𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 : 𝑨 𝑴𝒂𝒇𝒊𝒂 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆

{62}•ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ's ᴄᴜʀsᴇ•

The first thing I registered wasn’t the pain. It was her warmth.

My head throbbed like someone had shoved a hammer through it, my chest ached from the wound and the strain of pretending I was fine—but none of that mattered. Because when I opened my eyes, I saw her. Bondita.

My face was pressed against her chest, her soft heartbeat humming like a lullaby against my ear. The strands of her hair brushed my forehead as her fingers lay tangled in mine. My arm, weak but instinctive, was still wrapped around her waist—holding onto her like she was the only thing tethering me to this world.

I didn’t deserve her.

I knew that.

And yet… here she was. Holding me.

Letting me sleep like a child in the arms of the woman I hurt the most.

I tilted my head slightly, wincing at the sharp pain in my neck, but I had to see her.

Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted. Her face looked calm, but I could see the faint smudges of tears that dried sometime through the night. My throat tightened.

“My little girl…” I whispered, so soft that it could’ve been mistaken for a breath.

What spell had she cast on me? Even after everything… she stayed. Cleaned my wounds, fed me, held me like I was still hers.

And I… I didn’t stop her.
I couldn’t.

I brushed my nose gently against her collarbone, needing more of that scent—jasmine and something uniquely hers. She shifted slightly, murmuring something incoherent in her sleep, her arm pulling me closer.

I sighed. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

And somewhere in my chest, past the pain, the guilt, and the mess—I felt something flicker.

Hope.

My body felt cold. A strange, crawling chill that settled into my skin and bones, making it harder to breathe for a moment. I could feel everything—every throb of pain from my chest, the sting on my forehead, the tight pull of the bandages around my leg. But there was something else too.

Something softer… warmer.

Her.

Bondita’s naked chest pressed ever so lightly against mine under the blanket. Her skin brushed mine, her breath fanned across my throat. My jaw clenched as I gulped. The last thing I wanted was to disrespect this moment, but the sensations were overwhelming. The kind of closeness that felt both soothing and dangerous.

I needed the painkillers. Fast.

I inhaled deeply, forcing my hand to move slowly. I didn’t want to wake her. Not after she had finally fallen asleep, holding me like I was something worth keeping. I started shifting away, inch by inch from her arms, trying to reach the edge of the bed without disturbing her warmth.