Chapter 14: Under the Storm
John stepped inside the door, his neck flushed, and his jaw clenched. Dawn followed, her steps light as she hesitated in the threshold, watching him pace through the space. "What was that all about?" she asked softly, concern barely masking her curiosity.
John waved a hand dismissively, but his voice betrayed the tension simmering under his calm exterior. "It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it."
Dawn arched an eyebrow, not convinced. "You sure?"
Great, now I’m trying to brush it off like it’s nothing, John thought, guilt twisting in his chest. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Just... family stuff." His tone softened, a fleeting vulnerability showing.
"I’ll be okay," he muttered.
As if on cue, Jayne’s phone rang, cutting the moment short. Her face softened when she saw the name. "Sorry, I gotta take this," she said, stepping to the side. "It's my nanny, the boys want to say goodnight."
He nodded, understanding. "Of course, take your time."
When Jayne finished the call, she turned back, smiling faintly. "I need to go. Nice meeting you, Dawn." She looked at John, her expression shifting to something more serious. "Find out what you can."
John gave her a nod. "I will."
As she left, John called over the security officer stationed at the entrance. His voice was firm, giving instructions. "My mother is not to be allowed back on the property without me. Understood?"
The security officer nodded and left to carry out the order.
John turned back to Dawn, offering an apologetic smile. "Sorry about my mom. That’s just how she is."
She smiled back, a little more at ease now. "It’s okay. Don’t worry about it."
He took a deep breath, rubbing his face. "You ready to go?" he asked, trying to steer his mind away from the constant mental battle.
Dawn nodded, following him out. "I think so."
"But I should probably change first," he added. "Let’s stop by Jayne’s."
Outside, the rain began to patter, light at first but quickly picking up intensity. The rhythm of the rain, the steady sound of it against the car, somehow grounded him.
They reached Jayne’s house, and John walked in with her, introducing Dawn to the two boys. Nathan and Nolan immediately bombarded Dawn with questions, their eyes wide and innocent, eager to learn about the new person in their lives.
Nathan, the more reserved of the two, tilted his head. "What’s your favorite color?"
Dawn smiled warmly. "Hmm... I think I’d say blue. What about you?"
Nathan grinned. "Blue too! High five!" He held up his hand eagerly.
Dawn laughed, accepting the high five. "Good choice!"
Nolan, always the more energetic one, jumped in with his own question. "Do you like superheroes?"
Dawn chuckled. "Of course! Who’s your favorite?"
Nolan’s eyes lit up. "Spiderman! He can climb walls!" He demonstrated by running in circles, pretending to scale invisible walls.
John watched with a soft smile, his mind still buzzing. He excused himself to go get ready, and Dawn wandered through the house, glancing at family photos hanging on the walls. The images spoke of a life full of love, and a quiet warmth seemed to emanate from them.
As she studied the photos, Jayne appeared at her side, her voice low but steady. "This is the first house I bought after... well, after everything." There was a brief, loaded pause before she continued, "We didn’t always have it easy, but we managed."
Dawn nodded, sensing the weight in her words. "I can see that. It’s a beautiful home."
Jayne gave a slight nod, her eyes distant. "I hope he knows that."
The sound of the boys' laughter interrupted the moment, and Jayne went off to tend to them. Dawn glanced around the room again, suddenly aware of the faint echo of footsteps behind her.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
One of the boys had insisted on bringing his stuffed animal to bed, and Dawn offered to fetch it from John’s room.
She made her way upstairs, feeling the rising wind outside, the rain intensifying, now a steady downpour. She reached the door, knocked gently, but when no answer came, she pushed the door open slightly. "John?" she called out.
No response.
She stepped in and peeked around. She could hear the faint hum of music playing, the soft tones of Sleep Token’s "Alkaline" filling the space. She stood for a moment, listening to the steady beat, before calling out again, "John?"
"I’ll be out in a minute," came his voice from behind the bathroom door.
She smiled, leaning against the doorframe, as the chorus of the song swelled—a beautiful, slow melody. The music seemed to reverberate through her, making her body hum in response. "I like this song," she called, loud enough for him to hear.
His voice came from behind the door, "Can’t hear you."
She chuckled. "I said, I like it."
