Page 89 of Parrish

He pulls his hand back and the loss of his touch causes my eyes to flutter open. A strained expression flits across his hard features as his eyes darken. Just when I thought he couldn’t possibly possess anymore torment, he proves me wrong.

“My mind ain’t right, Reina,” he admits. “More often than not, I lose myself to the darkness that engulfs me. It doesn’t matter if I’m medicated or not. If my maker wants me, she finds a way to get to me. But then you come around, you take my pain and ease my burdens. You give me light and I find the courage and strength I need to battle my illness. In you, I find my worth.”

Lesson six, Jack Parrish is remarkably brave.

“I know you feel lost,” he continues. “But you’re not, Reina. I swear on my children, you are right where you belong.”

Lifting my hands, I brush away the tears streaming down my cheeks.

“You’re mine and though I don’t deserve you, I’ll never let you go. So, we can try to make you remember the past ten years but if you can’t, well, then I’m ready to devote the rest of the years I have on this earth proving your home is wherever I am.”

How does someone respond to such a declaration? Even if I had all my memories intact, I don’t think I could muster the right words.

Lesson seven, Jack Parrish is broken.

Lesson eight, so was Reina DeCarlo.

Lesson nine, together they’re whole.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I didn’t mean to unload all of that. My therapist told me to take things slow with you and ease you into our life. Instead, in typical Bulldog fashion, I tear into you and dump all this shit on your shoulders.”

“You didn’t,” I argue, shaking my head. “You gave me the truth, and that’s all I’ve wanted since the moment I learned you were my husband.”

“Yeah, well, there’s plenty of that to go around. Not all of it is pretty. In fact, most of it isn’t but the little that is, is fucking beautiful.”

“I don’t care,” I say hoarsely. “I want it all. I want every memory.”

He nods and if he could pull my memories from the sky, I’m sure he would. He’d lay them all at my feet. All the failures, every victory. The ugly and the beautiful. He’d give me everything if he could.

He pushes himself out of the chair and steps closer to the bed. Extending his hand, his fingertips softly glide down my cheek.

“I love you,” he murmurs.

Lesson ten, when Jack Parrish loves he does it with every fiber of his being. In him, lies my heart.

“We’ll get through this,” he promises, bending his head to kiss my cheek.

Lesson eleven, he’ll make you a believer.

Drawing in a deep breath, he straightens up and shoves his hands inside his pockets.

“Jack?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you bring Danny to see me?”

Quietly he stares at me for a moment and I instantly second guess the request. The last thing I want to do is hurt my son or make him uncomfortable. Just as I’m about to tell him that, his gaze softens, and he nods.

“Of course. He’d love that.”

The corners of my lips lift and for the first time since I woke up, I am overcome with relief.

“Thank you.”

He winks at me.

“I’m going to go call Lacey and tell her to have him ready,” he says as he tips his chin towards the door. “I’ll bring you back something to eat.”

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