And her brilliant eyes. That fire. That energy. That spark.
Lexy looks bewildered, her gaze darting around the room, her cupid bow’s lips parted.
Until they land on me.
Those sky-blue eyes, the color of a smogless day after dreary rain.
Myblue eyes.
My Nova.
Leashing down the emotions threatening to make me keel over, I rush over and pull her frail frame into my arms.
A shuddered breath escapes me.Home. Finally home.I bury my head into her fiery strands. She smells like Dawn soap and antiseptic agents, but under it all, I recognize her fragrance.
Her sweet lavender.
“Oh fuck.” I close my eyes, clasping her tighter in my hold. “You’re awake, my Nova. You’re awake.” My voice chokes up. “I-I knew you were going to wake up. I’ve never given up hope.”
Liam and Charles murmur in the background, but I can’t hear what they’re saying, because my pulse thunders in my ears and my heart free falls into oblivion.
But then I feel it.
Thewrongnessof everything.
She’s as stiff as a two by four in my arms.
She shoves me away, her eyes wide with shock and…fear? “W-Who are you?”
And my world collapses once more.
“What?” The breath is knocked out of my lungs. “Lexy, you know me. Don’t joke right now. I’m going to have a heart attack. Please don’t joke with me.”
She shakes her head vigorously and scrambles to the edge of her bed toward Liam, who automatically moves closer to his sister and glares at me.
As if he needs to protect her fromme. As if I’m the villain.
Perhaps I am. If it weren’t for me, we wouldn’t have lost these years.
If there’s a higher power, please give us a miracle. I’d give up anything…at any cost, the promise I made earlier whispers in my ear.
Perhaps this is the cost and my punishment.
“W-Who are you?”Each syllable hammers into my broken heart.
She doesn’t remember me.
Chapter 3
Past: Two Years Before the Accident—Eighteen Years Old
I stare at thecursor blinking on my opened document in my laptop.
It’s mocking me.
Three paragraphs in two hours. Of course it’s mocking you.
Closing my eyes, I try manifesting the answers to everything plaguing me these days. Positive energy and mojo, give and you shall receive.