God Of Desire

Between Secrets and Stars

Madden:

Taking Anastasia on one of my usual late-night drives wasn’t something I’d planned. But after everything that went down tonight, she looked like she needed an escape...something to get her mind off it all.

If you’d asked me two months ago if I’d be here, going out of my way for a girl, or letting her get this close, I’d have laughed in your face. The Madden I knew back then? He kept things simple, clean-cut, no strings attached. But somehow, Anastasia…she’s different.

I’m not exactly what you’d call social. Crowds and loud people have never been my thing. I prefer the quiet—the kind of silence that lets me hear myself think, where I can take everything in and measure my next move. I’m calm, calculated. I learned early on that if you stay back, observe, you can read a room without saying a word.

Girls? They’re always around, always trying to catch my eye. But it’s a game I’ve never cared to play. They flock like I’m some untouchable prize, but honestly? None of it’s ever really meant anything. Nothing’s ever caught my eye...until I saw her.

Those forest-green eyes cut right through me the first time they met mine. Something about her made me want to throw all my rules out the window. I don’t even know what this feeling is...it’s only been two weeks, but every time I see her, the urge to get closer, to claim her as mine, gets stronger.

I’m not even sure if she knows the effect she has on me, but there’s something almost dangerous about how much I want her. It's like every piece of me that’s always been calm, collected, is slipping, unraveling, and for the first time, I’m ready to let it.

I stole a few glances at her, careful not to linger too long. If I kept my eyes on her for more than a second, I might actually forget I was supposed to be driving. She sat quietly, gazing out the window, completely lost in thought, her expression soft yet distant. There was a weight in her eyes, like she was carrying something heavy that she’d never admit to.

The streetlights caught her profile, casting shadows and highlights that made her look almost unreal, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking about. Whatever it was, I felt an urge to pull her out of it...to break through the walls she kept around herself.

As we pulled up to the cliffside, I turned off the engine and let the silence envelop us, broken only by the gentle sound of waves crashing against the rocks below. I watched as she took in the view, her eyes widening with awe, reflecting the moonlight like shimmering emeralds.

“Wow,” she whispered, leaning forward to get a better look. The sight of the endless ocean stretching out under the starry sky seemed to captivate her. It was a breathtaking scene, but I couldn’t help but think that she was the most beautiful sight here.

“How did you find this place?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she didn’t want to disturb the serenity around us.

“Just one of my hidden spots,” I replied, keeping my tone casual, but there was something about sharing this place that felt significant.

She nodded, her eyes darting around, taking in the beauty of the night. She stepped closer to the edge, her silhouette framed by the stars. The cool breeze tousled her hair, and I could see her chest rise and fall as she filled her lungs with the crisp night air. The gentle crashing of the waves below seemed to echo her excitement, the rhythmic sound a perfect backdrop to our moment.

I took a breath, the fresh sea air filling my lungs, and stepped closer to her. The ocean stretched out infinitely, the moonlight shimmering across the water like diamonds scattered on velvet. There was a magic in the air, a sense of possibility that made my heart race.