And though your arms and legs are under
Love will be the echo in your
Ears, when all is lost and plundered
My love will be there still
— Requiem on Water by Imperial Mammoth

Sitting on the bed with my legs crossed, I gazed out the window at the dark sky ahead, the stars plentiful and bright. My mind was completely blank from everything else, aside from the thought of what tomorrow awaited me.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, and the warmth of Gray's lips against my neck made me shudder. "A penny for your thoughts?" he murmured.

I pivoted around to face him with a smile. A large bath towel was draped across his shoulders, and his expression turned awed as I pushed his damp hair away from his forehead.

"I was thinking about us when we were younger." I grabbed the towel and placed it over his head to rub his hair. "We made a promise to do all the crazy adventures together."

He took both my hands and dropped them on my lap together with the towel. I raised my gaze to meet his scrutinizing stare, a smile finding its way to my lips as he brushed his thumb against my skin.

"You're going to make me promise something again," he said.

My smile dropped. "Am I that easy to read?"

"That's the thing," he muttered unsurely, his eyes darting back and forth between mine, "you're unpredictable at times."

"The weather's beautiful tonight. Do you want to take a stroll downstairs?"

"Let's do that."

Gray walked over to the wardrobe to grab a hoodie, and he slipped into it before tossing me one. Grinning, I pulled it on swiftly and inhaled the scent of lavender. He strode back to the bed and leaned down to kiss me on the lips.

"I love seeing you in my clothes," he whispered against my lips.

"I think I have eight of your hoodies in my closet back in the dorm."

"Keep them. I don't mind."

We slipped into a pair of hotel slippers and exited the room, riding the elevator down to the second floor that led to the hotel's back garden. We strolled around for a while, and I let my eyes wander, mesmerized. We continued further to the west side of the garden until we reached a stone-arched bridge that overlooked a massive pond.

Gray and I stopped at the crown of the bridge, and I leaned forward against the wall, pressing both my hands on the stone. String lights dangled from the trees, and spotlights focused on the pond under the bridge. The wind blew stronger, causing a chill to run down my spine, and Gray circled his arms around me from the back. I leaned into him instantly as my eyes fluttered shut.

He kissed my hair and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Nincompoop."

"We should really work on the pet names you call me."

"But I love calling you Nincompoop."

"Alongside jerk and dork," he nodded. "I know, baby. I know."

I turned around to face him with a teasing grin. "Love?"

"Yeah?" he answered.

I burst out laughing, and he dipped his head to bite my nose playfully. My laugh only grew louder as I punched his chest, and he shook his head in disapproval with a small smile playing across his lips.

"Don't fight it, love," I teased, poking his sides. "I know you want to laugh."

He stepped back as his face scrunched, but his eyes remained amused. I continued to poke the sides of his stomach, taunting him further. He braced both his hands on his hips as he watched me dance and laugh like a lunatic in front of him while jabbing him with my finger.

"Stop being so grouchy." I circled my arms around his waist and pouted.

His eyebrow popped. "Begging usually does it for me."

"I only beg for certain things."

"Fair enough."

I stepped back and held out a pinky between us. "Can you promise me one thing?" I requested, meeting his gaze. "Please?"

He nodded tightly, his jaw clenching as he hooked his pinky with mine.

A smile tugged at my lips. "Promise me that no matter what happens — that if I die, you move on. And I promise to do the same if it happens to you."

"I won't let anything happen," he said.

"It may not be today, or tomorrow, or next week." I inhaled deeply to control the sob that rose in my throat. "But it will happen one day."

"Then let's talk about this again in fifty years." He was about to pull his finger back, but I kept a firm hold around it. "Summer," he warned.

I pressed my palm above his heart. "Moving on is the least we can do for the people who loved us. We go on in life for them."

Gray heaved a sigh, seeing the persistence in my eyes. The agony flashed across his face as he debated with himself whether to go with this or not. Even if I survived tomorrow, I would still have enemies chasing after me. I understood the consequences of my choice — that if I swam deeper into the waters of who my mother truly was, the chances of facing death would increase.

I wanted to make this promise with Gray before everything was too late. It was best to accept all these possibilities now, than mourn later when it ended. The remorse that came with grief was a greater battle to fight. But with early acceptance, it would be an easier feat.

"Fine," he said a second later. "At least promise me that we'll try our best to survive. I don't want to talk about death yet. I just found you."

I smiled. "I promise."

I couldn't stop the giggle from escaping my lips as we pressed our thumbs together, sealing our last promise.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked in a whisper, his fingers threading through my hair. "Anything to ask?"

I tilted my head slightly to one side. "Do you want to have sex with me?"

He reeled back at my words, his eyes wide in surprise. I continued to stare at him with a grave expression, satisfied to see him glance away uncomfortably. He raked a hand through his hair, and I watched his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"Right now?" he asked back.

My eyes roamed the garden. "It's dark, and there aren't any people."

He snatched me around the waist and laughed, drawing me closer to his chest. The sound of his laughter filled my chest, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

"You're laughing now when I'm being serious?" I scoffed.

"You really want to do it out here?" he taunted. "You're awfully loud during sex."

"But you like it when I'm loud, so everyone can know who I belong to," I taunted back with a smirk.

