Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“It’s not, and some things that fall apart can be put back together,” Ophelia says bravely with the same soft, serene strength that’s made her who she is. The same power that’s always defined her. “Because I love you, baby sister. That’s all that matters. There’s always a way to work things out with the people you love.”
She’s talking to Ros when she says it, but over Ros’ head, her eyes find mine.
And she smiles, something so luminous in her eyes igniting that it takes my breath away.
I can’t help but smile back.
I grin like I’m losing my mind, cuddling Nell against me while the EMT looks her over and pressing my lips to my cousin’s hair.
No matter how Ophelia feels about me, I won’t ever stop loving her.
That strong, fierce woman who fought for her family, for mine.
That storm of my life, the one I could never forget in a decade-long drought.
The fire of my soul, destroyer of grief, pulsing light of a thousand butterflies that never go dormant with winter.
She is everything.
It’s more than half an hour before the EMTs are satisfied and declare me, Ophelia, and Nell safe to go home. Ros is whisked off to the local hospital where they can start treatment for substance abuse.
It’s another forty-five minutes before the cops are done taking our initial statements.
I’m gonna have one hell of a fat police report to write when I get back to Redhaven, but I’ll worry about that later.
By the time we can breathe again, Nell’s passed out, clinging to me like a kitten. She’s barely said a word, and it’s been driving me nuts that I can’t pull away from all this to focus on her.
I just hold her tight.
So she knows her Uncle Grant is never going anywhere, and he’s never going to let anything ever hurt her again.
Once was bad enough.
We saved her, yeah, but not without a scratch and a whole mess of fear. Happy endings don’t hit like they do in action movies or thriller novels.
Not when real life is so goddamned messy.
I’ll only be undoing the damage for the rest of my life.
The sun starts setting over the water, staining it pink and gold. I take a quiet moment to watch it, to breathe, while I hold a sleeping Nell in my arms.
I’m not expecting the soft voice at my shoulder.
“How is she?”
I lift my head.
Ophelia stands there, watching me with a tired, wistful smile. Her hair tumbles down around her, turned into a fiery gold halo around her face by the fading sunset.
“Not great,” I say, keeping my voice low, rubbing a soothing hand over Nell’s back. “She’s been through so much already. I think sleep is the only way she can cope, but I’m definitely gonna have to get her in to a child psychologist soon. I don’t know. I’ve gotta know how to help her without accidentally stomping around and doing more damage.”
“You’re already helping, Grant. Just being here for her right now is the best thing you can do, but I know you’ll do anything she needs. Whatever it takes.” Ophelia settles in next to me, sinking down on the bench. “Is there anything I can do?”
“You’ve done a hell of a lot already, Butterfly. You helped save my little girl.” I can’t help leaning toward her. “Fuck, you saved me. Thank you.”
“...it still doesn’t feel like enough.” She lifts her head, looking up at me with those green eyes.
I don’t care what she is.
I’ll never think of them as Arrendell eyes when they’re too warm, too pure, too full of that gorgeous heart they lack. Her hand rests on my arm, light as snow, yet so much warmer.
“Just wish I could do more for you,” she whispers. “I wish I could do everything.”
My heart stills in my chest.
I don’t want to hope. Not after this shit show with so many raw feelings torn open.
I clear my throat. “What are you saying? Be clear, woman, my head’s too spun to read between the lines.”
She looks down.
For a second, I’m worried I’ve scared her off, but then she jerks her face up and looks at me.
“I’m saying I almost lost you,” she whispers, tears glimmering in those beautiful eyes. “He could’ve shot you. That could’ve been you going over the railing. Grant, I—”
“Ophelia.” I spare a hand from Nell to cup Ophelia’s cheek. “You never lost me. Not once. Not even for one second.” And I hope she knows what I mean. “No matter what happens, you never will. You’ve always had the best of me—hell, you teased it out of me in the first place—and it’s not going anywhere.”
“Yeah?” Her soft breath blends into a slow, hopeful smile.
“Yeah.”
“So... maybe we can try again?”
“No damn maybes about it,” I growl. She’s always needed me to be honest, and I’ve never been good at it until she came back into my life. Now it’s easier than ever to say, “I need you with me, Ophelia. Not just as a roommate, helping me with Nell. I need you to be mine. If you need more time, I get it. I’ll—”