PHOENIX

21| WE MISS YOU

Jackson woke up the next morning, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains of Melissa’s hotel room. He lay still for a moment, feeling the warmth of Melissa’s body curled up next to him, her rhythmic breathing a gentle reminder of the previous night’s intimacy. But as the initial haze of sleep faded, a gnawing sense of regret began to settle in his chest.

He carefully disentangled himself from Melissa's embrace, moving quietly to avoid waking her. Standing by the window, he looked out at the city below, his mind a chaotic whirl of thoughts and emotions. Yes, he had missed her—missed the electric connection they shared, missed the way her body felt against his. But as the memories of the previous night replayed in his mind, he couldn’t escape the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake.

The danger, the risks—they were all too real. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't afford to let his guard down again. Melissa had warned him about her father, about the peril they faced. He couldn't ignore that. He couldn’t forget that he had almost lost his life because of her and the tangled web of her family’s secrets.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he quickly grabbed it, stepping into the bathroom to avoid waking Melissa. It was a message from Sue: "Ethan's asking when you're coming home. We miss you."

Jackson’s heart ached at the thought of his younger brother. He had a responsibility to his family, a duty to protect them and to be there for them. He couldn't let his feelings for Melissa—complicated, dangerous, and intense as they were—jeopardize that.

He glanced at himself in the bathroom mirror, his reflection looking back with a mix of determination and regret. He couldn’t fall in love with Melissa again, not after everything that had happened. She had betrayed him once, shattered his trust. He couldn’t let that happen again.

Taking a deep breath, he splashed some water on his face and got dressed quietly. When he stepped out of the bathroom, Melissa was still asleep, her face serene and peaceful. He hesitated for a moment, a pang of longing piercing through his resolve. But he forced himself to turn away, to walk towards the door with a quiet determination.

As he left the hotel room, his steps felt heavier with each stride. The elevator ride down felt interminable, and by the time he reached the lobby, his mind was made up. He had to stay away from Melissa. For his sake, for his family’s sake, he had to put distance between them.

Back in his car, Jackson drove in silence, his thoughts a tumultuous storm. He replayed the events of the past weeks, the danger they had faced, the passion they had shared, and the looming threat of Melissa's father. As much as he cared for her, he knew he couldn’t let himself be drawn back into that world.

When he arrived back at his apartment, Sue and Ethan were waiting for him. Ethan ran up to him, his face lighting up with a big smile. "Jackson! You’re home!"

Jackson scooped his younger brother into a hug, the familiar comfort of his family grounding him. "Hey, buddy. I missed you."

Sue gave him a questioning look, her eyes scanning his face for answers. "You okay, Jackson? You seem... different."

He nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "I’m fine, Sue. Just had a lot on my mind."

As they settled into their evening routine, Jackson felt a sense of clarity beginning to form. He needed to protect his family, to focus on the things that truly mattered. And that meant staying away from Melissa, no matter how much it hurt.

Jackson woke up the next morning, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains of Melissa’s hotel room. He lay still for a moment, feeling the warmth of Melissa’s body curled up next to him, her rhythmic breathing a gentle reminder of the previous night’s intimacy. But as the initial haze of sleep faded, a gnawing sense of regret began to settle in his chest.

He carefully disentangled himself from Melissa's embrace, moving quietly to avoid waking her. Standing by the window, he looked out at the city below, his mind a chaotic whirl of thoughts and emotions. Yes, he had missed her—missed the electric connection they shared, missed the way her body felt against his. But as the memories of the previous night replayed in his mind, he couldn’t escape the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake.

The danger, the risks—they were all too real. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't afford to let his guard down again. Melissa had warned him about her father, about the peril they faced. He couldn't ignore that. He couldn’t forget that he had almost lost his life because of her and the tangled web of her family’s secrets.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he quickly grabbed it, stepping into the bathroom to avoid waking Melissa. It was a message from Sue: "Ethan's asking when you're coming home. We miss you."

Jackson’s heart ached at the thought of his younger brother. He had a responsibility to his family, a duty to protect them and to be there for them. He couldn't let his feelings for Melissa—complicated, dangerous, and intense as they were—jeopardize that.

He glanced at himself in the bathroom mirror, his reflection looking back with a mix of determination and regret. He couldn’t fall in love with Melissa again, not after everything that had happened. She had betrayed him once, shattered his trust. He couldn’t let that happen again.

Taking a deep breath, he splashed some water on his face and got dressed quietly. When he stepped out of the bathroom, Melissa was still asleep, her face serene and peaceful. He hesitated for a moment, a pang of longing piercing through his resolve. But he forced himself to turn away, to walk towards the door with a quiet determination.

As he left the hotel room, his steps felt heavier with each stride. The elevator ride down felt interminable, and by the time he reached the lobby, his mind was made up. He had to stay away from Melissa. For his sake, for his family’s sake, he had to put distance between them.

Back in his car, Jackson drove in silence, his thoughts a tumultuous storm. He replayed the events of the past weeks, the danger they had faced, the passion they had shared, and the looming threat of Melissa's father. As much as he cared for her, he knew he couldn’t let himself be drawn back into that world.

When he arrived back at his apartment, Sue and Ethan were waiting for him. Ethan ran up to him, his face lighting up with a big smile. "Jackson! You’re home!"

