Page 52 of Come Alive
Chapter 31
Yara
Izzy had left a few minutes ago, and being entirely alone for the first time since I was locked away in that warehouse did nothing to assuage my anxiety.
Digging my hands under the blanket, I found my stomach, tracing the skin there. I couldn’t feel a bump, or honestly any evidence that mytwinswere still in there. But against all odds, they were. My hand trailed further up to the bandage just under my heart, it throbbed with each beat. But it would heal.
It was a fucking miracle I was alive. That the twins were healthy. I was literally a science experiment.
It’s over. Everything is over. We can justlivenow.
Except relief didn’t settle around me. Instead, tendrils of unease squeezed my lungs until I could hardly breathe. To distract myself, my attention traced around the room, a metallic bowl next to me catching my eyes.
My reflection was distorted in it, and tears formed as the self-deprecation hit hard and fast. My blonde hair was a short raggedy mess, my eyes hollow and gaunt, my cheeks puffy. But more than that, my body was in physicalpain, my emotionsraw and frayed, and I was skittering closer and closer to a full-fledged breakdown.
Will myfatheralways have control over me? Even in his death?
He had filled me with so many incredibly ugly and cruel thoughts that it was difficult to tell which were even mine. And then Daniel had come along to further instill my father’s lessons.
But they were both dead.
And I was alive.
The door opening drew my gaze, and James stood there. His eyebrow furrowed, his lips flattened.
“Can we talk?” he asked carefully, not meeting my eyes.
But the sight of him emptied the chaos inside my mind, my focus solely on him as he quite literally cut through my panic attack. “You promise not to run away?” I asked, haughtily attempting to break the tension between us.
He offered a genuine smile. “That’s rich coming from you.”
“Touché.” Shifting slowly over in the bed, I made room for him, patting the spot beside me. “Did you talk to Izzy?”
He continued further into the room, and for a brief disappointing instance, I expected him to sit in the chair. Instead, he gently folded himself next to me, wrapping a sturdy arm around my shoulder. He was incredibly precise in his movements, noticeably focused on not hurting me. “I did. We spoke a lot while you were unconscious too. She was worried about you. We all were.”
I wanted to be angry at him for treating me so cautiously, but I was nearly broken.
My hand crept towards him, landing on his jeans just above his knees, tracing circles there. “I was out for weeks?”
“You were. But you’re awake now and that’s all that matters.” James sighed, relaxing further into me. “Just being next to you like this calms me. You are such a gentle soul, Yara.”
I contained the laughter that attempted to bubble up, hyperaware of the pain it would cause. “I don’t know about that. I think you might be misreading me.”
James turned to face me, his sage green eyes swirling hypnotically. “You are the first person I have ever felt this way about. You have healed a part of myself I never knew was broken. You are the first person I have ever fallen in love with. I didn’t know it could exist like this, not until I found you.”
His confession landed in my gut, a basket of snakes. “Izzy doesn’t hate me.” I shut my eyes, releasing a shuddering breath. “She has been my best friend since we met. I was so terrified I would lose her because of this. I didn’t allow myself to hope for a future with you. But her approval?” Twisting, I stared up at James before reaching for his neck. I brought him to me. My lips pressed against his. The connection was instant, searing,electric. Just as it had been before. “It has changed everything.”
His large, weathered hand came up, cupping my face and he stared into me. “I will not leave your side again. As long as you want me here, I will stay.” He pushed his lips to mine again, this time slowly, fervidly, he deepened the kiss.
My desire bloomed, my legs rubbing together on their own as Iachedfor him.
He broke the connection, staring down at me. “I don’t want to hurt you, you just woke up.”
I glared at him. “That isn’t fair.”
Quirking his lips, he pecked my nose before falling back to his portion of the bed. “Kazi and Mateo are good men. I’m sorry I questioned their intentions.”
His words weren’t what I expected, and I couldn’t contain the chuckle, wincing as it pulled at my stitches. “What made you change your mind?”
