He wasn’t sure why he was telling her any of this. It wasn’t like him to open up, especially not to someone he barely knew. But there was something about the way she was looking at him that made it easier to talk, easier to let some of the walls down. She wasn’t pitying him. She wasn’t judging him. She was just…listening.
“My dad,” Billy muttered, his hands curling into fists on the table. “He thought we’d be better off here. Away from all the ‘distractions.’” The bitterness in his voice was palpable.
“Maybe I just needed a break,” she said, her voice quieter now. “From people. From expectations. You ever feel like you’re suffocating, no matter where you go?”
Content Set to Go Live: Sep 25, 2024 on Ao3
As the day winds down at the pool, Billy finds himself drawn to a mysterious woman whose calm, steady presence begins to unravel his carefully maintained walls. Their conversation teeters between casual and deeply personal, but Billy can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something beneath the surface.
Chapter Preview:
“Anyway,” he said, forcing a smile that felt wrong on his face. “That’s my sob story.” She didn’t smile back, didn’t brush off his words like they were some joke. Instead, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her eyes never leaving his. “That’s not a sob story,” she said quietly, her voice steady. “That’s life.” Billy felt something tighten in his chest at her words. She wasn’t pitying him. She wasn’t judging him. She was just...there. Listening. And somehow, that made it worse and better at the same time. “Yeah, well,” he muttered, looking away, “it’s my life.”
Ready to Dive In?
As Billy's tough exterior begins to crack, will he discover the truth behind the woman who's managed to intrigue him—or is he the one being played?
$0.99