Jackson scooped his younger brother into a hug, the familiar comfort of his family grounding him. "Hey, buddy. I missed you."

Sue gave him a questioning look, her eyes scanning his face for answers. "You okay, Jackson? You seem... different."

He nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "I’m fine, Sue. Just had a lot on my mind."

As they settled into their evening routine, Jackson felt a sense of clarity beginning to form. He needed to protect his family, to focus on the things that truly mattered. And that meant staying away from Melissa, no matter how much it hurt.

Jackson woke up the next morning, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains of Melissa’s hotel room. He lay still for a moment, feeling the warmth of Melissa’s body curled up next to him, her rhythmic breathing a gentle reminder of the previous night’s intimacy. But as the initial haze of sleep faded, a gnawing sense of regret began to settle in his chest.

He carefully disentangled himself from Melissa's embrace, moving quietly to avoid waking her. Standing by the window, he looked out at the city below, his mind a chaotic whirl of thoughts and emotions. Yes, he had missed her—missed the electric connection they shared, missed the way her body felt against his. But as the memories of the previous night replayed in his mind, he couldn’t escape the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake.

The danger, the risks—they were all too real. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't afford to let his guard down again. Melissa had warned him about her father, about the peril they faced. He couldn't ignore that. He couldn’t forget that he had almost lost his life because of her and the tangled web of her family’s secrets.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he quickly grabbed it, stepping into the bathroom to avoid waking Melissa. It was a message from Sue: "Ethan's asking when you're coming home. We miss you."

Jackson’s heart ached at the thought of his younger brother. He had a responsibility to his family, a duty to protect them and to be there for them. He couldn't let his feelings for Melissa—complicated, dangerous, and intense as they were—jeopardize that.

He glanced at himself in the bathroom mirror, his reflection looking back with a mix of determination and regret. He couldn’t fall in love with Melissa again, not after everything that had happened. She had betrayed him once, shattered his trust. He couldn’t let that happen again.

Taking a deep breath, he splashed some water on his face and got dressed quietly. When he stepped out of the bathroom, Melissa was still asleep, her face serene and peaceful. He hesitated for a moment, a pang of longing piercing through his resolve. But he forced himself to turn away, to walk towards the door with a quiet determination.

As he left the hotel room, his steps felt heavier with each stride. The elevator ride down felt interminable, and by the time he reached the lobby, his mind was made up. He had to stay away from Melissa. For his sake, for his family’s sake, he had to put distance between them.

Back in his car, Jackson drove in silence, his thoughts a tumultuous storm. He replayed the events of the past weeks, the danger they had faced, the passion they had shared, and the looming threat of Melissa's father. As much as he cared for her, he knew he couldn’t let himself be drawn back into that world.

When he arrived back at his apartment, Sue and Ethan were waiting for him. Ethan ran up to him, his face lighting up with a big smile. "Jackson! You’re home!"

Jackson scooped his younger brother into a hug, the familiar comfort of his family grounding him. "Hey, buddy. I missed you."

Sue gave him a questioning look, her eyes scanning his face for answers. "You okay, Jackson? You seem... different."

He nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "I’m fine, Sue. Just had a lot on my mind."

As they settled into their evening routine, Jackson felt a sense of clarity beginning to form. He needed to protect his family, to focus on the things that truly mattered. And that meant staying away from Melissa, no matter how much it hurt.

Jackson woke up the next morning, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains of Melissa’s hotel room. He lay still for a moment, feeling the warmth of Melissa’s body curled up next to him, her rhythmic breathing a gentle reminder of the previous night’s intimacy. But as the initial haze of sleep faded, a gnawing sense of regret began to settle in his chest.

He carefully disentangled himself from Melissa's embrace, moving quietly to avoid waking her. Standing by the window, he looked out at the city below, his mind a chaotic whirl of thoughts and emotions. Yes, he had missed her—missed the electric connection they shared, missed the way her body felt against his. But as the memories of the previous night replayed in his mind, he couldn’t escape the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake.

The danger, the risks—they were all too real. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't afford to let his guard down again. Melissa had warned him about her father, about the peril they faced. He couldn't ignore that. He couldn’t forget that he had almost lost his life because of her and the tangled web of her family’s secrets.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he quickly grabbed it, stepping into the bathroom to avoid waking Melissa. It was a message from Sue: "Ethan's asking when you're coming home. We miss you."

Jackson’s heart ached at the thought of his younger brother. He had a responsibility to his family, a duty to protect them and to be there for them. He couldn't let his feelings for Melissa—complicated, dangerous, and intense as they were—jeopardize that.

He glanced at himself in the bathroom mirror, his reflection looking back with a mix of determination and regret. He couldn’t fall in love with Melissa again, not after everything that had happened. She had betrayed him once, shattered his trust. He couldn’t let that happen again.

Taking a deep breath, he splashed some water on his face and got dressed quietly. When he stepped out of the bathroom, Melissa was still asleep, her face serene and peaceful. He hesitated for a moment, a pang of longing piercing through his resolve. But he forced himself to turn away, to walk towards the door with a quiet determination.

As he left the hotel room, his steps felt heavier with each stride. The elevator ride down felt interminable, and by the time he reached the lobby, his mind was made up. He had to stay away from Melissa. For his sake, for his family’s sake, he had to put distance between them.