Page 25 of Separated from My Love
Chapter10
Genevieve slidher dress on and tied it in the front, preparing to leave the nineteenth century once and for all. She hadn’t managed to get any sleep after she’d left Trenton’s room. She had many reasons for leaving his chamber. One was because it hadn’t gone exactly as she’d planned. Yes, she’d been able to seduce him. He hadn’t exactly hidden how he felt about her. What she hadn’t counted on was her own feelings. They had sneaked up and overwhelmed her in ways she’d never imagined. He made love to her and reminded her how good they weretogether.
She’d hoped it would be like scratching an itch. She hadn’t had sex since… It had been so long she couldn’t really remember. It had been some time before she’d fallen off the cliff, and Trenton had grown distant. Trenton had been the only man she’d wanted and no one had truly appealed to her in the nineteenth century. If she could be with Trenton without involving her heart, she might be able to move on without him. She’d been, in fact, running scared, and it was a final test to see if things had changed between them. What it ended up being was the beginning of a wakeup call she’d been desperately inneedof.
Shelovedhim.
Why had she ever thought she could stop? He was the first person she thought of when she woke in the morning and the last person to cross her mind as she fell asleep at night. Hell, he was always there right on the edge of everything she did. Nothing she did could ever erase him from her heart or mind, and if she were honest with herself, she didn’t really want to. Her heart and mind were colliding to bring her to the pinnacle point of deciding on what path shemusttake.
Trenton was herfuture.
She didn’t have to think that over. Deep inside where it mattered, she’d always known who he was too her. It was why when she’d first met Rosanna she devised a plan to reach him. At the time, she’d known he’d married Regina and she attempted to reach out anyway. If she’d never met Rosanna, she’d never have known about his marriage. Alys fell through time after the wedding. Rosanna hadn’t known Regina and Trenton’s names, but the details she did have were enough for Genevieve to figure out who’s wedding it had been. When she was finally able to break though and arrange a line of communication with Regina—the marriage had ended. She’d believed that it meant Trenton was coming for her. After months went by and he’d still not arrived, she’d given up. She should have had more faith in him and their love. There were a lot of risks involved with timetravel.
Before they’d left Branterberry’s home, Serenity had explained how they traveled through the mirror. It was a magic plane that only those with a little bit of the supernatural in their genes could access. Her telepathy should be the quality needed to help her tap into it. Trenton didn’t have a lick of psychic energy in him. In order for him to cross through, he needed someone with a link to hold onto. If, while crossing over, their link was broken, he’d be suspended in limbo. She would have to make sure to hold onto him the entire time or she’d lose himforever.
At first, she’d brushed it off. They could make it over all right. What could possibly go wrong? She’d make sure that she didn’t let go. They could work out their issues when they returned home. No reason to hash it all out beforehand when they had plenty of time. Genevieve was being a fool, and she fully realized it now that she thought about it. Losing Trenton would destroy her again, and she’d never recover from it. He was her everything and the only man she’d everloved.
Staying in her room, afraid to face her fears, wouldn’t get her anywhere. She had to leave it and tell him how she felt—before they went through the mirror. She couldn’t take the risk of him not knowing how much she loved him. If something happened to either one of them and he still had doubts… Genevieve rushed out of the room and ran down the stairs. She went to the study where Alys had assured them the mirror still hung on a wall. Trenton was already in the room staring into themirror.
“Contemplating all of life’s problems?” she asked in alighttone.
He shook his head. “Nothing left to mull over. I have all the answers I could possibly hopetogain.”
There was sadness in his eyes. He didn’t smile at all; in fact, his face was devoid of all emotion. She’d done that to him by leaving the night before. What did she care what the servants in the nineteenth century thought of her spending the night with the man she loved? The servants would never see either one of them again after they stepped through themirror.
“There’s always hope,” she said. Genevieve crossed the room and stopped in front of him. She brought her hand up to his cheek. “We’ve both made mistakes. It’s time we stopped repeating them and found a way to show each other kindnessandlove.”
“I’d like that,” he said softly. “Do you think that it’spossible?”
“Let’s make a promise to each other here and now to always stay the way we are in this moment. Two people who love each other more than anything in theworld.”
Trenton brought his hand up and cupped it over hers. He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “I’ll add to that. Let’s make each tomorrow the best that it can be. I promise to give all the love I have inside of me to make every one of your dreams come true. You’ll never find another man who loves you as much as I do. No matter what storms we have to go through, I’ll always be there right by your side. Together we are stronger and there’s nothing we can’tsolve.”
He had a way with words. If he’d said those things to her all those years ago before she’d fell through time and disappeared from his life... There were times she wasn’t sure how she’d live without him. Breathing was an exercise of patience. Those were some of the darkest days of her life. The world as she’d known it ceased to exist. She was lost in a time where she had no friends or family to lean on. Somehow, she’d survived, but she never wanted to go through anything like it everagain.
“You are the bright spot in my life. I about lost my mind when I thought I’d lost you forever. I’m sorry I was such a bitch when you showed up to save me. I should never have pushed you away. Because of you, I have a chance to go home and see my family again. Thank you for never giving uponme.”
Trenton leaned down and kissed her. It was the sweetest, softest, kiss he’d ever given her. The night before had been filled with passion, but this was what his love filled her with. Warmth spread through her and it lightened the burden she’d been carrying around for so long. She’d stopped fighting herself and accepted her love. They’d been separated for so long she’d not known how toreconnect.
“Are you ready to go home?” heasked.
“More than ever. I have a sister whoneedsme.”
He smiled. “Do you know whattodo?”
She hoped so. Serenity had tried to teach her before they left. Genevieve was usually a quick study, but without the actual mirror to practice with she wasn’t entirely sure she had it down. There was one thing left for her to do. The mirror beckoned her and she could feel magic pouring off of it. The damn thing wanted her to touch it and make it sing. She stepped forward and pressed her hand to the shiny surface. Gray smoke swirled inside of it, growing the longer she stayed connected to it. Not long after that her hand could slip through it. She almost jerked her hand back from the shockofit.
Trenton stepped next to her and latched his hand into her free one. Genevieve held on tight and began to walk through the smoke. Wind picked up speed and whipped around them. The smoke twisted and wrapped around them both, pulling them inside of it. It formed a tunnel and pushed them along. Her hand was slipping from Trenton’s. She screamed a silent no and held onto him as tight as she could. The smoke couldn’t have him. He belonged to her, and she wasn’t ever letting go of him again. As she yanked on him they both fell backward and landed on a hard surface with aloudthud.
“Well, look who decided to drop in for a visit,” amansaid.
Genevieve glanced up and met Bradford’s gaze. “Thank God it’s you.” She tried to sit up, but Trenton’s body was crushing hers. He’d passed out cold from the trip through the mirror. That had happened to him the first time, so she wasn’t worried—too much. “Help me, would you. He’s notlight.”
Bradford walked over and pulled Trenton off of Genevieve. He laid him gently on the floor and then extended his hand to help her up. “Where’s your relative? I forget which one went with him,” he askedglibly.
“Serenity stayed behind. I’m sure she’ll return when she can, or if she chooses to. Sheknowshow.”
He nodded. “Will he wake? Should I send for adoctor?”
