Page 87 of Dismantle & Prevail
“Hi,” Taylor says, an adorable but weak grin on her exquisite face.
“Hi.”
Taylor tries to adjust herself higher on the bed, but between her arm wrapped in white gauze and the large sling keeping her shoulder in place, she struggles.
I hesitate for a moment, knowing she would rip me a new one if I tried to help her, but when she lets out a painful wince, I’m on my feet.
Her brows furrow as I climb onto the bed, my hands moving to her waist to help her sit up. “Don’t look at me like that, Hellhound. Whether you like it or not, you’re going to need my help. I will not let you hurt yourself more by being stubborn.”
Tilting her head up to the ceiling, her eyes roll. “Well, hello to you, too. A girl gets shot in the shoulder and you’d think her prez would give her anything she wants, but I guess not.” Her tone is laced with humor and a hint of annoyance.
Her words hit like a punch to the gut, but I know she doesn’t mean anything malicious by them. This is Taylor. She may be sassy as hell and drive me mad, but she has the biggest, caring heart and wouldn’t intentionally be passive aggressive, even if she has every right to be in this moment.
Facing her, I sit down on the bed, grasping her free hand in mine. When her gaze returns to mine, I lower my voice. “I’m sorry, Hellhound. I—”
Taylor lets out a sigh. “Stop apologizing. It’s—”
“It is my fault. You—”
Taylor pulls my hand to rest atop her heart. “It is not your fault. I know you want to protect me and you feel like you failed, but trust me when I say this, you did far from that. I am alive because of you. You are the reason that I am sitting here, staring into my favorite dark eyes. You are the reason my heart is beating. I am alive and get a second chance at a life I get to spend with the love of my life because of you.”
Her eyes fill with tears and I lean forward, my hand moving to grip the side of her head and hold it against mine.
I have to tell her. She has to know.
Our shoulders both shake as the gravity of today comes crashing down onto both of us.
“I want to believe you. I wish I could, but the facts state otherwise, Hellhound.”
Taylor pulls away, a confused look casting over her face.
Taking a deep breath, I say the words that I know could change everything. “Do you remember when I told you my captor threatened to take you?”
“Yes?”
“Zoro grabbed one of the lone survivors from the attack and threw him in The Bastille.” I pause and Taylor’s brows furrow as if she is trying to connect the dots before I tell her. “Before sending him to hell where he belongs, he told us the entire attack was orchestrated by a man in a mask. Their sole objective being to take the girl with black hair and butterfly tattoos down.”
Taylor drops my hand, shock written all over her face.
My eyes cast downward. Fuck. This is it. She now knows it is no longer safe to be with me and she’s going to leave me in the dust. Which she has every right to do.
“Aries Clark. Look at me.” Taylor’s voice is stern and when my eyes meet hers, a look of disgust—maybe disappointment is clear on her face.
“Listen to me when I say this, so hopefully the words will sink through that thick skull of yours. It was not your fault. I knew what I was getting into the second I ran down into that basement and pulled you from death’s front door. I knew what I was getting into when you told me I was on your captor’s short list. I knew what I was getting into when I lent you my heart, hoping that you would never return it.”
I try to interrupt her but she stops me by giving mea don’t you darelook. Not wanting to upset her, I keep my mouth shut and let her finish.
“The definition of love is different for everyone. But to me, it is simple. When you love someone, you vow to protect that person with every part of your being and trust that they will do the same for you. To me, love isn’t some big, cheesy romantic gesture. It's proving that you can be there for the other person when they need you the most. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing since the day you came home. I may have turned a blind eye to the fact it was love in those early moments, but looking back, I know for certain that love was the underlying thread tethering me to you.
“Love and life are unpredictable. It can change in an instant, but I know one thing is for certain.” She pauses, as if she is unsure that I’m listening. Little does she know I’m waiting with bated breath to hear what else will come out of her beautiful mouth.
With a simple brush of my thumb, she smiles, knowing she has my full attention, and continues. “If my fate changed tomorrow and took me away from this world, I know I would find you in the next lifetime. So no. It is not your fault. It is simply a tiny blip in what I can only hope is a long life with you at my side.”
I’m rendered speechless.
How this girl can go from almost dying to somehow making me feel like I’m the happiest man in the world, I have no clue.
I should feel surprised by her words, but I don’t.
