Page 167 of Promises in the Dark

I froze, my whole world collapsing around me. The pain in my chest, the gunshot wound—it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing fucking mattered. She was gone, and with her, everything I’d fought for, everything I’d tried to protect, was gone too.

I lowered my head, my lips brushing her cold skin, whispering her name one last time, like it was a prayer I never believed in.

“Harper…”

My vision blurred again, but this time it wasn’t just from the tears. The pain in my chest had grown sharper, spreading through my body like fire. I could feel it—the end—and I welcomed it. There wasn’t anything left for me here. Not without her.

My name. Her name. It was all that was left. And as the darkness swallowed me whole, I held onto that—her name on my lips, my name finally spoken to her.

I closed my eyes, feeling the last bit of strength drain from my body. No more fight. No more words. Nothing left to say.

All that mattered was the love I’d finally fucking let myself feel. And how fast I’d lost it.

Maybe… maybe wherever we end up after this, I’ll see her again.

And then there was nothing.

No more pain, no more war, no more betrayal.

Just silence.