Page 41 of Severed Heart (The Ravenhood Legacy #2)
“Good. Then get some sleep because this soldier is eagerly awaiting your next order, and regardless of what you think of yourself.” I swallow and swallow again, allowing the love I feel for her into my voice. “This soldier is in fucking awe of the fighter you are.”
I sit with her a minute longer, caressing her lightly, until her eyes start to lower.
“See you tomorrow?” I rasp, my heart thudding at the look of her under my touch before I gently pull my hand away.
She faintly nods again in reply. The soft look in her eyes, the way she’s staring back at me, has my chest blazing. But I force myself to my feet and toward the door, every step fucking grueling as my heart pounds in protest to go back to her. Just as I get to the threshold, her whisper reaches me.
“Il a prédit que je détruirais ce qu’il y a de bon dans tout homme qui choisirait de m’aimer.” He predicted I would destroy the good in any man who chose to love me.
I glance back to see her sliding her hand beneath her pillow. Her eyes focused on me. “Malheureusement, je savais déjà que c’était vrai.” Sadly, I already knew it was true. She holds my gaze intently for another beat.
“J’espère que l’amour est bien plus tendre avec toi, mon beau garcon.” I hope love is much more kind to you, my beautiful boy.
I swallow as she nods toward the switch. “Please turn off the light.”
I do and stand there until her eyes flutter closed and continue to darken her door before leaving her with a whisper, a hope of my own.
“Si seulement tu me laissais te montrer à quel point l’amour peut être bon, belle femme.” If only you would let me show you how kind love can be, beautiful woman.
* * *
WINTER 2005
General Half-Pint: Privit what doign this delpihne queston mark
I always know who this is, General Half-Pint. ;)
General Half-Pint: You mad e wink face. I make it ;/
Not quite, but you’ll get there.
General Half-Pint: I ment to do mean face ha ha
I had a feeling. Feeling a little feisty tonight, huh?
General Half-Pint: Oui and yuo will looes next batile so bad
Looking forward to your ass-whoopin’
General Half-Pint: You army gong be so broke so can not fixx it
Damn. Should I be scared?
General Half-Pint: Hmm mabye
See you later, General.
General Half-Pint: Not if see yuo first
You nailed that use of expression! I’ll make an American metaphor master out of you yet, and damn, you’ve got a mouth on you today.
General Half-Pint: Is not mout h imbcile is txting
I’m aware we’re texting, but I can hear you speaking every time you text.
General Half-Pint: Oh can hear this questin mark I’m so kick yuo in your asshloe
In my asshole? That sounds painful and yet intriguing.
General Half-Pint: Shut muoth Hurr y up I talk ng to the floor os to come to me
Okay, that text I didn’t understand. You’re talking to the floor?
General Half-Pint: Sory privit I my haze bad tonigt you at me tomorw batle
Got it. I’m sorry the haze is bad tonight. I’ll be there.
General Half-Pint: No wink fcae queston mar k
I always have a wink for you, General. How about two? ;) ;)
* * *
General Half-Pint: Solier Dom tell you came to my hosue an I wsa not here I sad
Yeah, I think I just missed you. You’re sad?
General Half-Pint: I mis you to nigt
You miss me, General?
General Half-Pint: wht, you not say you miss me fish budy question mar k
I always miss you, General.
Every fucking minute of every day I’m not with you. You looked so beautiful riding passenger yesterday, that sweaterdress, your gorgeous hair blowing in the breeze as you flashed me that fucking smile of yours. I thought I was going to lose my shit.
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Delete. Hold.
I can come back.
General Half-Pint: Plse come me now tmrrow to far way for good da y
Tomorrow is too far away?
General Half-Pint: Oui for goo d day with m y solder
If tomorrow is too far away from a good day with your soldier, then your soldier is on his way.
* * *
General Half-Pint: Jean stil l say me txet so bad /; tel l not txet him agn
I’m sorry. Your texting is improving a little.
General Half-Pint: Non no top dace arond trut h solder
Okay, not dancing around the truth. It’s still pretty bad. You still get your letters backward a lot and misspell a lot of words, but I understand every single text you send. So how about you only text me and call everyone else?
General Half-Pint: good battle plan
You just sent a perfect message, General. PERFECT.
General Half-Pint: Took sooooo lon g to write.
I’ll wait as long as it takes for a text from you. Perfect or not. I don’t care. Don’t let it worry you, okay?
