It had been a month since that night at the club, and everything had fallen back into place.
Life felt like it was finally on track. Isaac and I were officially a thing, and things were going... well, almost too perfectly. Customers were tipping generously, I got a raise, and the usual dark weight in my chest felt a little lighter.
I couldn't shake the feeling that something was waiting to break the calm, but for now, everything was too perfect to question.
"Hey, babe," Isaac's voice broke through my thoughts, his figure standing in the doorway as I stepped out.
I turned toward him with a smile, my lips meeting his in a kiss that pulled me in, demanding more than the usual greeting.
The taste of him was addicting, and for a moment, I forgot everything but him. The kiss lingered longer than it should have, but it didn't matter.
"Where are we going?" I asked, breathless, pulling away just enough to speak.
"You'll see," he murmured, that familiar mischievous smile curling his lips.
He dragged me along, his hand tight around mine, and I followed without question, curiosity gnawing at me.
We walked for what felt like forever, the woods growing darker and quieter the deeper we went.
I couldn't help the unease stirring in my chest.
"You're not kidnapping me, are you?" I asked, the joke forced.
"Who knows?" he answered, voice low, his eyes glinting in a way that made me shiver. I couldn't tell if he was joking.
Finally, we stopped.
A secluded spot, hidden away from the world. A small garden full of vibrant flowers, butterflies floating lazily around them. By the side, a tiny lake shimmered under the dim light, a little bridge arching over it.
It was beautiful, but there was something off about it, something dark beneath the surface that tugged at me.
"You like it?" he asked, voice soft yet with a strange edge to it.
"Of course," I answered, my smile almost automatic as I stepped toward the garden.
How had he found this place?
"When I was little, my dad used to bring me here," he said, his voice carrying a weight to it, one I couldn't quite place. "I got so used to it, I started coming alone."
It felt like an old, secret place to him—something far too personal.
But I didn't say anything, letting the beauty of the scene take over. I sank to the grass, letting the quiet of the place surround me, and Isaac sat beside me.
Then, without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, half-heart shaped necklace.
"For you," he said, his voice barely a whisper.
Isaac. The necklace was exquisite, delicate yet heavy with meaning.
"Isaac, it's beautiful." I smiled at him, but the words felt too light for the moment. As I shifted my hair aside, he fastened it around my neck.
When he was done, I couldn't help but glance down at the necklace, feeling the weight of it settle against my skin. "Wait… where's the other half?" I asked, an uneasy curiosity creeping into my voice.
He smiled, shifting his jacket to reveal the matching piece hanging from his own neck.
I hadn't even noticed it before, but now it was there, close to his skin, as if it had always been meant to be.
"That way, you'll always have a piece of my heart," he said, and his words—his voice—sent a chill down my spine.
"I love you," I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. It felt like too much. Too fast.
"I love you too," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, but there was something almost… possessive in his touch, in the way his fingers traced the necklace at my throat.
"Skai," he said, voice suddenly sharp, pulling me back to him. "Promise me you'll always be mine."
I tilted my head back to look at him, something dark in his eyes.
It wasn't a request. It was an order.
"I promise," I said, the words slipping out without hesitation, though the unease hadn't left my chest.
"No one will ever take me away from you."
His grip tightened on me, and I felt the weight of his words more than I should have.
As the evening shadows deepened around us, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was trapped in something I didn't fully understand.