Page 512 of Dark Love

After I just exposed so much of myself to him, he can’t even tell me his name. The pain those words cause—

“It’s not because I don’t want to tell you. It’s because I don’t have a name.”

Huh? “Everyone has a name. It’s given to you when you’re born.”

“In a hospital like a normal person. My father didn’t believe in sharing unnecessary information with the government. So, when I was born, he never took my mother to the hospital, nor did he tell the government that I even existed. Vex is the only name he ever gave me.”

No name. The man in front of me wasn’t even given the simple respect of a name. “But you own all this. You have to have a name to buy stuff.”

“It’s a flawlessly crafted false ID.”

“Like spies have in the movies?”

Vex chuckles. “Still not a spy.”

“It would have been easier if you were.” Sort of. I think. At least then he would have had a family that loved him and a name to hold on to.

“Life doesn’t always give us a choice.”

It should. No one should ever have to grow up like Vex did. “I don’t want to call you Vex anymore.”

“Then don’t call me Vex.”

As simple as that, he gives me what I want, even if it means changing who he is. “But I don’t know what to call you?”

We sit silently staring at each other like a name is just going to miraculously appear if we think hard enough.

“The first words you said to me were ‘Hello, Darling.’ I felt that darling down to my soul. It shook me.”

“It did?”

He nods.

“I could call you that. In private.”

“That works for me, if it works for you.”

“So, every morning I’m going to wake up and say hello, Darling, then kiss you.” That sounds too perfect.

“No. New rule. No kissing in bed.”

What? “You said I could kiss you any time I wanted to.”

“Not in bed.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’ll be getting an unexpected visit from your mother. Where she tells you how disappointed she is in you.”

Why would she… Oh. OH! “No kissing in bed. But I’m still going to say good morning, Darling.”

“Looking forward to it.”

“And if I can’t kiss you then, I better kiss you now.” I shift up onto my knees and kiss him.

Today is officially the best day ever.

Not One Of The Girls

---