Page 120 of Haunted

“My wife,” I whisper, and watch Jules close her eyes. When she opens them next, happiness shines in the beautiful orbs.

“My husband,” she whispers just as softly. Those two words center me. They give my life meaning. We never got the chance to live as husband and wife before we were cruelly ripped apart. Now though, we have all the time in the world, and I plan to cherish every single second of it.

“There was something else Kale found on Theo’s bedroom floor and gave to me.”

Her brows lift. “Isn’t it illegal to take stuff from a crime scene?”

“It is, but I’m sure there’s enough evidence against Theo that they won’t need this or the sonogram.”

There’s no fucking way I’m handing them over anyway. There’s no telling if I would get them back, and I’m not taking that chance.

“What is it?”

I pull my arm from behind her back and lean back just enough to fit my hand between us. I open my palm. When she sees what’s resting there, she gasps and tears spring to her eyes. They jump to mine with hope.

“Is that…?”

I nod and smile. “Your wedding ring.” The same one that was in the bag at the hospital in the nightstand. Theo must have found it after the first time I saw it and put it in his box offucked-up lies.

“Oh my God,” she breathes.

Without prompting, her hand appears, and I slip the simple woven diamond ring on her finger. It’s inexpensive, she certainly deserves more, but it’s what I gave her when we married, and it has the word ‘infinite’ inscribed on the inside. From the loving look in her eyes as she gazes down at it, I know the value is meaningless to her. It’s what it represents.

“I don’t know what happened to mine.” The thought saddens me.

Some of her happiness dims, so I kiss her sweetly, wanting that euphoria back.

“We’ll get another one for me. I want to marry you again. This time we’ll have the family there.”

She smiles, and once again my world is perfect.

“You saved me. You saved us.”

“Always. No matter what.”

“I love you.”

Her words are music to my ears and my heart bursts with happiness.

“I love you, Jules.”

It’s been way too fucking long since we’ve said those words to each other, and I promise myself I’ll say them at least a hundred times every day until I draw in my last breath.

I don’t know if it was God that made me have those dreams to keep Jules alive in my head or if it was just my mind not willing to let her go, but I thank whatever it was. She may have been gone from my life for seven years, but she was never truly away. She was always with me, just as she always will be.

33

LUCA

I’M A NERVOUS FUCKING wreck. My knees bounce up and down and my palms are sweaty. Nausea swirls in my stomach so much I feel like I’m going to puke my brains out.

Shit!

I didn’t know this was going to be so hard. I thought I had prepared myself, but I was fucking wrong. I don’t think anything would have prepared me.

Jules sits beside me on the couch, her nerves no better than mine. I take her palm in mine and find it just as damp.

I gather all my strength and pull my shit together. Worrying won’t help either of us. It’s been two weeks since we realized Aria was our child. Those two weeks have felt like two years.

---