Page 213 of Indulge
The world becomes a storm of memories—my father’s blood, my mother’s screams, the cold echo of every goodbye I never got to say.
“I can’t breathe, Rowan.”
Every emotion I’ve buried claws up, swallowing me whole.
My knees buckle, but he’s there, holding me up, whispering like a prayer.
“I’ve got you, Bella. I’ve got you. I always have. Breathe, baby. Please.”
His voice is steady, but I feel the fear in his bones.
I shake my head, gasping. “I-I can’t. Reg.”
He cradles my face in his hands, his touch desperate and gentle all at once.
“Bella, don’t you want to watch?” Lyla shouts, her voice dripping venom.
I swallow the rising bile, my eyes on Rowan.
“I love you, Bella King. I fucking love you so much. Since the moment I laid eyes on you. When you gave me a standing ovation in the shower. You saw my dick before you even looked me in the eyes. You’re strong, baby. So fucking strong. No matterwhat, through every single lifetime. In every single alternate universe, it’s you, me, and Reggie.”
“I love you, precious. Just breathe with me.”
He takes a deep breath, and I follow.
And then the world stops.
The gunshot goes off.
And another.
Rowan presses me into the wall harder, his arms caging me. His heartbeat slams into mine. Protecting me from anything that might come our way.
A scream splits the air.
The smell of gunpowder, the echo of stone cracking.
I can’t tell who’s been hit. I can’t tell where the pain belongs. All I can hear is the sound of my own pulse and the ringing silence that follows.
My body shakes. The stars in my vision start to fade.
All I can feel is Rowan’s warmth pressed against me.
All I can see in my mind is Reggie.
One twin bleeding. One twin holding me. My whole heart split between them.
They’ve always got me.
106
REGGIE
Pain is a funny thing.
You never quite remember it right until it’s back.
The second I bend down to grab the gun Rowan kicked toward me, fire tears through my shoulder. The impact rips me back, sends me stumbling into the pew. My vision flashes white. And I shoot. Praying that it fucking lands somewhere to give me time.
