Alethea

Asher leans in and whispers softly into my ear, “You are safe now.”

Sparks dance across my skin where he touches me, and tingles rush through my body, but inside, I feel numb.

My heart is pounding, my chest tight, yet it’s as if my emotions are locked behind a heavy door. Even with the rain pouring down around us, soaking my clothes and plastering my hair to my face, I feel... nothing.

Still, I feel the way Asher holds me—like I’m the most precious thing in the world. Like he’s afraid to let me go.

And for a second, I wonder, Can I trust him again? Or is...