The Devil's Bride (Book 1)

Chapter 14- Footsteps of a Stranger

PETER

He smiled as he walked into my room from the bathroom, his warm smile greeting me as he leaned against the door frame and rested his arm on the chest of drawers beside him. He had taken his grey button up from his chest, revealing his built figure. Something about him being here, something made me feel tense. I can't tell if what I'm doing right now is right, because I still miss... I still miss him. I still miss Jasper. Every time I think about moving on, his voice fills my ears, and I think about how I'm...violating him, in some way. I can't help but think that we're still together after all this time, that he's alive and he wants to be with me. I might still want to be with him. I do still want him.

Luke stepped closer towards me, pressing his hands around my waist. At the start of today, I didn't imagine this would be happening. At the start of the day, when Reyna invited him over, I didn't see anything happening, but I was wrong. He was readying me for tonight, that's for sure. His soft touch reminded me of this morning, the tender grip of his fingers against my skin. I don't know what to feel anymore. He presses his soft lips against mine, lacing his hand behind my back.

This is the first time since...since Jasper. I couldn't move on; I couldn't let myself forget about him. He was my everything once, and when I lost him, I didn't know if I'd ever move on without him by my side. Now, with Luke, I can hope for some closure, or something. I just want to be happy, that's all. I want to forget the pain I felt when I lost Jasper. Luke presses his chest against mine and dips closer to my lips, slipping his tongue into my mouth. My head rests on the pillow as he moves over my body, pressing his groin onto mine. My eyes focus away from him, towards the window, when I spot him.

Jasper. Staring towards me from the outside, looking in.

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The empty desolate streets surrounded me. I had seen him; I couldn't have been seeing things. I pushed it into the back of my mind so I wouldn't ruin the night, and ruin the chances of...moving on, but I saw Jasper. I saw him alive, and I can't deny it, because he's been texting me. Jasper must be alive, even if it hurts to think I let him go before I could see him again. I moved on too late.

Street lights flicker as I walk the lonely paths, searching for someone, anyone, who could have seen him. My feet hit the pavement, and I'm filled with the same feelings I felt the day I lost him, the day I searched the same streets and the same town, looking for him once more. I need to stop losing him. These empty places only keep me from remembering the happiness I felt with Jasper, because whenever I thought I was happy, I now know it was nothing but a distant memory leaping into the foreboding fire. The days I thought we would be together forever were the days I wish to forget, because I know I was wrong. Wrong all along to believe that love is meant to be forever. In our day and age, nobody remembers true love. I wanted to believe I did, but Jasper and I were a curse together, because I broke a relationship apart. I have no doubts she would have kidnapped him.

I found myself in the closest park, the wind tangling around me. The darkness caved in and the world around me seemed cruel and miserable, and I was alone. In this world of mystery, danger, and loss, I was searching for my past like a moth drawn to the flame, as if finding Jasper alive would make me feel any better. I guess I wanted closure from him. I wanted to move on, but at the same time, I loved him still. If he was alive, we could fall back in love and I could forget about moving on. After all, I was moving on to forget him, but now there was no need to. Jasper was alive. My love for him will relight the flame of desire and now I couldn't wait to find him. The sound of muffled sobs woke me from my trance as I moved closer towards the edge of the lake. It was him.

"Jasper...it's me." He froze, turning his head ever so slightly. Our eyes tangled in a sea of regret, and I knew why he was crying. Moving further with Luke was a mistake. I knelt down beside him, pressing my palm onto his back. He flinched, but proceeded to rest his head on my shoulder, hesitantly still. "I've missed you." I spoke, but he pressed a finger to my lips to tell me to keep quiet. He pressed his head further on my shoulder, his dark brown hair nuzzling my skin. Being with him here, I knew even if I know I lost him, we could change.