Chapter 39:
Ashes of Control
Andrew’s POV
The silence between us had evolved, grown into a third presence, loud, heavy, always lingering. It stalked the halls, curled between our sheets, and clung to my skin like a second shadow which I never needed.
Mary wouldn’t meet my eyes anymore. And I, goddamn it, I didn’t know how to look at her without wanting to rip the world apart for making her cry, making her constantly fearing the unprecedented.
But I still kept my distance. I had to for her safety. Or so I thought.
Control. Power. Precision. These were the things that kept me alive. Love… love was a noose, and the more I let her in, the tighter it got.
I stood at the edge of the indoor shooting range, squeezing the trigger until my palms stung. Each bullet tore through the silhou