His eyes narrowed as he took a step back from me. I was already hosting a victory party in my head when suddenly I was seeing the world upside down. Gray had thrown me over his shoulder and was striding purposefully down the pathway we walked through earlier. I raised my head and watched as the bridge disappeared in the distance.

"This is unfair!" I exclaimed, pounding on his back.

"Patience, baby," he chuckled darkly. "We'll reach the room in no time."

There were other guests and hotel staff who shot me a worried look. But I quickly offered them a soft smile in assurance. As soon as we entered the empty elevator, I began pounding on his back again.

"Put me down!" I growled.

"No."

He slapped my ass hard, causing my mouth to drop open in surprise. The action was enough to have me reeling with shock until we reached our suite. Gray headed straight to the bedroom, and I gasped when he tossed me over to the bed as if I weighed nothing.

What the actual fuck?

"Are you nuts—"

My outburst fell short when he slammed his lips to mine hungrily. His hands squeezed my breasts, eliciting a moan from me.

"You wanna ride my cock tonight, Shortcake?" he whispered against my lips.

I gripped his arms. "Guide me?"

"Always."

Our clothes disappeared in a matter of seconds, and he flipped us over, so I was on top of him, straddling his waist. He gripped my waist as I let my hands slowly wander down his abdomen, relishing in the feeling of his warm skin beneath my fingertips. I wrapped my hand around his erection and stroked slowly, causing a hiss to fly out of his mouth. He moved his hand to my slit and pumped two fingers inside me, and my body trembled as he fucked me in slow, forceful thrusts.

"Gray," I called breathily, "I want you inside me."

He slid his fingers out of me and grabbed my waist again. "Lift yourself a bit," he instructed, and I followed.

He shifted his weight beneath me with anticipation and guided my hand to position himself at my entrance, his dickhead parting my folds. He pulled his hand back, allowing me to take full control, and I moaned as I sunk myself over his length until he filled me completely. I started grinding my hips while studying his face, feeling the friction of my clit as it rubbed against his skin.

This felt too good.

"Atta girl," Gray praised breathlessly as he clawed at my thighs. "Now, try rotating your hips."

I obeyed without hesitation, pressing my palms on his abs and rotating my hips. His eyes remained fixed on me as he groaned, his heated gaze heavy with lust. I dipped my head until my lips brushed against his, rotating my hips in a lazy, teasing momentum. He growled my name under his breath and thrusted his hips upward, hitting me on my sweet spot. A harsh breath escaped from my lips as I pushed myself upright to look at him.

The impatience mixed with desperation shone in his eyes. "Enough stalling, Shortcake. I want you to fuck me."

His words were enough to boost my confidence, and a strangled groan bubbled out of his lips when I began moving my hips. I could feel him pulsing inside me, and it felt glorious, knowing that he wanted this as much as I did.

I rocked over his cock in rapid thrusts while he grounded his groin heavily into mine until we fell into a steady rhythm.

"Gray," I whimpered.

"That feels so fucking good, baby," he grunted, his finger strumming my clit as I bounced. "Come for me."

I tipped my head back and moaned his name as the waves of pleasure pooled in the pit of my stomach and exploded. My walls squeezed around him mercilessly as I dropped my body on top of him, completely sluggish. Gray pushed my hair to the side and lifted me off his throbbing length. I fell on the bed beside him, catching my breath as the tingles continued to pulse through my veins. He pushed himself up and knelt in front of me with raging dominance before effortlessly flipping me over to my stomach.

I curled my knees and pushed my ass up as I buried my head on the pillows, feeling his pelvis pressing against me. My eyes fluttered close as he dragged his hand up my spine, leaving remnants of fiery sparks in his wake. Then he fisted my hair in his hand and pulled my head back as he drove his stiff cock inside me from behind with a heavy thrust.

"Gray!" I screamed as my back arched.

He slammed into me over and over, railing me relentlessly. His grunts and my moans filled the room, accompanied by our skin slapping against each other. My body flailed underneath him, and another cry of pleasure escaped my lips when he pinched my hardened nipple with his other hand.

"Look how good you're taking me," he grunted against my ear. "You're doing so well."

A shiver rolled down my neck, and I muttered a string of incoherent words that made him chuckle deeply. He dragged his finger down my stomach until he reached my swollen nub, and he stroked it in slow circles.

"Use your words, baby." He tilted my head to the side and crashed his lips to mine in a sloppy kiss.

"I'm coming," I panted against his lips.

He slipped his tongue into my mouth as he pounded harder. I was panting breathlessly between kisses, whimpering his name desperately as my second climax hit me. I clenched around his thickness, and with one final thrust, he smacked my ass hard with an open palm and came inside me. This was the first time he spanked me during sex, and it left a thrill of excitement in my bones.

Gray eased out of me gently, and I slumped forward on the bed. This was the roughest he had fucked me, and I was raw and sore down there. He laid on the bed next to me and smoothed my tangled hair, threading his fingers through the knots. I turned my head to face him, my mind a complete blur.

He gazed at me with a smirk. "Sex that good?"

"So good."

"Let me draw you a bath." He kissed my forehead. "It'll help with the soreness."

I watched him shuffle out of the bed, his perfect ass coming in full display as he stood to his feet. Gray had the cutest back dimples. He grabbed his boxer briefs from the floor and pulled them on before heading to the bathroom.

"Gray?" I called, causing him to glance over his shoulder.

He eyed me curiously. "Yeah?"

"I love you."