Page 87 of Shattered Souls
My steps become more frantic, reflecting the turmoil inside. I slide into a deep lunge, my fingers brushing the floor, grounding me, reminding me that I’m still here, still fighting.
As I dance, the bracelet on my wrist—a string of pink and white beads spelling out my name—jingles softly, a comforting reminder of why I’m here, of who I’m fighting for. Bertram having Aurora is where my focus needs to be, and to face the battle ahead, I need to expunge my mother from my life and my soul once and for all.
My feet pound the floor in rhythm with my heartbeat as the song builds. I let my emotions pour into my movements, my body a conduit for everything I feel. I perform a series of turns, my arms lifting me into afouetté en tournant. Each spin is a testament to my resilience and refusal to be defeated.
Stretching upwards, my body elongates in a perfectarabesque penchée, reaching for hope, for the light at the end of this dark tunnel. The bracelet remains my anchor, a symbol of the past and the strength it gives me to face the present.
Finally, the music begins to fade, and I slow, my breathing heavy and my body glistening with sweat. My eyes fall closed as I move into an elegant arabesque. I hold that final pose, my chest heaving, my body glistening with sweat, and slowly let my leg down, grounding myself back into reality. My eyes are closed, the echo of the music still reverberating in my soul. I feel the room around me, the weight of my emotions now lighter, the burden somewhat lifted.
When I finally open my eyes, Grayson is standing right in front of me so close I can feel his presence and warmth.His expression is one of awe, admiration, and something more profound—something that makes my heart skip a beat.
This is the first time he’s seen me dance like this—seen me so vulnerable, so open. I can see in his eyes that he understands the significance—that he’s witnessed a private part of my soul. And in that moment, I see a reflection of his openness, a mirror to my own rawness.
His eyes are soft, filled with tender emotion. He looks at me as if he’s seeing me for the first time, truly seeing me, and my breath catches. There’s a depth in his gaze, a silent promise, a recognition of our shared past and pain.
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
His words are simple, but they hold so much weight. He’s seen me at my most exposed, and instead of retreating, he’s stepping closer, showing me his own vulnerability. The love in his eyes is unmistakable, a silent confession that tugs at my heartstrings.
In the next moment, his lips are on mine, my head craning back as we collide in a vortex of inevitability. He walks me backward, and I gasp as my back connects with the mirror’s cold surface.
He takes advantage of the opening to slide his tongue between my teeth, entwining it around mine and sucking until I’m putty in his hands. My hands clamp his face, dragging him impossibly closer until I can feel him everywhere.
His hand comes up to cover mine, but when his fingers nudge my bracelet, he breaks the kiss, turning slightly to investigate. With his hand covering mine, he pulls it away from his face for a better look. I hear the gasp fall from his lips as he brings my wrist closer, turning it this way and that to further inspect the bracelet.
“How do you still have this?” The question is asked in an awed murmur, Grayson seemingly unable to wrench his eyes from the bracelet… from the reminder of our past.
“Why would I get rid of it? You bought it for me.”
Finally, he looks up, eyes meeting mine. “Imadeit for you.”
Oh my god.No, he didn’t!
“Purchased one of those bead kits online and strung it all together.”
Well, damn.
“Why?” I search those dark, unyielding orbs. “Why would you go to all that effort for a girl you hardly knew?”
With his free hand, he reaches out, his fingers brushing my cheek and sending shivers down my spine. “Because I knew enough to know I wanted you to feel special.”
Which is exactly what he achieved with this gift. Ididfeel special.
“I gave it to Aurora,” I tell him. “Before I left for college. But it’s too big for her wrist, so she keeps it in a shoebox. Royce found it amongst the items he rescued from Lydia’s and returned it.”
Gaze still resting on my face, he asks, “So you’re keeping it safe?”
“It’s giving me hope,” I counter.
We’re standing so close. There is not an inch of space between us. I slide the hand he’s not holding captive up his chest until it comes to rest over the erratic thumping of his heart.
“I don’t know what to do with you,” I confess.
For some reason, that makes him smile. Leaning in, he nips teasingly at my lips. “Most of the time, I don’t know what to do with you either.” He drags his nose over the rise of my cheekbone; his next words whispered in my ear, “But I think I’m figuring it out.”
“Oh?” My voice is shaky, breath uneven.
“Love you.”
