THE TEMPTRESS

||Promises||

•KADEN•

It's been five weeks since I last saw Stephanie. Ever since the warehouse incident and my father also dying, I couldn't be bothered with the whole grieving process, the only thing that's been running through my mind, was her.

I'm constantly wondering where she's at, how she's holding up, if she's still here in the country. I get why she did what she did. It's not easy for her to move on, and that's why I can't shake off this worry about her day and night.

People have been giving me the cold shoulder lately, probably because of the choice I made. Letting Stephanie walk away after finding out about her betrayal and how she played us all for her revenge game. I get it; they have every right to be pissed. 

But I had my reasons. I get where she's coming from.

I don't feel any guilt about letting her kill the old man, right there in front of me. If the roles were reversed, I'd have done the exact same thing for my family's sake. The Dellamonica family didn't deserve to be killed like that. Stephanie witnessed it all go down and carried that pain for years – that's something no one should ever go through.

So, I understand her. Not based off my feelings for her, but because I'd do the same for my mom. Dad was responsible for her death, but he shrugged it off like it was nothing, and moved on with his life. That's why I hated him so much ever since my mom died.

He never lifted a finger to get justice for my mom, just let her killers – who happened to be his enemies too – stroll away, never to be seen again. 

I understood Stephanie's pain, what she went through, and I did what I had to do. Nobody's going to question me on this, as long as I'm the one who's controlling everything.

OoO

I hopped out of the car, feeling the chill breeze nipping at my skin. The doctor had done some really good patching on my shoulder, wrapping it up and securing it with a shoulder sling.

I was out on a drive and decided to stop by the cliff side to get some sea air for a bit to help me clear my thoughts. Also, the change of scenery might do some good for me. 

I was getting fed up with the constant caring from the girls—making sure I was well-fed, rested, and my shoulder wrapped up like a prized possession. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the help, but sometimes it got on my nerves.

As I strolled through the woods, leaves and rocks crunched under my boots. The last time I was here, I brought Stephanie with me.

No one had known about this place except AJ and I, and now her. I wanted to show her how much this place means to me and how distant it was from all the chaos of the outside world, so this spot served as an escape. 

 A temporary haven to slip away from reality and just be alone with your thoughts and enjoy the scenery. That is why, I brought her here. To show her exactly that. 

 A shadow moved up ahead and I froze. There was someone standing at the cliff, their back turned towards me, and they were alone.

My hand instinctively went for the gun tucked at the back of my jeans, and I stealthily crept up. As I got closer, I glimpsed the side of their face, and my heart skipped a beat.

Stephanie.

I let go of my attempt to reach for my gun and walked over to her calmly. As she turned around, I couldn't help but notice the fresh tear stains on her face.

It pained me to see her like this. Without hesitation, I approached her and pulled her into my arms. At first, she tensed up, but after a minute or two, she finally relaxed, and I felt her arms wrap around my back.

Relief washed over me. I was just happy to see that she was safe and hadn't disappeared to another country.  I would've lost my fucking mind if that had happened.

After a few minutes, as her sobs subsided, I gently pulled back and looked at her. She raised her hand, wiping away the tears on her face with the back of her hand.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to steal your spot," she mumbled in a soft voice, and I lightly grabbed her arm.

"It's okay; no need to apologize. I'm just glad you're here."

Our eyes finally met, and the pain behind hers intensified the ache in my chest. She gave me a long stare, and I started to worry about what she might say next.

"I'm sorry," she said. My brows furrowed, and I ran my hand down her arm.

"Steph, we've already talked about this. Whatever happened is in the past. I'm not holding it against you."

Her hand suddenly landed on mine, still on her arm, and my body stiffened under her touch, lacking the usual warmth.

"No, not because of that. I've been lying to you since the day we met, I kept things from you, and I used you to get closer to your father. I'm also responsible for the deaths of many who were close to you."

The memory of how she ambushed us, killing most of my loyal men, replayed in my head, making me clench my jaw.

Despite that painful memory, I didn't dwell on it for too long because this moment was more precious to me and I didn't want to waste it by thinking about that. Shit happened in the past, but I won't let it come between us.

I'm crazy in love with her, and I know she's in a vulnerable state. How we handle this situation will determine whether we distance ourselves or become each other's pillars of strength.

"I'm really sorry for everything," she repeated, and I gently pulled her towards me, cupping her face with my hands.

"I don't care about any of that, Stephanie. This moment right here is what matters most. You matter the most to me, and I'll protect you and won't leave your side no matter what happens."

Her eyes welled up with tears as she stared back at me.

"Do you not hate me, Kaden?"

My heart dropped at her question.

I gave her a reassuring smile and shook my head slowly.

"I could never hate you, baby, I promise."

A small smile finally appeared on her face, melting my heart as I saw a glimpse of her old self.

I captured her lips with mine, sealing that promise with a passionate kiss, never intending to let her go.