Page 169 of Severed Heart

“Jesus Christ,” I rasp out hoarsely, relieved when I see her ancient sedan parked in the driveway as I pull up. The porch light illuminating her other carefully laid out lanterns and plants. The same soft light glowing from the kitchen beckoning me that my answers are there as my heart thrashes in my chest.

Far too gone in my anger and utterly wasted on the texts I got nearly adecadelate, I waste no more time exiting my truck. Stalking over the porch, through the front door, and into the kitchen ... I’m stopped dead at the threshold by the sight that greets me.

Delphine stands at the refrigerator with the freezer door open. A pitcher of iced tea on the counter. But it’s the sight of her, hair back to onyx-black, laying in silky waves over her shoulders, standing in a light blue sundress, feet bare, toenails painted, her skin glowing, full lips tinted, that sends me fucking reeling.

“Hi, Soldier,” she whispers as she lifts her gorgeous silver eyes to mine, and I swear I see her cheeks heat.

“You look . . .”

“Not the same as I once did, I know, but I fixed my hair,” she relays as if she’s not knocking the breath out of me with a sledgehammer.

“So ... fucking beautiful,” I rasp out, swallowing and swallowing again as her eyes hold mine, searching for long seconds before they light with some satisfaction.

“It’s so ironic,” she utters. “You know I hated men noticing me for so long. Hated being their idea of beautiful and today paid lots of money to resemble a fraction of that woman.” Her eyes bulge. “It was so expensive, but Layla is my new friend, and I’m excited we are going to have ‘lady dates.’I learned so much today. It’s so strange, but I have poison in my face!” She smiles, pointing to her cheeks. “And”—she extends her foot—“do you like my toes?”

Pulling the phone from my jeans as my heart thrashes toward the woman rattling feet away—looking like the dream I once worshipped with my eyes, lips, and cock—I lift my old Sidekick, and she stares at it like it’s nothing to be concerned about.

“You will use your old phone again?” She frowns. “Okay, I will maybe need the number.”

“Not exactly, Delphine.” I take a menacing step forward as she searches my expression, seeming confused by the hostility radiating from me. “No,today, I finally got your missed calls andmessages. Eight fucking years later.”

She stares back at me, her eyes dropping. “Oh.”

“Oh, she says.” I shake my head in disbelief. “Oh? That’s all you have to say.”

She blows out a loaded breath as long seconds tick by, the night breeze lifting the kitchen curtains as she finally speaks. “What do you want me to say, Soldier?”

“I will wait,” I grit out. “Wait,how?”

She remains mute as she visibly starts to shake.

“Look at me, goddamn you,” I snap. When she does, she brings watering eyes to mine. “Wait, how, Delphine? Answer me!”

“How you asked me to.”

“How Iasked you to,” I deliver with so much venom that she flinches. “How Iasked you to? You mean as the woman I wanted to build a life with and around? The woman I wanted to love and trust with every part of me? Surrender my heart to? Make love to and fuck every chance I got? Be with in every way a man can be with a woman for the rest of my fucking life? Inthatway?”

“Yes,” she answers, her silver eyes holding mine as they shed silent tears. “But I was not sure of that, Tyler, not as much then as I am now. You know it was very complicated.”

“Complicated,” I scoff. “Well, you sure didn’t fucking helpuncomplicate that once, did you? Not. Fucking. Once!”

“Soldier—”

“Did it ever once fucking occur to you that I switched phones or that maybe I was so hurt by what happened that I didn’t bother to retrieve my phone before I left for the Marines?”

“I—but you have your phone,” she points out.

“Because mymotherput it in a box with other things she thought I might want to keep. Because mymotherknew our text exchanges were on this phone because I showed them to her when we were trying to diagnose you.”

“You showed her my messages?”

“I think you’re missing the point, Delphine!”

“I’m not, Soldier. Do you want some iced tea?” she asks, voice shaking.

“Delphine!”

Another tear slips down her cheek.