Not Quite By The Book Novels & Stories

This is not going to go down well. ------------------

I said coldly to the system, "that there would be no danger to my life. So what, am I just supposed to sit here and take whatever happens next?" The men had already started stripping away my clothes. The feel of their coarse hands grazing against my skin made me gag in disgust. My vision began to blur, and my thoughts scattered, slipping away like sand through my fingers. In its place came a strange, oppressive heat that clouded my senses. The system answered in a trembling voice, "Yes, I did promise your safety. But I didn't expect this supporting character to go so far…" "Then how the hell am I considered safe now?" I asked.

It was just that she couldn't find a bookmark earlier, and grabbing around. "No... no, it's not like that." She stammered an explanation, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. "It's because... because this book is too thick, and I couldn't find a bookmark, and it just happened... happened that this card is quite stiff..." The more she explained, the messier it got, practically digging herself a deeper hole. William chuckled softly, a low, pleased sound resonating in his chest. He didn't continue to tease her. Instead, he slipped the card back into the book, but the position had changed—it was now marking the most brilliant page of her notes.

He felt inside it. He glanced at Lisa—her cheeks flushed, eyes softened, hair catching the light—and felt something fierce rise in him, something that didn’t belong in stories about survival but in those rare ones about contentment earned the hard way. “You know,” he said, “this might sound… boring.” “What?” “Us. Here. This.” Lisa tilted her head. “Boring? Why?” “Because nothing’s on fire.” She laughed. “We’ve had enough fire for a lifetime.” He nodded. “Exactly. I like quiet.”

The part that still believed we weren’t done. ••••••••• We're nearing the end of this book 🥺

“I thought this was a ritual or something, Zane! Now we’re after a book?” Zane shrugged, looking back. “I don’t know these things by heart. We better hope it’s in the book.” “What book?!” Callum and I snapped. Zane pursed his lips, “I know what it looks like, just not the name.” I felt us both droop. This guy…is useless.

Not by a long shot. ---