Page 139 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

What?I couldn’t even dare to think about it.Could it be...I was scared to finish the thought.

“Why are you missing home, Livy?” Brandon’s question had her turning her head to him.

She took a deep sigh. “I don’t know, buddy. I kind of miss my mom and your mom, our little home we grew up in.” Liberty glanced out the window, a sad look in her eyes. “I really loved it there.”

“You don’t love it here? I love this castle.”

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes as she answered him. “Yes, it’s pretty cool.”

“Don’t you love Alexander?” I waited for her answer with anticipation. It was wrong of me to stand here and watch them in their little moment. I felt like a voyeur but I wanted a glimpse of my wife, without her reserve and walls she kept when I was around, holding me at bay.

“Oh my goodness, why all the questions baby?”

“Layla said you were sad because of Alexander.” Brandon was such an inquisitive mind, I had to hold back my chuckle. “Why would you be sad about him? I love him and I’m not sad.”

Liberty mumbled something under her breath, then added exasperated. “Layla really talks too much.”

The song tune on her iPhone changed and she froze. The light tunes of a guitar played, and I wondered what made her stop. She stared at her phone, Brandon and the eggs on the stove forgotten. First verse in and I knew exactly what song it was. It was her mom’s “Whiskey Lullaby.”

The seconds ticked on into minutes, but Liberty stood still in the moment, lost in the memories of her past and I wished I could make it better for her. My heart ached for my strong, beautiful wife and all the pain she endured.

“Livy, why are you crying?” Brandon’s voice alarmed me as I walked in. Liberty stood motionless, her face wet from her tears and her eyes glistening with more threatening to spill. Brandon’s eyes met mine, and there was so much worry in them.

“It’s ok, buddy,” I told him, trying to reassure him. I quickly turned off the stove and wrapped my arms around her. Her body trembled as she tried to keep her sobs in.

“Shhhh, I’m here.” She turned around and buried her face in my chest, as her body trembled trying to keep her sobs in. I wished I could take all her sadness and sorrow. I would have given anything to make it better for her.

“Alexander, can you make Livy better?” Brandon’s voice was hopeful as his eyes darted between Liberty and me.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Liberty pushed against me, her voice raspy and her nose slightly stuffy.

“We have to talk, Liberty.” It was time we fixed this.

“Not now. After dinner,” she pleaded. She looked exhausted, ready to fall off her feet. It might not be the best timing.

“Ok,” I agreed. “You sit down. Brandon and I will make dinner, and I’ll give him a bath afterwards.”

Relief crossed her face as she sat down and I realized just how tired she really was. Brandon chatted happily throughout the dinner, and I entertained him as I watched my wife’s pale face with her beautiful hazel eyes that kept avoiding my gaze.

She barely ate and as Brandon finished up the food, she got up to clean it all up.

“Livy,” her bruised hazel eyes finally met my eyes. “Leave it. The staff can do it in the morning.”

“I gave them the weekend off,” she muttered as she continued.

“Then Brandon and I will do it.” I took her plate and nudged her out of the kitchen. “Why don’t you go lie down and rest. You look like you are ready to fall off your feet.”

“Okay,” she murmured softly. “Just for a little bit.”

Brandon and I had it cleaned up, and then I gave him a bath. More like, he told me what I needed to do in order to give a child a bath since I had never done it before. The entire time, a flicker of hope grew with each hour till I went to check on my wife.

Brandon was tucked in, and before I even left his room, he was asleep. I couldn’t help but smile at such ease. I went to check on Liberty and almost expected not to find her in the room I picked out for us. The fact that I found her there was evidence of how exhausted she felt. Watching my wife sleep, curled up, her pale skin even more pronounced against her dark hair spread on the pillow, she looked frail. There were dark shadows under her eyes and I remembered how I took her against my desk earlier today. She looked tired when she came into my office but in my blind desire I didn’t see it.

I would be lying if I said I regretted taking her, but I regretted not being more considerate. I brushed my finger across her smooth skin on her face and her head slightly shifted to it, like a flower to the sun.

Her eyes fluttered open, and our eyes met. A small smile came to her lips, then she closed them again as if it was too hard to keep them open.

“Don’t leave me,” she muttered and I barely caught what she said.

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