Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Bullets and bombs.
This was different.
This was the fear of the unknown, of the unseen blows fate could deal to the one person who had become my anchor in a tumultuous sea.
My mouse.
I feared for her.
I feared for our sons who needed my mouse just as much as me.
I watched her, this woman who had become the epicenter of my world, grappling with the shadows that danced in her eyes.
What could have her so sad and scared?
The thought of her in pain, in any form, was a blade twisting in my gut.
Yet, the realization that she might keep her fears, her burdens, locked away from me was a different, more insidious kind of agony.
Sighing, she gave me the phone back, her hand shaking noticeably.
Alright.
I read the words on the screen.
Kaz. . .I am not the original, and there are more personalities than Lunita.
Shock enveloped me.
More personalities?
I lifted my view back to her.
Fear painted Emily’s face as she looked at me, her eyes wide and searching. Her body trembled.
She’s not. . .the original. . .
I blinked, put my view back on the phone, and reread the message to ensure I was not mistaken.
But no matter how many times I read it, the words remained unchanged.
I put my view back on her. “Do you remember when I took you from New York?”
She wiped at her tears, but they kept coming.
“Deep in my heart, I knew that I never intended to bring you back to America.” I set the phone on the seat next to us. “I just had no idea how much I was in love with you, but. . .eventually I learned. And then you became pregnant with our twins, and lost our little girl, and I learned even more how much I love you. Next, you had our son and I learned again. Now this. . .and my heart. . .it expands wider than I ever knew was possible.”
Shaking her head, Emily covered her face with both hands, pressing her trembling palms tightly against her cheeks.
There, she sobbed.
Tears spilled out from underneath her palms.
“And now, mysh?” I leaned forward and hugged her. “You say there are more people than Lunita, I say there are more people to love. Because they are all you.”
Her body spasmed against me.
I ran my fingers through her hair and landed kisses to the curve of her neck.
My voice dropped to a whisper. “You say you are not the original, and I say you are the only important one.”
Emily tightened her grip on me, her sobs muffled against my chest.
Even now, through her pain and turmoil, I could feel the warmth of her love seeping into me.
Not knowing why, I rocked her like I would have rocked our son, hoping it would soothe her. “You are my universe, Emily. Just do not ever stop loving me. That would be the only thing that could break my heart.”
She let me go, leaned back, and looked at me. Raw vulnerability burned in her eyes.
I pressed my forehead against hers and gazed into those eyes. The points of our noses nearly touched. Our breaths mingled in the small space between us.
Colliding.
Each flutter of her long lashes ignited my inner beast.
Time stood still as we stared deep into each other’s souls.
Our world narrowing to just us.
I whispered, unable to tear my gaze from hers. “And even if you stopped loving me. . .there would be no escape.”
Emily’s breath hitched.
I will have to let the other personalities know that too. They all must understand.
I moved my head back from her. “When you get your voice back, we will talk more about this. I want to know it all. I want to. . .help in any way I can.”
She nodded and her hand slowly rose. Her fingers, shaking slightly, moved towards my face to trace the curve of my jawline.
Her touch was light as a sigh.
Her gaze remained locked with mine, and I could see her mind wrestling with what I had said, dissecting every word and feeling their weight.
“I love you, mysh.”
Slowly, ever so slowly, she began to lean in towards me. Her free hand rose up to cup my face and pull me closer.
And then, our lips met in a soft kiss that sent waves of warmth cascading through my body.
Our kiss deepened and I responded willingly, eagerly even, moving a hand up to cradle the back of her head.
The taste of her lips was as intoxicating as a drug, and I would forever be her addict.
Her tongue slipped against mine.
The intensity of our kiss escalated.
I pulled her closer till I could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat against my chest. It was a staccato symphony that matched my own.
Unable to help myself, my hands explored her silhouette, tracing the shapes and curves with an artist’s precision. My fingers grazed the hem of the shirt, the anticipation in the air was palpable.