Fated To Save You- By: Tina Marie

Chapter 98 - The Heart's Confusion

Last Updated on 2024-10-10 23:18:39

The night was silent, save for the soft hum of the city outside. Riley pulled up to Stormi’s apartment, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. He glanced at her slumped form in the passenger seat, her face flushed from the alcohol and her eyes half-lidded, lost in some dream or memory that was far from peaceful. She had been a wreck tonight, and it broke his heart to see her like this.

Sighing, Riley got out of the car and moved to her side, gently lifting her into his arms. She murmured incoherently, her head lolling against his chest as he carried her inside. The door code was familiar to him—he and Wren had been over to Stormi’s place more times than he could count. Tonight, though, everything felt different. The place was eerily quiet, the usual warmth replaced by a cold emptiness that seeped into his bones.

Riley carried Stormi to her bedroom, laying her carefully on the bed. He was about to step back when she suddenly stirred, her arms snaking around his neck, holding him close.

“Don’t go,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Please… don’t leave me.”

Riley’s heart twisted in his chest. He could see the pain in her eyes, even through the haze of alcohol. She wasn’t talking to him—she was talking to someone else, someone she missed so desperately it hurt to watch. “Stormi,” he began, trying to gently pry her arms away, but she tightened her grip, pulling him closer.

“Why?” she mumbled, her voice breaking. “Why did you leave me? I love you.”

Riley froze, his breath catching in his throat. For a moment, the world seemed to stop, and all he could hear was the sound of her ragged breathing and the pounding of his own heart. What should I do? he thought, torn between the overwhelming urge to comfort her and the knowledge that she wasn’t really seeing him. She was seeing Rex.

Suddenly, Stormi’s eyes fluttered open, and for a fleeting moment, Riley thought she might actually see him for who he was. But then she smiled, that soft, heart-wrenching smile that had always made his knees weak, and whispered, “You’re here. I’ve missed you.”

Before he could react, Stormi pulled him down and kissed him. Her lips were warm and soft, filled with a longing that took his breath away. Riley’s mind went blank as a surge of emotions flooded through him—joy, confusion, despair. He’d dreamed of this moment for so long, but not like this. Not when she thought he was someone else.

She kissed me… she actually kissed me, he thought, his heart soaring for a brief, irrational moment. But reality crashed back in like a tidal wave. No…no, I have to think clearly. She thinks I’m Rex. I can’t be someone else’s substitute.

His happiness shattered as quickly as it had come. Gently, he pulled back, his eyes searching hers for any sign of recognition. “Stormi,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “It’s Riley, not Rex.”

She frowned, confusion clouding her gaze. “Rex… it’s you.”

Riley’s heart ached at the sight of her, so lost in her pain that she couldn’t see what was right in front of her. “No, Stormi, it’s Riley,” he repeated softly. “Rex is still in the hospital.”

Her expression faltered, the confusion giving way to a deep sadness. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over as she finally succumbed to the exhaustion. She mumbled something incoherent as she drifted back into sleep, her arms loosening their grip on his neck.

Riley gently disentangled himself from her hold, his heart heavy with sorrow. He stood there for a moment, watching her as she slept, her face still wet with tears. He wanted so badly to be the one she needed, the one she turned to in her darkest moments. But tonight had only made it painfully clear that her heart belonged to someone else.

Sighing, Riley bent down and removed her shoes, then pulled the blanket over her. He walked to the bathroom and dampened a washcloth, returning to wipe away the remnants of her tears. His touch was tender, as if afraid he might break her even more.

“What am I going to do with you?” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the quiet hum of the apartment.

Riley lingered for a moment longer, his gaze lingering on her peaceful face, and then forced himself to leave. He made sure the door was locked behind him before stepping out into the cool night air. The world outside felt vast and empty, mirroring the hollow ache in his chest. As he walked away from Stormi’s apartment, Riley knew that the hardest part wasn’t leaving her tonight—it was knowing that he might never have her the way he wanted. Not as long as her heart still belonged to Rex.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, Stormi," he whispered, hoping that someday, they would both find the peace they were both searching for.

« Previous: Chapter 97 Next: Chapter 99 »

Dramazen

Fated To Save You- By: Tina Marie

Chapter 98 - The Heart's Confusion

Other Chapters

Characters