Page 115 of Silver Secrets

“First off,” he knew she was waiting for him to say her eyes were her most prominent feature. The same thing Courtney thought and wanted to keep her for. “Your freckles, and your heart-shaped lips are the features I think are most noticeable.”

“I think ‘Freckles’ would have been a better nickname than ‘Red’.”

“It’s funny that you still think I’ve called you ‘Red’ all this time because of your hair.”

Her brows furrowed. “You told me that was why, didn’t you? What else could it be?”

“Sloane.” Gage breathed deeply, scooping up some water and pouring it over her hair to get out the last of the bubbles. “Red is my favorite color. Back when Mel and I talked about me being the one to die, she made me promise that I would send her red-colored things as a sign that I was okay on the other side. Wherever that may be. One day, I made her promise the same. I can still remember the way her laugh sounded when she argued that she should send me something green—her favorite color— but I told her I wanted something red, to know she was thinking of me. Do you know what you were wearing the first day we met?”

“No,” she whispered.

“You were wearing a red dress. That one of yours that flares out at the waist. I felt it that day. This inexplicable pull towards you. The insanely calm feeling that we were meant to be in each other’s lives.”

Sloane pulled her bottom lip between her lips, and Gage reached up to release the tender flesh before she could hurt herself. “You think she’d like me? Would she be okay with us… being… us?”

“There’s no doubt in my mind, sweetheart.” His hands slid up her face. “In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion she may have been pulling strings on the other side to make sure I moved here. Because first I got a pain-in-my-ass extra sister in Em, and now, I have a future with you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know that I can give you that, Gage. I don’t know that I’ll ever come back from what happened. You deserve to be with someone whole. Someone who will bring light into your life after all you’ve been through.”

Gage reached up, his wet hand finding its way to her cheek. He pressed gently, turning her face so he could see into her eyes. “Sloane. There is a part of me so broken that it will never come back to life. A part of my soul died the same day I lost them. Nothing will ever bring them back, just like nothing will ever revive that part of me.”

“I feel that way now. Like I can’t reach my heart. Like every breath hurts.”

“I know you do, baby. But that’s why you have to hear the rest. You have to know, before this bath ends and you decide to walk out that door, that the part of my heart that’s left… the part of my soul that is still able to hear the birds sing and appreciate the beauty in a sunrise… it belongs to you. Not some idea of what you and I can be one day in the future when we survive this. Not some idea of what life will be like when the darkness finally gives way to light. Not some idea of what it was like before we were held in your basement. You. At this moment. You, letting me wash your hair. You, holding onto me for strength until you can manage standing strong on your own two feet. Right now. Always. My heart belongs to you.”

She closed her eyes, and he watched as she gently nodded. “I think I’m ready to get out now,” she whispered.

His stomach sank. “Okay. Let’s get out.”

* * *

Another week passed. Another week where Sloane stayed in bed. Where there was more darkness than light. But she was slowly starting to feel more like herself. There were days where Gage just held her. He didn’t try to get her to do anything. He didn’t force her to be more than she could be. He just existed with her.

And slowly, that was pulling her out of the darkness. She was sitting up more. Wanting to get dressed, even if it was to just get right back into bed. Sloane had even ventured out of their bedroom that morning to sit at the table while Gage ate breakfast. It was impossible to ignore the way he looked at her while he was eating, concern written in dark circles under his eyes at the fact that she only picked at the food on her plate, but it was progress. She could feel her body coming back to life.

Until a knock came and dread filled her stomach.

“Who’s at the door?” she asked as Gage walked out of the bathroom with his toothbrush still in his mouth.

“Oh, uh… I know it’s not the best timing, but I invited some friends over.”

Sloane’s body suddenly felt zapped. She didn’t have energy for anyone. She didn’t want to put on a brave face.

“Gage, I can’t. I’m not ready to see anyone. I know Mae and Lily don’t want to take no for an answer, but I don’t think?—”

He held up his hand, interrupting the speech she’d given him a hundred times over the last few days. “I think you’ll be okay with these two.”

“No. I really won’t.”

“Sit here. I’ll bring them into the bedroom. Give me two seconds.”

Gage gently guided her back to bed, pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked away, shutting the door behind him. What the hell? Sloane smoothed her hair down over her shoulders and straightened her robe. Suddenly, the apartment sounded like it was hosting a stampede.

The bedroom door flew open and all Sloane saw was a giant gray puffball floating in the air towards her.

“Darius! Be careful! I told you Sloane was hurt.”

The giant oaf plopped down on the edge of the bed, tail wagging a million miles an hour as he belly crawled towards her.

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