John stepped out of the shower, steam swirling around him as the sound of the water shutting off filled the silence. Dawn stood in the doorway, her eyes tracing his every movement. When he turned the corner, buttoning his pants and pulling a damp shirt over his head, the energy in the room shifted—an undeniable pull between them. Their gazes met, holding for a beat too long. It wasn’t just the intensity of the moment; it was something deeper, something that buzzed beneath their skin, electric and full of promise.
The music played on, a slow, haunting melody filling the space. The tension was palpable, thick with unspoken words. They began to close the distance, drawn to each other by something more than just attraction.
Dawn’s breath caught as John’s hand lifted, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch was gentle, but there was an urgency in it—an intensity that set her pulse racing. His fingers lingered at her jaw, and as his thumb traced the line of her cheek, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them.
He cupped her face in his hands, bringing her closer. The moment hung suspended, the space between them disappearing as his lips finally met hers. The kiss was slow at first—tentative, as if they were both still learning the rhythm of each other’s desire. But the longer it lingered, the more it grew, deepening with a hunger neither of them had expected.
The tension in the air seemed to amplify with every second, a charged silence building around them. Then, the sky outside rumbled, the thunder cracking through the silence, as though the heavens themselves were reacting to the pull between them.
John pulled her closer, one hand pressing gently against the side of her neck, feeling the rapid pulse beneath her skin. He kissed her deeper, pushing her back against the bookshelf with a quiet urgency. Dawn’s purse fell from her grasp, the sound muffled by the storm outside. She couldn’t help but give in to the pull, dropping the plushie into the hallway without breaking the kiss. The door clicked shut behind them, and it was as if the world had stopped, leaving only them in their shared moment.
He kissed her along her jaw, his lips trailing a heated path down to her collarbone, where his mouth lingered for a moment longer than necessary. She gasped as his hand moved to her thigh, lifting her leg onto his own, his grip firm as he kissed her again, his body aligning with hers.
His touch was careful yet insistent, asking, taking, yet always waiting for her approval. Dawn reached for his waistband, unbuttoning it with a trembling hand, her breath quickening as she felt his pulse match hers. She searched his eyes, and for a heartbeat, they locked—her silent permission spoken without words.
Without breaking the connection, she pulled his shirt off, and he leaned in, kissing her again, deeper now, as their hands moved in tandem, drawing each other closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and in one fluid motion, he lifted her, carrying her across the room, her legs wrapped around his waist.
They reached the bed, and he lowered her gently onto it, the weight of their bodies a quiet but undeniable promise. The song, The Summoning, began to play as they settled into the moment. Dawn’s hands moved with purpose, removing her shirt and then her skirt, her body exposed in a way that felt as natural as breathing. She slid his pants down, just enough to free him, before they both lost themselves to the heat of the moment.
The intensity of the connection between them was raw, but it wasn’t just about the physicality. It was something deeper, a meeting of souls, of shared energy that began to unlock the power between them. As they moved together, it was as though they were made for this, for each other. Every touch, every movement, every kiss, seemed to pull something more out of them—a bond that neither had anticipated but both craved.
They slowed, allowing the moment to stretch out, savoring each other in a way that was tender, almost reverential. She ran her fingers over his arms, tracing the lines of his muscles, feeling every shift of his body. His hands caressed her thighs, holding her with a tenderness that made her heart ache.
The rhythm of their bodies matched, seamless and fluid, as if they were two halves of a whole. The connection between them deepened, becoming more than just physical. They moved together in perfect harmony, like they had always been meant to be this way.
Dawn flipped them over, taking control, her movements fluid and graceful as she rode him with a steady, confident rhythm. Every thrust brought them closer, their bodies speaking in ways words could not. John’s hands gripped her hips, guiding her as they both reached for the same release, their bodies in perfect sync, a slow crescendo building between them.
They both breathed heavily, the world outside fading away as they finished together, their hearts still pounding in time with each other’s. For a moment, they lay there, tangled in each other, unsure of what just happened, but knowing it had shifted something between them.
The knock at the door startled them both, pulling them back into reality. Jayne’s voice, muffled but clear, echoed through the room. "Hey, you two! You’re gonna be late if you don’t get going!"
John groaned, glancing at the time, and cursed softly. "Oh, fuck, she’s right," he said with a sheepish smile. Dawn chuckled, still trying to catch her breath.
They quickly shared a shower, the water washing away the remnants of the storm, both outside and within. And as they dressed, they couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something had changed, something had been unlocked between them, and the storm had only just begun.