Chapter 38
The Weight of Promises
The days stretched out like a slow dance, both comforting and unfamiliar. For so long, Marissa had lived her life in constant motion, always bracing herself for the next storm, the next betrayal, the next hurt. But now, with Mason, everything felt like still water deep and unbroken.
She woke to the sound of birds chirping outside the window, a gentle breeze slipping through the cracks of the cabin. Mason was still asleep beside her, his breath even and steady. It was in these moments, when the world was still wrapped in sleep, that she allowed herself to think about the future.
A future with him.
But then her thoughts would twist. What did that even mean? Could she really hold on to something this fragile, this perfect? Was she worthy of the kind of love that Mason gave so freely?
The questions gnawed at her as she watched him sleep, his face relaxed in a way she hadn't seen before. He looked so... peaceful. So different from the person she had met months ago. Back then, he had been guarded, always careful, always weighing every word before he spoke.
But now, he was raw. Real. Vulnerable. And it made her heart swell with something both beautiful and terrifying.
She couldn't help but wonder how long it would last. Could she protect this? Could she keep him in this place, where the world outside felt so distant, so irrelevant? Would they ever truly be free of the past?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Mason stirred beside her. He reached for her instinctively, pulling her close as his eyes fluttered open. A soft smile curled on his lips as he looked at her.
"Good morning," he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep.
Marissa smiled back, but it was tinged with something she couldn't shake. "Morning."
He frowned, sensing the shift in her mood. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head, trying to mask the weight of her thoughts. "Nothing, just... thinking."
Mason raised an eyebrow, his fingers tracing the outline of her jaw with a tenderness that sent shivers down her spine. "You've got that look again. The one where you're carrying the weight of the world."
Marissa swallowed, her heart beating faster. "I'm just trying to figure out... what comes next."
He didn't ask her to elaborate, didn't press her for details. Instead, he sat up, pulling her into his lap so that she was facing him. "I don't know what comes next either," he said, his hands resting on her waist. "But I know one thing for sure. I'm not going anywhere."
His words were simple, but they hit her like a wave. How many times had she heard promises that were broken? How many times had she been told things that didn't hold any weight when the world started to fall apart?
But with Mason, it was different. She could feel the truth in his touch, in the way his hands never wavered from her skin, as if he was grounding himself just as much as he was grounding her.
"You don't have to be afraid, Marissa," he whispered, his voice low and soothing. "Whatever happens, I'm not going to let go. Not this time."
She closed her eyes, leaning into him. "I don't know how to let myself believe that. How to trust that you'll stay when everything starts to get messy."
Mason's hands cupped her face, pulling her away from his chest so that their eyes locked. "Because I'm not going to run, no matter how messy it gets. You're mine. And I'm yours."
His words hit her harder than she expected. She didn't want to need him this much. Didn't want to crave his love in the way she did, with a hunger that was both fierce and vulnerable. But she couldn't deny it. She was in too deep. And part of her didn't want to come up for air.
"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared that I won't be enough. That I'll ruin this."
He kissed her forehead, his lips soft and warm. "You're more than enough. And I don't want perfect, Marissa. I just want you."
She swallowed hard, blinking back the sting in her eyes. "I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to be the person you need."
Mason shook his head. "You don't have to be anything other than yourself. I love you for who you are, not who you think I want you to be."
There was something so simple in his words, but it shattered all the walls she'd built around herself. She wanted to be strong. Wanted to be the kind of person who could carry everything with grace. But here, with Mason, she didn't have to pretend. She didn't have to be anything other than the woman who had fallen in love with him.
"I love you too," she whispered, her voice trembling.
His eyes softened, and he pulled her closer, their lips meeting in a kiss that was slow and deep, a promise between them.
The morning stretched on, and though Marissa knew she'd have to face her fears eventually, for the moment, she allowed herself to bask in the feeling of safety Mason had given her. She wasn't sure what the future held, but she knew one thing: she wasn't going to face it alone.
Later that day, Mason suggested they take a walk into town. He wanted to pick up some supplies, and Marissa was more than happy to join him. She needed the distraction, and more than that, she needed to see the world outside the cabin. It was easy to get lost in the quiet of their little sanctuary, but reality always had a way of creeping in.
As they walked through the small town, hand in hand, Marissa realized how much she had come to rely on Mason. His presence felt like an anchor, like he was the one steady thing in her otherwise turbulent life.
They stopped by a small café, the kind with mismatched tables and the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. Mason held the door open for her, and they sat at a window seat, watching the world go by.
"I don't think I've ever felt this..." Marissa paused, trying to find the right word. "This safe before."
Mason reached across the table, his hand resting on hers. "You deserve to feel safe, Marissa. You deserve to feel like you're enough, just as you are."
She looked down at their hands, the warmth of his touch grounding her. "I don't know what the future holds, but I know that I want you in it. I don't want to let go of this... of us."
Mason smiled, squeezing her hand. "You don't have to let go, baby. We're in this together."
And in that moment, Marissa realized that maybe she didn't need all the answers. Maybe it was enough to just be with him. To take things one step at a time and trust that whatever happened, they would face it together.
The promise of forever didn't need to be a grand gesture. Sometimes, it was just a simple moment, two people holding hands and trusting each other to keep going, no matter what.
That night, they returned to the cabin, the stars above them clearer than they'd ever been. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows on the walls. Marissa sat down on the couch, curling her legs beneath her as Mason settled beside her, pulling her into his side.
"I don't want to be afraid anymore," she said softly.
Mason kissed the top of her head, his arms wrapping around her in a protective embrace. "You don't have to be. I'm here, Marissa. And I always will be."
And for the first time in a long time, Marissa let herself believe him.