Bad Wrong Things

by C.P. Harris

“Listen to me.” His hand circling my throat left me with no other options. “I-I can’t do this without you. Life isn’t the same, sweetheart.” “No,”

“No doesn’t hold the same meaning for us, Raven. You know that. But this time, this time, I’ll believe you if you want me to. If you say it again.”

“Tell me, baby,” he encouraged. “Tell me there will never be another man for you. Tell me you’ve missed me as much as I’ve missed you. Promise me we’ll do whatever it takes to make us work. Promise that you won’t hold this night against me. Say you believe things can be different.” He sat up, crushing me to him as emotion ravaged his voice. “I’m not the same man,” he said for the second time that night, but it was hard to see that right then. “Promise me. And if you can’t promise me all those things, then please, lie to me.”