Queen of the zodiac ( zodiac city duology #1) [ undergoing revamping]

Ramon

Soft core- The Neighbourhood

"We will keep them out," Denisha said, determination blazing in her eyes.

I nodded, my hand instinctively rising to adjust my locs as I prepared to leave.

"And Ramon, good luck," she continued. I turned to acknowledge Denisha and Celeste, both of whom were watching me with supportive smiles.

"Yeah, thanks," I replied, my voice betraying the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

The room was bathed in a subtle, golden glow, the ambient light cascading gently across the walls. It created a warm, intimate atmosphere, softening the edges of everything it touched and giving the space an ethereal aura. I noticed the faint scent of her favorite lavender candle wafting through the air

"Ramon?" she said, her voice a mixture of apprehension

I nodded, my eyes searching hers "Yeah, can I come in? Are you alone?"

Her eyes, usually so confident, flickered with uncertainty. "Yes, I am."

She opened the door wider, and I stepped inside. The air was thick with unspoken words, tension crackling between us like electricity. Brooke gestured towards the bean bag beside her bed, silently inviting me to sit. I hesitated for a moment before sinking onto it, my muscles tense.

"You're not going to sit on the bed?" she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

I shook my head, my gaze never leaving her face. Sitting on the bed felt too intimate, too vulnerable. I needed the distance, even if it was just a few feet, to shield my heart from the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.

"Look, Ramon," she sighed, her voice heavy with the weight of her words, "there's nothing going on between me and Damien."

The mention of Damien's name sparked a flame of anger within me, but I quelled it, forcing myself to listen. "Damien?" I replied, my tone sharper than I intended. She thinks this is about Damien?

"That day when you yelled at me in front of the bar, I couldn't explain it to you," she continued, her eyes pleading for understanding, "and I need you to understand that it's you I love, not him. You."

Her sincerity tugged at my defenses. I wanted to believe her, to trust that her words held the truth. But doubts lingered in the corners of my mind, like ghosts refusing to be banished. I knew better.

"You do?" I replied making my voice as soft spoken as possible

Think about Perse, not her

"Yes," she said, scooting closer to the edge of the bed, her eyes locked onto mine. "And I'm sorry I've been off. I've just been going through a lot."

Concern flooded my veins, momentarily pushing aside the anger. "Are you okay?" I asked, my voice softening with genuine worry.

"Yeah," she replied, attempting a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "and I know you love me too. I mean, why else would you kiss me back, right?"

"Why did I kiss her back?" I asked myself, the question echoing in my mind like a haunting refrain. I had been questioning my own actions over and over again. She was the reason my girlfriend commited suicide. She had lied to my face repeatedly, and yet, in that moment, my eyes seemed drawn inexorably to her lips.

"I love you too," I found myself saying, the words escaping my lips before my mind could fully process them. It felt like a betrayal to my own emotions

I closed the gap between us, my hand gently cupping her cheek as I kissed her with a passion that bordered on desperation. In that moment, our lips met, and for a heartbeat, I allowed myself to drown in the intensity of the kiss, momentarily forgetting the betrayals and the heartache.