𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐑 ✓ | 18+

Chapter Forty

Isabella

I lay beneath the soft covers, my body sore and cocooned in the warmth of the blankets, god oliver did a total on me. I had been restless all night, tossing and turning, unable to escape the whirlwind of thoughts that tormented me.

I turned my head and looked at Oliver, who was sleeping beside me. His chest rose and fell with a steady rhythm, his face relaxed and peaceful. He was so close, yet a world apart from the turmoil within me. It was moments like these that I found it hard to reconcile the man I had come to love with the man he used to be—the man who had inflicted so much pain upon me.

funny right

Our love story had been anything but ordinary. From the initial terror of his violent world to the fragile, tentative steps we had taken towards something resembling normalcy, everything had been a precarious balance. But here we were, sharing a bed in the quiet aftermath of yet another storm.

I couldn't deny the deep affection I felt for Oliver, but it was a love wrapped in layers of complexity and pain. The same hands that had caused me pain were now tenderly healing my wounds. The same eyes that had held a cold, menacing glare now looked at me with a vulnerability that made my heart ache.

As I watched him sleep, my thoughts drifted back to the night we had just endured. The confrontation, the chaos, and the raw intensity of our emotions had left us both physically and emotionally spent. Oliver had been fierce in his protection of me, and though I could see the torment in his eyes, the monster within him.

my monster

My fingers brushed a stray of hair from his forehead, my touch as gentle as a whisper. The way he had looked at me, with so much remorse and yearning, had broken through the walls I had so carefully built around my heart. His apology, his desperate pleas, and the sincerity in his voice had shattered my reservations, leaving me raw and exposed.

"I love you," he had said, and those words had reverberated through me.

But it was not just the words that had struck me deeply. It was the way he had kissed me—fiercely, passionately, as though he were trying to convey every ounce of his regret and love in that single moment. The intensity of that kiss had left me breathless, and for a fleeting second, all the pain and the past seemed to dissolve into the haze of our shared emotion.

I wondered if we could ever truly leave the shadows of our past behind. The world we lived in was fraught with danger and darkness, and despite the moments of tenderness we shared, the weight of his past actions often loomed over us like a dark cloud. But in the quiet moments, like now, when it was just the two of us, I could almost convince myself that there was hope.

A soft sigh escaped my lips as I shifted closer to him, my head resting on his chest. The steady beat of his heart was a comforting rhythm that grounded me, pulling me away from the tumultuous storm inside my mind. I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of his body seep into mine.

I felt Oliver stir beside me, his arm wrapping around me in a protective embrace. His touch was gentle, almost hesitant, as though he feared that any sudden movement might shatter the fragile bubble of serenity we had created. I nestled closer to him.

"gorgeous." he murmured, his voice a soft, rough whisper in the dark. "Are you awake?"

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "Yes," I replied softly. "I'm awake."

He brushed a tender kiss against my forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before pulling back. "I love you, and I'm sorry," he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "For everything. For the pain I caused you. I know I can't undo the past, but I want to be better. I want to make things right."

I reached up and touched his face, my fingers tracing the lines of his jaw. "I know," I said gently. "I see the effort you're making."

Oliver nodded, his eyes reflecting the depth of his feelings. "I know. I just wish I could do more. I want to protect you, but I also want to give you everything you deserve."

I took his hand and placed it over my heart, feeling the steady rhythm beneath my skin. "Your love, your protection, your presence—it's more than I ever expected."

He smiled, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you, Isabella. I was lost, and I made so many mistakes. But now, I want to be the man you deserve."

I leaned in and kissed him softly, my lips brushing against his with a tenderness that conveyed all the emotions I couldn't put into words. "You are that man," I whispered against his lips. "You're trying, and that means alot to me."

He deepened the kiss, his hands cupping my face as though he were afraid I might slip away.

As we finally pulled apart, I rested my forehead against his, my breath mingling with his. " I want to be with you, I want all of you Oliver."

I closed my eyes, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath me, the soothing rhythm of his breathing lulling me into a peaceful state. sleep finally began to claim me.