Page 101 of Believe In Us

“Sebastian, no please.”

Kane rushes to his side, helping him to his feet. I can’t tell if he’s hurt, though it’s Skeet who lies lifeless on the floor. I look over to Toby who stares blankly in fear at his dead friend on the floor. But just as he is about to run toward the door, another gunshot is heard.

BANG!

Toby falls lifeless to the ground.

What the fuck? I look at Kane who is holding Sebastian, covered in Skeet’s blood. I look down at Skeet, dead on the floor with a bullet to his head. Where did the gunshot come from?

That’s when I hear him. Footsteps behind me approach, tapping against the floor, matching the rapid beating of my heart. “Jade,” he mumbles, out of breath.

“Roman.” My brother appears behind me holding a gun tightly in his hand.

I stand, frozen in place, in shock, staring at him with wide eyes and my mouth dropped open. He did it. He shot Skeet. He shot Toby. Roman killed my two kidnappers right before my eyes, but most importantly my big brother saved us.

He saved my family, his family.

“Roman, you saved us!” I cry out falling into his open arms. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Of course Jade. There is nowhere else I would rather be. I came to save you and my niece and nephew. You two are my family.”

“Jade,” Sebastian whispers, rushing toward me. He picks us up and swings me in his arms as I clutch on tightly to the twins. “God Jade, I thought I had lost you three. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

“Baby I’m so sorry, I…”

He takes Sapphire out of my arms, my arms aching because I’ve been holding two babies this whole time. “No need to apologize, baby. I know he did it. I know this is all my father’s doing. He wanted to separate us but he failed yet again. He told me you left me, took the money he offered you at the hospital and left. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I never wanted the money Sebastian, I promised I would never leave you. He lied, he did this all to make it look like I took the money and left.” Tears drip down my cheeks, coating my lips in salt.

“Shh, I know baby,” he whispers, wiping the tears from my face with his thumb. “I never once believed you did. He used that against me. He played me, used what my mother did to him as a tactic against me. She was weak, she couldn’t stand up to my grandfather, but you baby, you are the strongest woman I have ever met.”

“I will never leave you Cupcake. You and our babies are everything I didn’t know I needed. There is no me without all of you anymore.”

“Same here baby. You and the kids are my entire world my entire life.” He smiles at me with the purest love shining in his eyes. “Now what do you say we get you and those angels the fuck out of here while they clean up?”

“You have the best ideas, Cupcake, the very best ideas.”

Chapter

Fifty-One

JADE

Ten Months Later

Happily ever after. That’s how all the happy fairy tales are supposed to end. However, I never believed my story would.

I was the villain, the damaged damsel, the insignificant side character who was never to be mentioned again. At least that’s what I expected out of life, and I wasn't mad about it. I actually preferred it that way.

Or so I thought.

Though all of that was before I met my other half. No, not Prince Charming, he isn't in this story either. My other half was someone as fucked and damaged as me. We were the unlikely pair, the twisted tale of opposites who in the end were more alike than they ever would have imagined. I thought we were destined to end up like Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy.

Instead, we were Shrek and fucking Fiona.Choosing to love above everything and ending up with our unexpected, yet completely desired, happy-ever-after. I must admit though, it wasn’t without challenges, and definitely not without sacrifice.

My Prince Charming turned out to be the gentile ogre, the broody monster with a heart of fucking gold. Mind you he was ridiculously gorgeous and not green and hideous, but you get the point. And although I was no princess, I learned I wasn't the bad guy either. I was dealt a horrible circumstance, and just like my girl Fi who was left all alone in her tower waiting for her savior, I was alone. Only I never knew I needed to be saved. I never thought I’d want to be saved. But I was, only not from the fire breathing dragon, but from myself. From my own fucked-up mind and traumas, and my ogre, well he needed me too.

Despite everything, or instead because of all that transgressed between us, we came out on the other side stronger and more united than we could have ever predicted. Sebastian defeated the monster who threatened to destroy him, making him fear he would become just like him. Whereas I got over my fear and past all my trauma, realizing I was never alone. In fact I was surrounded by the only people I’d ever need.

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