Will you not give me my morning kiss?
Blood poured from the center of George’s forehead, a deep red trail slipping down his face. His eyes were wide open, lifeless and cold.
"Shit!" Ronan shouted, grabbing at his hair in frustration.
“We needed him breathing. Who knows how many more like him are still hiding out there!” He slammed his foot into the wall, his anger loud and sharp.
But Austin stood silently, his face calm. This was the moment he had waited for. Justice for Paulina. Justice for Dora. It was done.
After handing in his recorded statement and the watch with George’s confession, Austin drove home. A quiet smile tugged at his lips. The storm had finally passed. Now, only one thing remained, Dora’s parents. But he was ready to face them, as long as she stood with him.
It was late when he stepped into the apartment. The lights were off, and the room felt still. Dora lay curled on the bed, her knees tucked close. He paused, his smile fading. She only slept like that when something was bothering her.
Maybe she felt hurt that I left her, he thought, guilt creeping in. He reached out but stopped when he noticed the dust and blood still on his clothes. With one last look at her, he headed for the shower.
The hot water eased the tension in his muscles, but his thoughts stayed on Dora. He rinsed off quickly, eager to hold her.
After drying off and pulling on his sweatpants, he slipped beneath the covers, careful not to wake her. He moved closer, brushing his nose against the back of her neck. Her scent filled his lungs and brought a strange calm. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.
She stirred and shifted, resting her head on his chest. That was when he saw it—her pink nose, the puffiness under her eyes. She had been crying.
His chest tightened. He held her tighter, gently kissing her hair, trying to comfort her even in her sleep. Slowly, sleep pulled him under too.
But as he drifted off, he missed the slight twitch in his left eye. A quiet warning that peace never lasts forever.
**********
The bed was cold. Austin reached out with half-closed eyes, expecting to feel Dora beside him, but his hand met only empty sheets. The warmth was gone. His eyes flew open.
He sat up straight, the silence of the room unsettling. For a second, he hoped she had only gone to get a glass of water. But then he spotted her, standing on the balcony, still and small, her arms folded as the early sunlight painted gold across her bare skin.
She was wearing only her nightdress. The morning breeze played with the ends of her hair, but she stood as if she could not feel it.
Austin grabbed the blanket and threw it over his shoulders as he walked towards her. He stepped behind her and gently wrapped both the blanket and his arms around her. Her back pressed into his chest, but she did not move. Her eyes stayed fixed on the rising sun.
“It looks like the start of a perfect day,” he said softly, resting his chin near her temple.
“It will be... soon,” she answered, her voice low and a little shaky.
“Are you cold?” he asked, brushing his lips across the top of her shoulder.
“Not anymore.”
Austin held her tighter, hoping she would lean into him. But she remained still. Quiet. Her body is stiff against his.
“What made you get up this early?” he asked, trying to draw her into a normal conversation. He missed her voice. He missed her.
“I feel like I just woke up… after a very long sleep,” she said.
Her words made him pause. He frowned but did not press. Something about the way she said it made his heart beat just a bit faster.
“Dora... are you upset with me?” he asked, gently turning her to face him.
She looked up, her face calm, but distant. No anger. No tears. Just quiet eyes.
“Will you not give me my morning kiss?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
His frown vanished. He smiled, lowering his lips to hers. “How can I say no to my beautiful wife?”
The kiss began soft, familiar. But soon, it changed. Dora kissed him with a hunger that caught him off guard. She pressed her lips harder, her hands gripping his shoulders, pulling him closer. Austin responded, his arms wrapping around her waist, guiding her back to the bed.
He could feel her heart racing against his chest. The moment was warm, intense, and full of emotion neither of them said out loud. Her lips moved urgently against his, tasting every inch of his mouth as if she was trying to hold onto something that might slip away.
Her legs wrapped around his waist. Her fingers tangled in his hair. She kissed him deeper, faster, as if she needed to feel every breath, every beat of him.
Austin moaned softly under the pressure of her lips and tongue, returning the kiss with just as much heat. But something in his chest felt heavy, like this passion carried a secret weight he could not name.
When the need for air finally pulled him back, he broke the kiss, gasping quietly as he rested his forehead against hers.
They lay together, their bodies still, breaths slowly returning to normal. Dora gently cupped Austin’s face, and as she opened her eyes, a single tear slipped down the side of her face, landing near her temple.
Austin closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. He moved his face closer, brushing his nose against hers. Dora held him tighter around the neck, not wanting to let go.
“Let us stay like this a little longer,” she whispered, eyes closed.
“I am not going anywhere,” he replied, his voice soft and full of emotion.
She gave a quiet hum, as if the words gave her comfort. They held onto each other, letting time slip by unnoticed. Only when someone knocked on the door did Austin finally pull away slightly, chuckling under his breath.
“We should not keep your parents waiting,” he said.
“Austin,” she said, her voice sounding different.
He looked at her, worried.
“Please… say you love me.”
He was taken aback. Her tone was calm, but something about it felt like a goodbye. He did not speak. Instead, he pressed his lips to hers again, slow and deep. There was no rush in the kiss. It was not like before. This time, it was full of longing, as if he was afraid of losing her.
“Does that prove it?” he asked after pulling away, searching her eyes.
Dora gave him a small, sad smile and nodded.
“We should get ready,” he said, though he did not want to move.
The drive to her parents’ house passed in silence. Austin kept glancing at Dora. Her body was tense. Her fingers trembled slightly in his hand.
“I am with you,” he said gently, giving her hand a squeeze.
“You are?” she asked, looking at him with a strange expression.
“Always,” he said, lifting her hand and kissing it.
They reached the door. Dora’s steps were slow, hesitant. When the door opened, James stood there with a cold look. He saw their hands but said nothing. Austin cleared his throat. James stepped aside.
“Dora, sit beside me,” he said once they were inside.
She obeyed quietly, lowering her head.
“Explain this,” James said, eyes on Austin.
Dora’s voice was soft. “He forced me.”
Austin’s heart dropped. His eyes widened in shock.
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