina.
I stick my tongue out at her, earning a disgusted scoff, then whisper to Dane, “Seriously. What’s her deal? She’s been on my ass since I got here.”
“You know she’s Dec’s fiancé, but ever since you arrived, you’ve drawn his attention, and she hates that. He’s had to pander to her needs for years because his father pawned her on him, but he’s never loved her. I think if he could end their engagement, he would do it in a heartbeat.”
Oh. As we enter the group, I can’t help but feel sorry for the guy as she clings to him like a baby koala to its mother. Needy, much?
Dane snickers behind me; he must have shared what I was feeling with the guys, as they begin to laugh too. Even Declan’s lips twitch as his eyes meet mine.
“We’re going to head back to the house. Do you guys want to come back with us or are you staying here for a bit longer?” Dane asks, and Paxton and Rory immediately jump to their feet and walk away, their expressions ones of relief.
A shutter falls
