Every day, I spent by her side.
Waiting. Watching. Needing.
We’ve been through our story.
She’s been through therapy.
We’ve both learned to be around each other, with each other, and she’s finally able to stop hiding from me. Her mind has stopped running, disappearing into that fucking fake world.
As her father burned in front of her, something in her mind finally snapped completely. She was catatonic and nothing brought her out of it. Day by day I sat and recalled every moment of our time together. Told her about when I first saw her behind that bar when she was dating Ryker. I told her how her smile would shine through my dark fucking thoughts. I spilled my heart to bring her back to me.
Honesty was best with her. I even told her about the time I woke up to find her trying to choke me in bed. I am stronger and managed to roll her over and pin her down. She had had a nightmare and freaked out. I learned all her secrets. I found out that her father had led both girls to believe they killed their mother. Only to fuck with them later, something to hold against them later in life.
The stories I heard about when she was a child and what he did to her made me want to dig up his burnt corpse and kill him over and over again.
She pads over to me wearing white ballet flats, which makes her shorter than me. She fits into my body perfectly. In sync, like we’ve been made, built to fit together.
“Brax, I’m ready,” she breaths against my lips as she reaches up to kiss me. The sweet scent of her breath fans over my face and my mouth waters to taste her. To devour her. She’s no longer broken, no longer fragmented. She’ll be mine forever.
“I know you are, baby, and I’ve never been happier.”
She walks us backward toward the small desk in the room. “Sit, I’m going to pack.” She smiles, a glimmer of happiness flickering in her gaze like a flame. Sitting back, I cross my arms in front of my chest and regard her with a smirk. She flies around the room, gliding from the closet to her bed, from her bed to bathroom, and back again. Since there’s not much to pack, she’s done in a twenty minutes. “That’s it,” she announces happily.
Her body has healed quickly, but her mind is still broken. I see her thoughts drift and when they do I’m here to bring her back. I’m her anchor as much as she is mine.
“Thank you, Brax,” she murmurs as she drops her clothes into a suitcase bound for heaven. Where her and I can finally be together.
“I want to take you away, Vixen,” I murmur quietly. My heart aches to see her like this. When they forced me to once again give her the medication, I froze. I realized I couldn’t do this anymore. I love her. I’ve always loved her. She’s been mine since the first day I saw her and there’s nothing that’s going to keep us apart again.
“B-but… I-I…” she mumbles, shaking her head and gripping the material of her dressing gown until her knuckles are white. Fuck.
“Vixen?” At her nickname her eyes dart to mine. With all the sessions we’ve spent together and with the story she told me about us, I want it to be true. I wish with all I am that I could make her dream a reality. She’s a gifted story teller. After witnessing her mother’s brutal murder her brain couldn’t take it. Then, when her father and his filthy friends started abusing her, there was no telling the further damage that did to her mind.
“Braxton?” I nod and she smiles. The one thing I’ve been waiting for since I walked into work today. “Take me home,” she begs. Her soft pleas are enough to settle my resolve and I open my arms. She rushes toward me, wrapping her arms around me and holding on as if I’m her life line. I suppose I am.
“We’re going home, baby,” I whisper into her hair. The long, dark locks are curled today and they smell of her sweet shampoo. Her body is small and fits into mine perfectly.
It’s been almost two years since I first laid eyes on her and my need for this woman hasn’t changed. It’s only gotten stronger.
My heart is hers.
My soul is hers.
As hers are mine.
We belong together. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole life.
Lifting her, I carry her through the doorway and down the corridor.
The new medication the doctor gave me in case I need it is meant to calm her episodes. Her mind is still lost in that place at times, with those memories, but with time each pill she takes will wean her from the paracosm she’s created.
I can only hope as we walk into our new life together, she’ll finally walk away from it, and be with me. As we head out to the car, I settle her in the passenger seat of my car, and make sure the bags are in the trunk.
Tia
The room is darker than the one at the hospital. Each movement flickers in my peripheral as if I’m not alone. “Tia.” Jolting at the sound, I turn to find him. Smiling, I lift my hand and reach for him. He’s carrying my tray of medication and a glass. Each day I take these and with every pill my mind doesn’t wander. It doesn’t go there.
“Brax,” I quirk playfully, which earns me a smile unlike any other. He’s handsome. So devastatingly beautiful that sometimes it hurts to look at him.
He hands me the pill and water which I take graciously, swallowing it down. I place the glass beside me and regard him again.
“How are you feeling?” he asks in a gentle tone filled with emotion.
