Chapter Six — Dangerous Promises

Rafael

There are things you can fix with bullets.

But not her.

Not Cherry.

She was quiet the next morning. Wrapped in my white shirt, barefoot in my kitchen, looking like a dream God made before He gave up on men like me.

I leaned against the doorway and just… watched her.

She didn't flinch when she saw me.

She smiled. Soft. A little sad.

"You ever think we were meant to meet?" she asked.

"I don't believe in fate."

"But you believe in revenge."

"It's all I've ever believed in."

She nodded like she understood.

And maybe she did.

Cherry

Rafael wasn't built for soft mornings.

But he made me coffee. Black, bitter, and perfect.

And when he handed it to me, our fingers touched for too long.

"I need to tell you something," he said.

The words hit like a warning bell.

"There's a war coming."

My stomach turned. "Because of me?"

He shook his head.

"Because I'm in love with you. And love makes you weak in this world."

I blinked, hard. "You've never said that before."

"I know. Because the moment I say it, Cherry…"

He stepped closer. Took my hand.

"I'm yours. And that means every man who wants to hurt me will come for you first."

Silence.

"Then teach me to survive," I said.

His lips parted.

"Teach me how to hold a gun. Teach me how to lie. How to kill if I have to. I don't want to be your weakness, Rafael. I want to be your goddamn storm."

He looked at me like I was both a miracle and a curse.

Then he kissed me like we didn't have time.

Because we didn't.

Later That Night

He taught me how to load a gun.

How to aim.

How to stay calm when blood is in the air.

Every time I hit the target, he smiled.

And when I asked him what he'd do if someone ever hurt me again, he answered without blinking.

"I'll burn the whole city down."

And the worst part?

I believed him.