23. Raven

Chapter 23

Raven

T he bedroom door protested with a slow creak. The sound magnified in my ears as every nerve in my body tensed. I pressed my back against the cool walls of the closet, eyes wide, orbs straining in the dim light that seeped through the slats. The darkness outside seemed to hesitate, a tangible entity holding its breath before invading my sanctuary.

"Raven."

Her name, a ghostly whisper, drifted through the darkness, fraying the edges of my resolve. The voice was barely louder than the thump of my own heart, but it cut through the silence with the precision of a knife. Fear twisted inside me, a cold serpent coiling around my spine.

"Raven, it's me."

Recognition sparked like flint and steel in my mind, kindling a flame of hope amidst the panic. That voice—firm yet laced with an undercurrent of concern—it could only belong to one person.

"Jerome?" My tone wavered between disbelief and dawning relief, the syllables a question Alex hanging in the air.

"Shh. It's safe now." His words were a balm, soothing the raw edges of my frayed nerves.

"Jerome!" I couldn't stop the sob that broke from my lips, the name a talisman against the dark tide of fear. "You came for me."

"Always," he replied, his voice a low rumble that reverberated through my bones. He moved closer, his presence a beacon of safety in the nightmarish gloom.

"How did you..." But I couldn't finish the sentence, the questions dissolving into the wave of relief that washed over me. I didn't need answers; not now, not when Jerome was here, when his very presence promised protection.

"Later," Jerome said, his eyes searching mine in the half-light, seeking out any signs of harm. "Let's get you out of here first."

"Okay," I whispered, my voice steadying as I leaned into the strength offered by his nearness. The terror that had gripped me so fiercely began to ebb away, replaced by a sense of security that only Jerome could inspire. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that with him there, I could face anything—even the darkness that still lurked beyond the threshold of my bedroom door.

Jerome's arms encircled me, the sudden warmth a stark contrast to the chill of fear that had seeped into my bones. I felt his chest rise and fall against my back, his heartbeat steady and strong—a living testament to my safety.

"Jerome," I choked out, voice muffled against his shoulder as the first sob tore through me. "I was so scared."

"Shh, it's okay now." His hand moved in soothing circles on my back. "You're safe, Raven. I'm here."

The distant wail of sirens cut through the stillness of the night, crescendoing until they became an insistent blare that filled the room. My body tensed within Jerome's embrace, the sound a reminder of the reality we were still facing.

"Listen to me," Jerome's voice was firm, yet laced with tenderness. "Help is on the way. You've been incredibly brave, but you don't have to be strong anymore. Not right now."

I clung to him, fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt as if it were a lifeline. The tears wouldn't stop, each one a release of the pent-up terror that had threatened to consume me.

"Without you—"

"Stop," he interjected softly. "Don't think about what might've happened. I'm here now. Focus on that."

I nodded, drawing in ragged breaths as I tried to anchor myself to the present, to the man whose very essence was a balm to my soul. In the chaos of my thoughts, one thing stood clear and unyielding: Jerome had come for me, as I'd promised he would.

"Thank God for you," I whispered, allowing myself to feel the full weight of his protection. "I don't know what I would do..."

"Hey, hey, look at me." Jerome tilted my chin up gently, ensuring our eyes met. "You never have to be alone again. I swear it."

As the sirens grew louder, signaling the imminent arrival of the police, I allowed the tension to drain from my body, sagging against Jerome's solid form. His presence enveloped me, a fortress built not of stone and mortar, but of loyalty and unwavering devotion.

"Jerome," I murmured, my sobs beginning to subside, "you really are my hero."

A soft chuckle rumbled in his chest. "And you, Raven Fields, are the bravest person I know."

Outside, the sirens reached a fever pitch before cutting off abruptly, followed by the sounds of authoritative voices and the slamming of car doors. Yet, in the sanctuary of Jerome's arms, I found a haven from the storm, a quiet place where my heart could begin to mend.