SWNOVELS Emperor of Rage: Chapter 37
I stretch out on the couch, my body still abuzz. My skin feels raw, a mix of lingering cold from the ocean, the memory of Mal’s touch…
And, of course, my new tattoos.
My thoughts swirl as violently as the waves the other night, my pulse thudding like the thunder that crashed around us while we came together.
I mean…shit.
Maybe not something I’d be insane enough to try again, but let’s see anyone else top “fucking in a typhoon” the next time “wildest story” comes up.
The fantasy replay evaporates as my phone dings.
Cain.
I open our chat and smirk at the last message she’s just sent. It’s a meme about trying to fix broken code at 3 AM—the kind of thing that always makes me laugh.
Me
Fucking RELATABLE
Cain
LOL. I knew you’d get it.
Cain
How are you? Neck deep in work? Feels like forever since we chatted.
I smile as I type a reply.
Me
Lol. Actually, not work…
I hesitate. Part of me wants to spill everything—to tell her about the storm, the wild night, how Mal makes me feel like I’m both invincible and on the edge of falling in the most amazing way.
But that’s not really my style, and besides, how do you even explain something like that? It’s too raw, too… private.
Cain
This sounds juicy
Me
Lol. Let’s just say I had a great night. Did something reckless that ended up being super fun.
Cain
Ooo, cryptic! Love it! Reckless how?
I smile at the curiosity behind her words but decide to keep my answer vague. I mean, spilling personal things to Annika is one thing. She’s like a sister. Cain, much as I have come to like her, is not.
Me
It involved water, wind, and a serious adrenaline rush.
There’s a pause. I picture Cain sitting at her laptop, working on some obscure project or hacking into a system just for fun. A moment later, her reply pops up.
Cain
Riding the wave of chaos, huh? Gotta respect that energy.
It’s followed by a wave emoji.
Me
You have no idea how accurate that is right now.
Cain
Wait seriously?? You actually went surfing??!
Me
Girl, I thought I was going to DROWN. But it was soooo much fun.
Cain
So cool! I’ve always wanted to try. Too scared though, lol!
Me
That was me! But I got convinced. Guess I’m living recklessly these days.
Cain
Damn, girl. Reckless is good, but remember, no lifeguards out there in the real world. Don’t go overboard!
I shake my head, amused at how close she is to describing exactly what went down last night. She’s not wrong—there were definitely no lifeguards in the storm, just me and Mal and the crazy ocean. I appreciate the concern, even if it’s wrapped in playful banter.
Me
I’ll try not to drown. Promise.
Cain
Good. Would hate to lose my new code-breaking buddy to a rogue wave.
I laugh softly, thinking back to the dark waves, the howling wind, and the way the world felt both alive and dangerous. My fingers hover over the screen for a moment before I type out my last reply.
Me
Trust me, the waves were worth it.
Cain
Glad to hear it. Now get back to shore before you end up in a tsunami or something.
I put my phone down and lean back against the couch, my thoughts drifting. My heart is still thrumming with the energy from last night, the intensity of everything that happened. But this conversation with Cain has been a good distraction, a way to pull me back to normalcy, even if just for a while.
I might be living on borrowed time. But right now, I’m riding the waves, and I’m not ready to stop.