~ALLISON’S POV~
Ash and I lay on the hood of his car, staring up at the streaks of orange and pink in the fading sky. The sunset was breathtaking, but my mind was elsewhere.
How long had we been out here? Too long, judging by the chill creeping into the air.
I sat up abruptly, breaking the moment. My phone was inside the car, and Ash looked far too wasted to drive us anywhere.
He groaned at the movement beside him. “Why are you getting up?” His voice was hoarse like he’d been yelling—or crying.
“It’s getting late,” I said, brushing the dust off my knees. “We need to get back. And we need to get that bruise looked at.” I gestured toward his knuckles, where an ugly mark was beginning to darken his skin.
“Just let it be,” Ash mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’
