Page 1 of If You Love Me

Prologue: Evenie (Ev-en-nee) Lewis

“Babe… baby…”

I sighed as I shook my husband, Tyrion, attempting to wake him up. This man was the hardest sleeper I’d ever met. When he didn’t wake up, I stood to my full height, with my hands on my hips. I couldn’t help but smile at him holding our six-month-old daughter against his chest. Baby girl loved her daddy something serious.

I couldn’t blame her.

I loved this man too. We’d been together since we were sixteen, and I knew the moment I met him that he was my person. We got married at twenty-one while we were still two broke college students. At twenty-four, I found out I was pregnant with our baby girl, Summer Rose.

Tyrion’s grandfather gifted us his home as a graduation present, and we’d just finished renovating it ourselves. The timing was perfect because Summer Rose would have a beautiful home to grow up in. I couldn’t wait to fill it with the joy and laughter of more children.

“Tyrion,” I called again, shaking him.

Finally, he woke up, looking wide-eyed and crazy.

“Huh?”

“I swear you could sleep through a hurricane,” I said, shaking my head.

“What time is it?”

“Six. I was about to cook dinner, and I realized we were out of a few things. I’m gonna run to the grocery store.”

“I can go, babe.”

I waved him off. “I’ve got it. Besides, if you move Summer, she’s gonna have a fit. You know how she loves her skin to skin with you.”

He chuckled as he stroked her back. “We were knocked out, huh?”

“Snoring and all.” I leaned in to kiss the top of her head before kissing his lips. “I’ll be back in a little bit. I love you both.”

“We love you more.”

I walked away to grab my keys and purse. Before I even walked out the door, I could hear him snoring again. I smiled to myself and shook my head.That man.

The drive to the store took about twenty minutes since our home was located in the countryside. I climbed out of the car and went to grab a shopping cart before going inside. Mindlessly, I wandered around, looking for what I needed to prepare dinner.

Turning the corner, I ran smack into a hard body, almost knocking me to the ground. A hand reached out to grab me right before I fell.

“Shit!”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I wasn’t—Lisa?”

As I regained my balance, I looked up into the face of a scary-looking man peering down at me with wild eyes. He was dressed in dark clothing and wore a trench coat. The hair on his head was matted, and he was in desperate need of a shave. He looked at me as if he’d just seen a ghost. I took a step back from him, shaking my head.

“I’m not—”

“Lisa, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you.” He grabbed me, yanking me into his chest. “You said you wouldn’t leave me.”

“Get off of me!” I yelled, pushing him away. “I’m not Lisa.”

He blinked rapidly, as though he was really seeing me for the first time.

“I’m… I’m so sorry. My wife… she went missing a year ago. I’ve been looking for her everywhere.”

He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a wallet. Digging inside, he retrieved what looked like a photo. When he turned it around, I gasped.

“You look so much like her,” he said softly.

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