“Tired.” I lean back against the soft pillows and watch as he settles on the bed beside me. “Do you think we’ll ever be normal?” The question comes out of nowhere and I expect him to tell me no, that I’ll never be able to have a normal life. I’m only twenty-nine and I’ve never been on a real date. I’ve known Braxton for two years and in that time he’s taken me on dates, but they weren’t real.
My mind is a tricky place. The reality I made up while I was locked inside has given him an insight into the workings of my brain, but for him to fall in love with me in that time. It’s something I never expected. And for me, falling in love with him has felt as if I’m caught in the eye of a storm, or a tornado, just spinning without a safety net. It’s scary. I’m petrified.
For a whole year, twelve months, while I sat in a hospital gown in a white room, Braxton sat beside me and told me a story. Our story. He recalled every moment. Our fairytale may have been unconventional, but I know that I’d never trade it for anything else. It’s perfect as it is.
This is our story.
“Baby, listen to me.” He cups my face in his hands and smiles. “We are perfect. Us, together, we’re incredible together, we’re indestructible. Nothing will ever get in the way of our love, our lives. You are mine, Vixen,” he vows and my heart thuds. Excitement skitters, and my body responds. Needy and achy for my husband.
“I love you, Brax. I’ve been through the darkness of my past every day with my doctor, he’s given me ways of working through it, but what’s made me better was you. Us. You telling me how we got here, that’s what matters. I’ve been outside my mind, and inside, and nothing could ever have prepared me for the happiness you’ve brought to my life. But—”
My words are interrupted when his thumb traces my lower lip. It’s a slow movement that heats my blood. I’m always turned on and ready for him. I want him. I need him. And after what I have to tell him, I think he’ll feel the same.
“Braxton, you’re going to be a father,” I whisper the words against this thumb and our gazes meet. I found out not long ago that I’m pregnant. Because of my medication, I had to have regular blood tests. When I walked into the doctor’s office that day, I didn’t realize my life was about to change. He called me with the results two days later and told me I should come in immediately. I arrived flustered and stressed, only for him to tell me I was going to have a baby. All those months in the hospital and only when I was released did a miracle happen. Even though it wasn’t planned the smile that meets my worried stare is answer enough.
“I fucking love you,” he hisses with hunger as his mouth devours mine.
&nb
sp; The End
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Acknowledgments
I’m always bad at writing these. But, I’ll give it a go. This is my first traditionally published story, and I’d like to thank Prism Heart Press for trusting my words and storytelling to sign me. Patty, you’ve been incredible in your advice, support, and putting up with my never-ending emails. You’re made this process easy and manageable.
To my PA, Jaye, if it wasn’t for you, this wouldn’t have been possible, so a HUGE thank you!!!
To my BETA for this story, Kate, you put up with the heart and mind blender with this one. And as confusing, and crazy as this story is, you took it and helped me polish it up to the point that I was proud of it. You are a gem, an angel, and a star. You do realize you’re stuck with me now right? LOL! Love you! <3
Shana! Thank you a million times over for editing this intense, crazy story. You’ve helped shine Tia and Brax so they’re all sparkly for the readers. You rock girl!! <3
To my Dreamers & Street Team, THANK YOU from the bottom of my little black heart!! You ladies are my sanity (oh wait… I don’t have any of that left!) Okay, how about you ladies are my heart. The love and constant support you show me is more than any girl could ask for. So THANK YOU!!!!
To the bloggers, as always, you guys are the glue in that keeps us going! Thank you!!! Your hard work, dedication, and support does not go unnoticed! #AllBlogsMatter!! <3
And to the readers, if it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t be sitting here writing this. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be doing something I love, so for that, I love you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! <3
About the Author
A hybrid author and freelance graphic designer, Leigh’s writing has evolved from short fan fiction stories to full length novels. From sweet and romantic, to dark and delicious, she's grown from strength to strength and hitting her stride.
On a daily basis she has a few hundred characters, storylines, and ideas floating around in her head. Generally working on two or more manuscripts at a time, she loves the variety of where her writing is taking her.
She's normally found in the cave with a mug of coffee or a glass of wine whipping up new emotional rollercoasters. You can also find her on social media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
She has a healthy addiction to reading, TV series, music, tattoos, chocolate, and ice cream. Some of her go to authors are M Never, K Webster, Pepper Winters, KL Kreig, Meghan March, and that’s just to name a few!
Like Leigh Christopher on Facebook here!
The Shattered Girl Page 14
