Page 58 of In Death, Love Survives
So this is where she wants to start first.
“I didn’t.”
“You were talking about me.”
“I’m proud of you for saying that out loud, angel.” She smiles bashfully.
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough, and I like every single part of you. Every perfect detail, all the flaws you think you have, I want them all for myself when I’m out of here.”
“When you’re out of here?”
I look at her, confused by the question, until it hits me. Nova needs me to be as direct as possible when it comes to what’s happening between us.
“I want you as my woman now.”
Nova bites down roughly on her lip, causing it to bleed.
“Don’t go hurting yourself.” She stops the biting.
“I want that. I do.”
“Then the rest we’ll figure out.”
“You’re so sure. I mean, look at these circumstances.” Nova lifts the pen to gesture between the two of us.
“Life is always going to throw curveballs your way, with or without you. Why not take a walk on the wild side and get to know me better? Trust that what I’m saying is real.”
“I’d like to.”
“You can ask me anything. I’m an open book for you.”
Nova soaks in my words as she uncrosses her legs and leans inward. She rests her elbow on the desk and her head in her open palm.
“I had a similar experience as you did,” she admits.
I’m not usually a patient man, but for her, I will be.
“I’d rather not go into details here. Really. I need time.”
“Take as much time as I have to give you.”
“Thank you,” she says with a loud sigh.
“Just tell me this.”
“What’s that?”
“Did someone hurt you?”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Yeah, angel, it is. Someone hurts you, then I want to hurt them.”
Nova shuts her eyes, and a small tear falls down her soft cheek.
“Nova, baby, you don’t have to tell me here, but at some point, I’m going to need to know what happened.”
