Page 22 of Sweethearts and Savages
I collapsed down onto his chest, my lungs burning, my body on fire. I used my shaky arms to release the belt, and his arms came straight up to wrap around my waist, holding me to his chest.
“I don’t know what I did to get so lucky,” he whispered into my hair.
Me either, but I would do it a thousand times over if it meant I got to keep Bohdie forever.
10
Stacey
Dear Enit, Unfortunately, the other day I had an involuntary muscle spasm that resulted in me sprinting away from you. Apologies.
No. We both knew that was bullshit.
Dear Enit, I am sorry I am such an emotionally stunted failure of a human being.
Well, that was the truth at least.
Layla walked into my kitchen without knocking. It didn’t ever occur to Layla to knock. She was days away from her due date and she looked exhausted.
“Sit. I’ll take your blood pressure.”
Layla huffed out a laugh. “Immortal, remember?”
“Fine, I’ll listen to the baby.” I grabbed my stethoscope and made her sit so I could listen.
Everything sounded wonderful, but I was never not worried. I owed Layla so much. Not just Layla though.
“Do you ever wonder what Porter would have made of this place?” I asked softly, and Layla froze.
We didn’t speak of the time before Eden Academy very often. It was like a fairytale, but one of the gruesome ones that warned you away from things. Once upon a time, two children were stolen from their family, kept in cages, and studied by scientists who wanted to replicate their abilities, under the watchful eye of a secret, evil organization named The Hounds. A kindly doctor kept them safe, but couldn’t rescue them. Then one day, a beautiful heroine arrived, and promised she’d free the children. White knights arrived, twisted monsters who were really good instead of evil, and fought the children's captors until they were freed. Unfortunately, the kindly doctor died in the end. The rescuers took the children to a forest far, far away and they all lived happily ever after.
Except for all the PTSD.
It was the past, and it was best left there. But my brain could never just forget things. It remembered everything. I remembered the day Daniel and I were kidnapped. I’d been a toddler, but I still remember my father being shot right in front of me, and being herded into the back of a van, clinging to Daniel.
I remembered Porter, his soft, gentle face promising us we would be fine, as we were put into observation rooms that would be our home for years afterwards.
I remembered the day Layla arrived, heralding the start of a new beginning.
The carnage of the battle between Eden and The Hounds, when Layla’s mates came to her rescue.
Porter being shot. The blood.
“I think Porter would have loved it here. He’d be really proud of what you’ve accomplished and who you’ve become, Stace,” Layla said softly.
I wasn’t so sure, but I didn’t say anything. “Everything sounds fine,” I said, curling away. Medicine I could do. Research, science, mathematics, these all made sense.
Feelings… not so much.
Layla grabbed my arm and pulled me against her chest. Which was a bit uncomfortable considering how much baby there was. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and squeezed me until I was forced to hug her back. I relaxed in her hold, and just let her strength and sweetness supplant my worries.
“Do you want to tell me what's wrong? Why are you bringing up Porter?”
I chewed my lip, glad she couldn’t see the tell. “I think that time in the labs, it broke something in me.” She squeezed me tighter. “Layla, breathing is necessary for survival for most of us,” I gasped out.
She drew back so she could look at me, her usually soft face stern. “You are perfect. Strong. Smart. Beautiful. A survivor. I wouldn’t change you for the world.”
An overwhelming surge of love and gratitude swept over me for this woman who was my mother. “Thanks, Layla.”
