𝔘𝔫𝔰𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔡. || 𝔗𝔯𝔦𝔭𝔭𝔦𝔢 ℜ𝔢𝔡𝔡

ℑ𝔫𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔖𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔪

Inside the Storm

"Sometimes, the real battle isn't outside—it's the storm brewing within."

After a while, her breathing slowed, her body nestled into mine like she finally found a place to rest. I brushed my fingers over her shoulder, watching her as she drifted off. But even as she slept, my mind was racin', tracing over everything she'd told me about Tye.

I thought about the night she described, the fear she must have felt, and a white-hot anger flared up inside me. I'd seen some dark shit in my life, been around people who took what they wanted and left destruction behind, but hearing it from her? Hearing that she'd been through that? It was different. It felt personal.

My fists clenched, the heat rising in my chest. I didn't just want to keep her safe; I wanted to make damn sure no one—especially not Tye—ever got near her again. I'd left that gang life behind, but I'd be lyin' if I said those old itch didn't still sit there, fienin' to be scratched at the drop of a dime. Big 14 wasn't just a name—it was a warning. I'd drop a mothafucka at the slightest inconvenience. But this nigga Tye? He's givin' me more than enough reason to empty clips 'til there ain't enough left to even recognize his ass.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Jade didn't need that side of me right now. She needed me to be here, steady and focused. But if push came to shove, if he showed up on that bullshit? He'd find out quick why you don't mess with what's mine—no second chances.

As I laid there, the weight of everything we'd talked about settled over me. I could feel her body relax against mine, and it hit me that this was what I wanted—her here with me, safe, finally able to let go of all that pain. And I'd make sure it stayed that way, no matter what I had to do.

I leaned back, staring up at the ceiling, her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close, feeling the weight of everything we'd just laid out settling over us. No words needed, just the steady beat of her breathing, matching mine. In that moment, this was enough.

For a long time, we stayed like that—her head on my chest, my arms wrapped tight around her, feeling the tension ease out of her body. There was something real in that quiet, just the two of us, finally letting the walls fall away. I couldn't shake the feelin' that this was what I'd been chasing all my life, even when I didn't know it.

After a few minutes, she pulled back just enough to look at me, eyes still glossy but clear, a little more open. "You stayin' right?" she asked, voice so soft I almost missed it.

"Yeah," I said, not a hint of hesitation. "I'm not goin' anywhere."

She gave me a small smile, one that hit me deep, tightening my chest in a way that felt good. "Come on, then."

She led me upstairs to her room—a spot I'd only seen from the door, but stepping in now, I could tell it was where she let herself breathe. Floor-to-ceiling windows showed the LA skyline, and the space itself was calm, a mix of luxury and warmth. Plush pillows, soft throws, candles on the nightstand that made the whole place smell like warm brown sugar. It wasn't about flash; it was about a place where you could let it all go and just be.

She tossed me an oversized shirt from a drawer—definitely not mine—and I couldn't help the smirk. "For real? This Koryn's?"

"Probably," she said, already pulling her sweater off, slipping into one of her own tees. She wasn't tryna be sexy or nothin', but there was something about the way she moved, the comfort in her own skin, that made it hard to look away. Just her, raw and real, no walls. That? That was hittin' different.