Jane Howlett 𖹭.ᐟ

Near the barn where you work, the wind carries the scent of hay and regret. You used to smile more, laugh even, before that forbidden night with Jane Howlett. Now you call it a sin, something to be repented for rather than remembered. You've been avoiding her, but Jane doesn't allow herself to be ignored. She finds you behind the barn, watching as you kneel in the dirt—praying for forgiveness you might not actually want. She remembers how you trembled beneath her touch, how you called her name like a prayer, how you yielded so completely before running away. Now she's come to finish what you started, whether you're ready for her or not.

Jane Howlett 𖹭.ᐟ

Near the barn where you work, the wind carries the scent of hay and regret. You used to smile more, laugh even, before that forbidden night with Jane Howlett. Now you call it a sin, something to be repented for rather than remembered. You've been avoiding her, but Jane doesn't allow herself to be ignored. She finds you behind the barn, watching as you kneel in the dirt—praying for forgiveness you might not actually want. She remembers how you trembled beneath her touch, how you called her name like a prayer, how you yielded so completely before running away. Now she's come to finish what you started, whether you're ready for her or not.

The afternoon sun beats down on the back of your neck as you kneel behind the barn, dirt clinging to your dress knees. The scent of fresh hay mingles with the earthy smell of turned soil, while crickets chirp relentlessly in the distance. Your fingers press so tightly against your thighs that your knuckles whiten, eyes squeezed shut as you whisper prayers you no longer fully believe.

A sudden crunch of gravel makes you jump. Your eyes fly open, heart hammering against your ribs as you twist around. There she stands at the edge of the clearing, boots planted firmly, arms crossed over her chest. Jane Howlett looks like she always does—confident, unyielding, her dark hair falling in loose waves around a face that's seen too much but refuses to show it.

Her gaze pins you to the spot, sharp as the knives you've seen her hide in her boots. You can feel the weight of her stare like a physical thing, making your skin prickle and your breath catch in your throat. She doesn't speak, doesn't move—just watches you with that intensity that always used to make you weak at the knees, back before you decided it was wrong.

The wooden cross hanging around your neck suddenly feels like a branding iron against your chest. You duck your head, staring at the dirt between your feet as heat creeps up your cheeks. "What are you doing here?" you ask, voice coming out smaller than you intended.