Chapter 25: Shadows of Lies

Cody POV

I’m still shaky from the bang on Ryan’s door, my chest tight with him. We’re naked, sweaty, holding on after the kitchen island. My legs wobble, weak from us. He pulls me close, breath hot on my neck. “Probably paparazzi,” he says, low. My heart’s pounding, scared but sure. We’re out now, no hiding. I nod slow, hand in his. Then my phone buzzes, loud on the counter. My stomach twists, cold and fast. I grab it, screen glowing bright. My eyes go wide, breath stopping hard. It’s everywhere. Old texts from Ryan, leaked online. Twisted bad.

“Fun night,” one says, from months ago. Now it’s a headline. “Ryan Maddox calls Cody cheap fling.” My throat closes up, tight and sore. More pop up, fast and mean. “Just a hookup,” they twist. “Nothing real.” My hands shake bad, dropping the phone. It clatters loud. My chest hurts, like it’s breaking. Tara. Her smirk flashes—pink hair, sharp eyes. She’s behind this. Revenge for us coming out. My face burns, hot and red. Humiliation chokes me, thick and cold.

“Cody,” Ryan says, voice sharp. He grabs my shoulders, warm and firm. My eyes sting, blurry with tears. “She’s lying,” he says, loud. My head shakes fast. “They believe it,” I say, voice cracking. My legs buckle, weak and dumb. I pull away, stumbling to the bathroom. My chest heaves, air stuck. I slam the door, locking it quick. My back hits the wall, sliding down. Tears spill hot, soaking my face. My knees pull up, arms wrapping tight. I’m small again, a cheap fling. Not his everything.

Water drips somewhere, slow and loud. My breath’s fast, shaky in the quiet. My chest’s raw, shredded bad. I see the texts, twisted and mean. Tara’s laugh rings in my head, sharp and cruel. My hands claw my hair, tugging hard. My throat burns, choking on sobs. I’m nothing. Just a toy. The diner kiss feels dumb now, public and fake. My stomach twists, sick and cold. I rock slow, tears dripping off my chin. My heart’s loud, breaking fast.

A bang hits the door. Hard. Loud. My eyes snap up, wet and wide. “Cody!” Ryan yells, voice rough. My chest jumps, scared and warm. Another bang, louder. Wood shakes, creaking bad. “Open it!” he says, mad and wild. My hands shake, staying still. Then it cracks, splintering fast. He kicks it open, standing there. His chest’s bare, jeans low. My heart stops, then races quick. He steps in, eyes dark. “You’re everything,” he says, low and fierce. My throat tightens, tears slowing.

He drops fast, hands on my face. His fingers wipe my cheeks, warm and soft. “Tara’s full of shit,” he says, loud. My breath catches, shaky and dumb. He pulls me up, strong and quick. My legs wobble, leaning on him. His hands rip my jeans off, fast and wild. My boxers follow, cool air on my skin. He strips too, jeans hitting the floor. We’re naked, close and hot. His lips find mine, slow and deep. My hands grab his shoulders, clinging tight. He kisses my chest, wet and warm. My heart flutters, light and good.

He moves lower, lips on my stomach. My breath shakes, soft and needy. His tongue licks slow, tasting me. Then lower, kissing my cock gentle. It’s soft at first, warm under his lips. I shiver hard, hands in his hair. He sucks light, then deeper. My legs tremble, weak and warm. My head tips back, moaning soft. “Ryan,” I say, voice breaking. He pulls off, standing quick. “You’re mine,” he says, low. My chest bursts, full and raw. He grabs a blindfold, black and soft, from a drawer. My eyes go wide, heart jumping fast.

He ties it on, tight around my head. Darkness wraps me, warm and close. His hands guide me, strong and sure. My back hits the mirror, cold on my skin. He lifts my leg, hooking it high. My breath’s fast, shaky with him. Lube’s in his hand, slicking up slow. His fingers slide in, gentle and wet. I moan low, chest heaving. He moves slow, stretching me easy. My hands grip his arms, nails digging light. He pulls out, cock hard and thick. He pushes in tender, filling me slow. My heart slams, warm and wild.

We move soft, rhythm gentle. My chest sticks to his, sweaty and close. His lips kiss my moans, swallowing them deep. My head spins, dizzy and good. He pulls the blindfold off, eyes locking mine. The mirror shows us, bodies tight. My blond hair’s messy, his dark and wild. He thrusts harder, slow turning fast. My moans get loud, “Ryan,” breaking wild. His grunts mix in, low and rough. Sweat drips down my back, hot and slick. My hands claw his chest, feeling muscle. He proves me, worth loud and real.

He spins me, bending me over. My hands hit the sink, cool under me. He’s in again, wild and deep. My legs shake bad, spreading wide. The mirror shakes, rattling loud. My cock bounces, hard and wet. He reaches around, stroking fast. My breath’s fast, chest tight. I come hard, spilling hot on the floor. My moan’s loud, shaky and good. He follows quick, groaning deep, warm inside me. My knees buckle, weak and sore. He holds me up, arms tight and safe.

We sink slow, panting hard. My chest’s sweaty, sticking to his. His arms wrap me, warm and close. “Believe me now?” he says, soft. His breath’s hot on my neck. My throat burns, tears slipping out. “Yeah,” I say, hoarse. My hands cling to him, shaky and sure. Tara’s lies crumble, dust in my head. My chest feels big, love loud and strong. His lips brush my hair, gentle and warm. My heart slows, steady with his. “You’re everything,” he says, quiet. My eyes sting, happy and raw.

We stay there, tangled on the floor. My legs ache, curled with his. His hand rubs my back, slow and good. My chest heaves, calming slow. “She’s nothing,” I say, soft. My voice shakes less now. He nods, forehead on mine. “Nothing,” he says, firm. My tears dry, warm on my cheeks. My hand rests on his chest, feeling heartbeat. We’re solid, lies burned away. My heart’s loud, trusting him big.

Then his phone rings. Sharp. Loud. On the counter above us. My eyes snap open, heart jumping fast. He groans, reaching slow. My stomach twists, cold and quick. “Who?” I ask, voice shaky. He grabs it, screen bright. My breath stops, tight and scared.