Page 68 of Severed Heart (The Ravenhood Legacy #2)

“ Mistakes made due to the pain and loss of surviving the trauma you went through because of the horrific crimes the men in your life committed against you. From those you trusted most from a very young age until the day your own husband tried to end your life. Blaming yourself for other people’s failures.

Blaming yourself over and over for not being able to recover from an injury that cannot be healed .

Could never be healed because the damage is permanent. ”

I bite my lip, agony lacing my words. “It’s a traumatic brain injury, Delphine,” I deliver against her muffled cries, intent on having her hear me.

Sobs wrack her tiny body as she stares over at me, completely exposed, as I lean in and palm her cheek.

“This can cause hazy vision , both short- and long-term memory loss , severe mood swings , bouts of anxiety and depression , as well as problems with writing and reading comprehension, and can also affect speech. An injury you suffered at the hands of your ex-husband, which makes you a victim.”

Taking her shaking hands, I squeeze them lightly while keeping command of her eyes.

“So, all this guilt and shame you’ve piled upon yourself for not being able to piece together what happened, of not being able to repair yourself, and Alain’s lingering reign of fucking terror, ends today—ends right now if you want it to,” I relay, the sting in my chest intensifying tenfold at the sight of the woman rapidly unraveling in front of me, her composure crumbling.

“You’re not going to find the peace you seek in a bottle or that book.

You know that by now. You’ve tried to do it alone every day since you woke up in that hospital, but you don’t have to.

You don’t have to do it alone anymore, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not the drink we’re up against, Delphine. ”

My heart speaks now as I allow my own pain to ring through.

“The only way you’re going to find peace is by being brave enough to live again.” Her cries multiply as I soften my gaze and keep her hands in mine, rubbing my thumbs soothingly along the back of them.

“You’re right, you don’t owe me anything, but I’m begging you for this.

I’m begging you that if you want any part of that future, let me help you get to it.

But it’s not the fucking bottle we’re up against, Delphine.

Never has been. It’s just how you numb it.

And aside from sorting what happened and putting that son of a bitch behind you, he doesn’t get to have any more of you or a second past these few of your future . ”

Her face twists in agony as shuddered cries erupt from her.

“Because I want those seconds. I want as many of them as I can get. I need them because I need my goddamned general back.” I falter slightly along with my delivery as her hands tighten around mine.

“I know I told you once that soldiers don’t stay, General, but they don’t fight wars such as these alone.

If you want to finally end this battle, I swear to God, we’ll go in and do it together. ”

She visibly fractures before launching herself at me, wrapping herself around me as her cries surround me.

“Soldierrrr,” she expels as if it’s being ripped from her, her cry so guttural that I collapse on my heels and cage her as she breaks against me.

The anguish-filled lilt behind her call I know I’ll never forget as long as my fucking heart beats.

Decades of pain and confusion inside of it, thanks to the monster who not only tried to rob her of her life but damaged her in a near irreparable way.

In knowing that, I bring her shaking hand to my heart while keeping her nestled firmly to my chest as I make what promises I know I will keep. But only if she’ll allow me.

“Tell me you want it,” I whisper.

“I w-want it,” she cries. “I w-want it s-so much.”

“Then I will not leave you. You know my promise is real. You know I meant every word I just said. It scares you, just like it scared you then. Let yourself fucking feel it all, Delphine,” I whisper.

“Stop numbing and let me be here when it comes. I want this for you, always have, but you have to want it too, or it won’t work. ”

“I want it,” she repeats as her tears soak my neck while setting my heart alight with hope.

She’s clutching me back so tightly that I think it might hurt her.

“P-please, Tyler, I w-want it,” she whispers brokenly, shattered in my arms, her hurt seeping out of her like the rivulets still pouring from the table.

“I’m s-so scared,” she croaks, her chest bouncing involuntarily as her breaths become shuddered.

“I know you are, but I swear, Delphine, you have nothing or no one to be afraid of because as you were fighting your war, you created a soldier who made it his first mission to keep you safe, and to this day will never allow any threat within an inch of you. He’s been on watch of you since he was sixteen years old, and there’s absolutely nothing on earth he wouldn’t do for you.

Because being with you created him and helped make him the man he is for better or worse, so he’s going to tell you one of the secrets he’s been hiding from everyone since he left, and you’re the only soul on earth he’ll confess it to.

” She pulls away, her eyes anxiously tracing my face, my every feature.

“Your soldier needs you just as badly right now,” I declare, that truth filtering down my cheeks. “He’s not the same without you. He’s been missing a very large piece of himself for eight long fucking years.”

Her lips tremble as my voice shakes with my admission.

“I’ve loved you for nearly eleven years of my goddamned life, Delphine, and only had your body one night .

It was never about sex for me and never will be, but I need you.

I need to heal, and you’re the only one who might be able to help me do it, so please let me be your friend again, General. That’s all I want, I promise.”

“Oui. I want that so much.” She nestles back into me, her head on my chest as she nods into my neck. “My f-fishin’ b-buddy, my b-best friend. I missed you s-so much.”

“I won’t let go this time. I swear this to you, I won’t fucking let go, no matter what, and I won’t leave you,” I tell her as she continually nods into my neck. “I fucking promise on all that I am, this war we fight together.”

Time be damned, disease be damned, illness be damned, I’ll defy it all and keep my promise. To make the most of every fucking second she gives me. But most importantly, make the most of hers .

I cage her in my embrace in the silent moments we spend in her decision, guarding her from the shame and humiliation that plagues her.

Even if I never have her love in return, I have her for the time being, for as long as it takes for her to heal—maybe for us both to heal as I speak my last truth. “We healed each other before, Delphine, and we’re going to do it again,” I vow. “We’re going to do it again.”