All Chapters of Torin-Shattered: Way Down We Go (Part 1): Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

The bell above the diner’s door jingled, a touch of sunshine invading the heaviness of the morning as we entered.After sliding into a booth on opposite sides, Brian’s eyes scanned the menu with the intensity of a hawk eyeing its prey as his index finger tapped agitatedly on the table. After a few seconds, he placed the menu on the table with a little more force than necessary, and snapped, “The usual?” Slowly setting my own menu on to the table’s surface, I gazed at him, my eyebrow raised. “Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks,” I said, confused at the sudden frosty bite easing off him. Charlotte took our orders and left us in a bubble of silence. The clink of silverware against plates and the murmur of early morning chitchat filled the air as we waited for our food. The scent of sizzling bacon and pancakes wafted over, and my stomach rumbled, a reminder of the basic needs that demanded attention.As we sat, neither of us saying a word, the silence surrounded us, thick and uncomfortable. W

The rain outside drenched Austin beneath its downpour, and as we drove back to the station, the wipers swiped a rhythmic dance across the windshield. The silence between us was uncomfortable, the air charged with unspoken confessions and smoldering glances.A short time later,as we entered the fluorescent-lit corridors of the precinct, reality crashed down like a cold shower, extinguishing the embers of our illicit desires. The case consumed us once more, the dark green book from Malloy’s, a siren’s call leading us into the abyss.In the dim light of the office, surrounded by the silent sentinels of paperwork and cold coffee cups, I couldn’t help but feel like a moth to a flame. Every time I looked at Brian, the memory of his words and the heat of his touch made my stomach flip-flop like a fish out of water.“Wanna talk?” he asked, his voice a deep silky caress that made me want to confess everything.“No,” I lied, my eyes focused on the photo of the victim.Brian stepped closer, his b

Inside my house, the silence was deafening. The only sound was the rain pattering against the windows. The chaos of the break-in had been organized into neat piles by the forensics team, but it felt like a bomb had gone off in my soul.Mr. Whiskey mewed, his eyes wide. He knew something wasn’t right, and his presence was the only thing keeping me from crumbling. I walked to the kitchen, my feet feeling heavy as lead, and began the task of making coffee.The phone rang, a shrill intrusion into the quiet. It was Gus, the bartender from The Pain Reliever."I got somethin' for ya," he slurred. "Kravitz has a place in the docks."The information was a lifeline in the sea of doubt that was my life. "We'll check it out," I murmured, scribbling the address on a pad.~~The docks were a maze of metal and shadow. The rain had stopped, but the fog remained, a cloak of secrecy over the grimy buildings. As we approached the warehouse with caution, our steps echoed in the silence.Brian looked at me

My body begged for every stroke of his hands, of his lips, and I responded to his touch with hardening nipples that became torrid peaks.Brian's own breathing grew heavy, his body shuddering as he groaned, "God, I need you.”His touch was like a tempest, fierce and unrelenting, yet it brought a warmth to my body that I hadn’t felt in a long time. His hands moved over me with a tenderness that belied his tough exterior, a gentle storm that soothed my soul as much as it excited my flesh.My fingers traced the contours of his muscular back, feeling the warmth of his skin, the power beneath it, the beating of his heart, a rhythm that matched the tempo of my own. Our breaths mingled, a sweet symphony of passion that filled the room, drowning out the distant cries of the city outside.Our kisses grew deeper, more urgent. His arms cradled me, lifting me against him as his hand slid up my thigh, his touch a brand that seared through me. I gasped, my nails digging into his back as he whispered,

I collapsed onto the bed, my heart in shambles. I’d given him everything, and he’d thrown it back in my face. I’d been so stupid to think that he could ever feel the same way I did.The silence of the room was deafening, and I couldn’t help but feel like I’d lost something irreplaceable. The man who had made me feel alive, was now the one who made me feel like a fool.The door to my house slammed shut and I heard the roar as his truck started up.Briannnnnn, my heart screamed his name in despair, but the coldness in his eyes still echoed through my mind. He had become Brian, a moniker that felt like a slap across the face. A man who could reduce me to ash with a single look.I lay there, feeling the warmth of his touch fade from my body, leaving me chilled and trembling. The taste of him lingered on my lips, a cruel reminder of what I had lost. I had been so naive to think that one night could change him, could make him feel something for me. But now, as the sun peeked through the curt