Page 88 of The Burdens We Share
Ivory nods, “I know that he’s a sick psychopath and that he stalked me and became obsessed with me because he discovered that I meant something to you, yes.”
I scoff, “How can you look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you don’t hate me. Like you don’t blame me for him stalking you, torturing you, kidnapping you and your friends, and nearly killing you,” I remind her, shock in my tone.
She blinks at me before a small curl takes over the corner of her lip, “I remember what happened, I was there unfortunately.” She squeezes my hand tighter, “And I don’t blame you because it’s not your fault.”
I give her a disbelieving look and she adds before I can speak, “You didn’t make him do any of those things. He was fucking insane, Dallas. Psychotic. None of what happened is your fault.”
My head falls to my chest, “I don’t deserve you.”
She reaches for my jaw with her free hand and holds it up so that I have to meet her eyes. “Did you get my letter?”
“Yes,” my voice is low.
Her eyes glimmer as she asks, “Do you remember what I told you in that letter?”
Every. Fucking. Word.
When I don’t respond, she opens her mouth to speak, but I stop her, placing a hand over her mouth softly. “No. I get to say it first. I fucking love you, Ivory Aslan. I didn’t become your bodyguard to protect you. I did it because I was already in love with you. I forced my way into your life because I couldn’t standbeing on the outside anymore. Every second I spent near you, I was falling harder. And every time I had to watch you hurt, it wrecked me. Losing you—Jesus, losing you almost killed me. But I’d do it all over again. Every moment, every banter, every sleepless night—because I will love you for the rest of my life. Fiercely. Stupidly.Forever.”
Her eyes glaze over and her voice cracks, “I love you so much, Dallas.”
Tears stream down her cheeks and I lean down and kiss her, careful not to brush against any bruises. When her monitor starts beeping again with her racing heart, I withdraw my lips from hers and kiss her forehead. “I am so sorry that my burden became yours.”
She shakes her head as tears silently stream down her bruised cheeks, “All of your burdens are mine to share.”
“And yours are mine,” my voice is raw.
I brush away her tears with my fingers and grin at her, my eyes soft, “I promise you when all of this is nothing but a really shitty memory, I’m going to put a giant rock on your finger.”
She giggles and the sound is like ecstasy through my nervous system. God, I’m addicted to that sound.
The door opens and Brody, Aria, and Selene barge inside, frantic expressions on their faces. “She’s awake!” Aria cheers as the girls all rush to her bedside.
Brody kisses Ivory’s cheek, “We missed you, Iv.”
“Missed you too,” she answers as Selene squeezes her shoulder.
Aria reaches for her hand, careful not to touch or brush her wrapped arm. “You’ve been promoted to most iconic final girl of all time.”
Ivory raises a brow, “I wasn’t the final girl though, the three of us are all alive.”
Brody adds, “Three go in, three come out.”
They exchange silent looks of understanding before Selene speaks up, “I’m so relieved you’re okay. Seriously, the three of you are making me gray prematurely. I’m spending so much money at the fucking hair salon.”
Brody rolls her eyes, “You can afford it. We pay you more than enough.”
Selene shoots her a warning look before focusing back on Ivory, “If you ever run off and pull some hero shit like that again, I will kill you myself. Got it?”
“Yes, Mom,” Ivory smirks.
Selene swallows uncomfortably.
Ivory