General Half-Pint: I read wroet english bteter before haze and now so bad
So you used to be better at it, doesn’t mean you have to beat yourself up for it.
General Half-Pint: Jean ebarrses me
Please stop before I stage a very accurate swing on my best friend that will daze him so hard it will feel suspect.
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Delete. Hold.
I’m sorry. He can be such a dick.
General Half-Pint: Don t be maen dom abot me
I won’t. I wasn’t even thinking about being mean to Dom.
General Half-Pint: Solder is Liarrrr tongiht
You have got to teach me how to do that Jedi mind trick.
General Half-Pint: Dom somtim take my smile waay but my solder gve it b ack.
I’ll give you back every fucking smile he steals from you, baby. I promise.
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Delete. Hold.
Don’t worry about your asshole nephew. Dom’s just mad because his boots fucking stink. ;)
General Half-Pint: The y stink so bad I love wehn you make win k face )
See, that text you just sent was almost perfect. And I know you love wink face, that’s why I do it.
General Half-Pint: the haze maek lettrs hard to dicpher when mind asshleo
Delphine, when did the haze start?
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Delete. Hold.
I’m sorry your mind is being an asshole, and it’s hard to make out the letters. We’ll just keep practicing together.
General Half-Pint: Oui Is so harrd to readn wriet English now
I’ll help you all I can.
General Half-Pint: merci solder you such good friend be txtin budyy
I’m your man.
General Half-Pint: Oui Fish bud y goodnigh t
* * *
General Half-Pint: asshole if cme hous do not tikcle me
Asshole, huh? Your insults are so often spelled correctly that it’s suspicious, General.
General Half-Pint: Imbeicle
Spoke too soon, but now that I know how ticklish you are, you are screwed.
General Half-Pint: non no screw me
Don’t I know it.
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Delete. Hold.
I didn’t mean it like that.
General Half-Pint: I knw imbeciel was joke No tickl me if come to house asshole e
You secretly like my tickling, so you’re the lying asshole, but all right, no tickling tonight. This asshole is on his way.
General Half-Pint: K make wink face texte to mee
How about I wink in person?
General Half-Pint: maybe hurr up
* * *
General Half-Pint: Hve bad day soder is snow
I just ran in it, but it’s late. I didn’t know if you were up. I can come over. We can watch a Star Wars DVD.
General Half-Pint: I am not cry tonght solder wan t to try to face snow alone I stroger now
You are stronger, much stronger, but that doesn’t mean you have to face the snow alone. Let me be there for you. Maybe you can tell me why you hate it so much.
General Half-Pint: Non merci, non tnight do not want tell tired of cry in bath strongre
Okay, no crying or baths tonight, and we don’t have to talk about it, but you can stop texting.
General Half-Pint: you don t wan text me is to much tired soder questn mar
No, not because I’m tired, but because I’m jumping over the fence. ;)
* * *
General Half-Pint: thikin non bad day but mad day mad faec ;/
Thinking about what things? Why are you mad, baby?
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Backspace.
Thinking about what things? Why are you mad?
General Half-Pint: I hate job thin boss tr y fuck me
Your boss is trying to fuck you?
General Half-Pint: he say imbcile things digusgtng
Give me his address. I’ll fix the problem with your disgusting imbecile of a fucking boss really fucking quick.
General Half-Pint: Not funn y ha hah
Well, I’m not fucking laughing, Delphine. We will be talking about this face-to-face.
General Half-Pint: Don be imbicile jealus man
You have no fucking idea.
Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. Delete. Hold.
We’ll talk about it later.
General Half-Pint: non hate jealous non soldeir I am roll my ey es
No need to roll your eyes and I’m not jealous. He shouldn’t be talking to you like that.
General Half-Pint: Oui I will smash bos s imbeclie cock
Smashing his cock could do it. But you know you can quit working now anyway. Your nephews are officially fucking rich.
General Half-Pint: Not take ezekil jean mone y I not ea rn it
Ezekiel didn’t earn it either, a horse did. ;)
General Half-Pint: Ha I laugh merci it felt so go od to lagh
;)
General Half-Pint: I feel beter now you gave me wink face. NO one else ner text me are only frineds I go to frezer not for icecream
It’s okay if I’m the only one. I’m the only friend you need, right? We can talk about why you go to the freezer and not for ice cream when you’re ready. Want me to come over?
General Half-Pint: Is okya just bad work I okay don have to come to me
Too late, General, I’m already jumping the fence ;)
SPRING 2006