mystquie

Winne Auston tightened her grip on the glass of bourbon, her nails pressing against the cool surface. The soft hum of jazz music filled the dimly lit lounge, the kind of place where secrets felt safe. She was waiting, as he instructed. Adam Sly was never late. The waiting wasn’t a test of time—it was a test of her patience, her resolve, her willingness to bend when the moment came.

Arousing {BDSM}

Winne let out a shaky breath as Adam pulled her into a quiet embrace. For a moment, she simply let herself exist in the safety of his arms, her walls trembling but not fully broken. The rain outside softened to a gentle patter, mirroring the storm inside her that was finally beginning to settle.

"Tell me about them," Adam said softly, his voice laced with genuine curiosity.

Winne swallowed the lump in her throat, a small smile playing at her lips despite the anxiety still twisting in her stomach. "Lena is the quieter one. She loves painting—gets that from me, I think. And Leo…" She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "He's a handful. Always asking questions, always running ahead of himself. He's fearless."

Adam listened intently, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—an openness, an acceptance that made Winne's chest ache.

"Then why are you here, away from them?"

Winne's gaze dropped. It was the question she had been dreading, the one she barely let herself ask.

"I needed to figure things out," she admitted. "I've always done things on my own, Adam. Always. And suddenly, being with you—letting you in—it scared me. I didn't know if I could be the person you deserved while also being the mother they need."

His fingers tightened around hers. "Winne, you don't have to choose."

"You don't have to carry everything alone," he continued. "I don't know what the future holds, but if you let me, I want to be there. For you. For them."

The sheer sincerity in his voice made something crack inside her. All her life, she had been bracing for disappointment, for rejection. And yet, here was Adam, standing steady in the storm, offering her something she had almost forgotten how to accept.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and Adam wiped it away with his thumb, his touch impossibly gentle. "What do you need?"

Winne took a deep breath, the answer finally clear in her heart.

"I need to go home," she whispered.

It wasn't a grand declaration. It wasn't a promise of forever. But it was enough.

And for the first time in years, Winne felt like she wasn't standing in the rain alone.

chapter 6