shadows of deceit by author berryy

CHAPTER 20

Don't know what they waited for, but it wasn't the right time to confess, it was clear asf.

That night Ryker didn't slept with her, he was out all night and she slept after waiting for him.

Ryker had a shipment which didn't went well. Ryker stumbled into the room, his movements labored and slow. His shirt was torn and bloody, his shoulder sagging under the weight of his injury.

Lila's eyes fluttered open, her senses slowly coming online as she was pulled from the depths of sleep. She was met with the sound of groaning, low and husky, and the sight of Ryker stumbling towards the bed. His movements were labored, his body swaying slightly as he struggled to remove his shirt.

As he peeled away the fabric, Lila's heart skipped a beat. Ryker's shoulder was a mess of blood and torn flesh, the wound gaping open like a dark mouth. She gasped, her mind racing with questions, but before she could ask any of them, Ryker's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze burning with a fierce intensity.

"Don't," he growled, his voice low and rough, as if warning her off.

But Lila was already moving, her body propelled by a surge of adrenaline and concern. She reached out, her hands gentle as she touched the wounded flesh, her fingers tracing the edges of the gash.

Ryker's eyes flashed with pain, his jaw clenched in a tight line, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he let her touch him, her fingers probing the wound as she assessed the damage.

The room was dimly lit, the only sound the soft groaning of Ryker's ragged breathing, and the gentle rustle of fabric as Lila moved closer, her body inches from his.

As she worked to stem the bleeding, Ryker's eyes never left hers, his gaze burning with a fire that seemed to sear her very soul. Lila felt herself getting lost in those eyes, drowning in their depths, even as she struggled to keep her focus on the task at hand.

"Ryker, what happened?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Ryker's gaze locked onto hers, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "It's nothing," he growled, his voice low and rough.

But Lila knew better. She could see the pain etched on his face, the tension in his body, her movements swift and urgent.

The air was thick with tension, heavy with unspoken emotions, as Lila tended to Ryker's wound, her touch gentle, yet electrifying. The silence between them was palpable, a living, breathing thing that pulsed with a power all its own.

"Let me see," she insisted, her hands reaching out to touch his wounded shoulder.

Ryker's eyes flashed with refusal, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he let her touch him, her fingers probing the wound as she assessed the damage.

The air was thick with tension, heavy with unspoken emotions, as Lila tended to Ryker's wound. The silence between them was palpable, a living, breathing thing that pulsed with a power all its own.

Lila's hands moved with a gentle urgency, her fingers probing the wound as she assessed the damage. "I need to stitch this up," she said, her voice firm but laced with concern.

Ryker's gaze flashed with refusal, his jaw clenched in a tight line. "No," he growled, his voice low and rough.

But Lila stood firm, her eyes locked on his. "You can't leave it like this," she insisted. "It needs to be cleaned and stitched."

Ryker's resistance slowly crumbled, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "Fine," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Lila's hands moved quickly, gathering medical supplies as Ryker reluctantly followed her to the bathroom. She undressed him with a clinical efficiency, her eyes avoiding the intensity of his gaze.

As they showered together, Lila's hands moved with a gentle reverence, washing away the blood and grime. Ryker's eyes never left hers, his gaze burning with a fire that seemed to sear her very soul.

After the shower, Lila examined the wound again, her fingers tracing the edges of the gash. Ryker's eyes fluttered closed, his jaw clenched in anticipation of pain.

With a deep breath, Lila began to stitch the wound, her hands moving with a steady precision. Ryker's face twisted in pain, but he didn't make a sound, his eyes remaining closed as he surrendered to her care.

As she worked, Lila felt a sense of intimacy wash over her, a connection that went beyond mere physical touch.

Lila was done stitching him up as she guided Ryker to the bed, his injured body surrendering to her gentle touch. She eased him onto the soft, plush mattress, his exhausted form sinking into the downy comfort.

As they lay there, Cormac's words hung in the air, a solemn declaration that seemed to reverberate deep within Lila's soul. "I knew, before long, I'd meet you," he said, his voice low and serious, laced with a hint of reverence.

Lila's response was silence, her body still, her gaze fixed on Ryker's face. She knew that he wouldn't speak, that his eyes would remain closed, his jaw clenched in a tight line.

She already knew that.

The room was bathed in a soft, golden light, the shadows cast by the flickering candles dancing across the walls like gentle whispers. The air was heavy with the scent of old books and leather, the silence punctuated only by the soft, steady rhythm of Ryker's breathing.

As they drifted off to sleep, Lila's thoughts swirled, her mind racing with questions, her heart filled with a deep, abiding sense of connection. She felt the weight of Ryker's gaze, even in slumber, his presence a palpable force that seemed to envelop her very being.

The bed creaked softly, a gentle protest, as Lila shifted closer, her body curling around Ryker's, her arms wrapping around him like a gentle embrace. Her fingers traced the lines of his face, her touch feather-light, her heart filled with a deep, abiding sense of wonder.

Lila's eyelids grew heavy, her breathing slowing as she drifted off to sleep, her head nestled on Ryker's chest. His warm, solid presence enveloped her, his steady heartbeat lulling her into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Ryker's arm wrapped around her, his hand splayed across her back, holding her close. His chest rose and fell with each breath, his body a steady, comforting presence beneath hers.

Lila's hair spilled across Ryker's chest, her locks tangled with his, their bodies entwined in a sweet, intimate embrace. Her hand rested on his stomach, her fingers curled lightly, her touch a gentle, soothing caress.

As she drifted off to sleep, Lila felt a deep sense of peace, of belonging, in Ryker's arms. Her heart felt full, her soul at rest, as she surrendered to the gentle, soothing rhythm of his heartbeat.

As they slept, the world outside receded, leaving only the two of them, lost in a sea of quiet intimacy, their hearts beating as one. The darkness was filled with the soft, gentle sound of their breathing, a soothing melody that seemed to lull the very stars to sleep.

SOON TO BE CONTINUE....

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We all love a worried fmc...
Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter>3
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