Damaged: The Dillon Sisters by Layla Frost (young adult books to read TXT) 📗

fridge and put it in—cutting board, knife, and all. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I… I want to give you something.” She brought her hand from behind her back and handed me something long and thin.

A straight razor.

Her straight razor.

The one she’d stolen from her father when she was a teenager.

The one she’d planned on killing herself with.

My brows lowered at the piece of steel in my hand.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d cut Briar. Couldn’t remember the last time she’d needed it. I still cuffed her throat with my hand or pulled her hair or fucked her like I was trying to fuse our souls together. That’d been more than enough release for us both. Or so I thought.

Studying her, I looked for any of her usual tells that she was upset or depressed or anxious. There were none.

But something was off. She was being cagey.

“What’s wrong, flower?” I repeated.

“I want you to get rid of it.”

Although the rest of her cut kit was long gone, Briar had held on to that razor. Not to use it, she’d sworn, but as a reminder that she was in control.

“Why now?” I asked, still lost.

“I don’t need it. And we don’t need it for, uh, release.”

Pocketing it, I didn’t try to hide how happy and proud I was.

“Plus…” She hesitated.

I braced, forcing myself to be patient.

I didn’t brace enough.

“Plus, I don’t think cutting will be good for our baby.” Her other hand came from behind her back and she handed me something else long and thin. It was the antithesis of the blade.

One could end a life.

The other was a symbol of the beginning of it.

“Say something,” she tried to order, but there was no venom in her wobbly voice.

“I wanted to save you.” My own voice sounded off. I cleared my throat. “To see you happy. I wanted to give you a reason to live.”

“You did.”

“But I never realized how much I needed saving, too. And just when I think our life can’t get any more perfect, you prove me wrong.” I held up the pregnancy test. “You give me something else.”

Happy tears rimmed her pretty eyes as she face planted into my hold. “It’s why I’m your favorite.”

“Forever.” Fisting her hair, I tipped her head back. “Thank you for trusting your heart to a stalker tech nerd. I’ll live the rest of my life making sure you never regret it.”

“I won’t.” She swiped at her tears. “Thank you for making my cheeks hurt.”

Assuming she meant right then, I was about to release the tight hold I had on her hair.

Her hands shot up to grip my wrists and keep them in place. “From smiling so much. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how easy it is now.”

I dropped my forehead to my wife’s.

My pregnant wife.

“I need to call Aria,” she said.

“Later.” I moved my head lower, trailing my lips along her neck.

“No, I want to tell her before they leave for dinner.”

“Later,” I repeated.

“Now.” Although she didn’t sound as sure.

“I need to show you how else I can make you smile.” I pushed in close so she could feel my hard cock. “Take off your pants and climb onto the counter.”

“You know how I feel about sexual manipulation.” Her words would’ve held more weight if she weren’t stripping down as she spoke them.

“You love it.” I lifted her onto the counter before positioning myself between her spread legs.

“I really do.”

Then, like the first time she’d sat in that spot, she grinned at me.

And it was just as blindingly beautiful.

Briar

One and a half years later

SITTING ON THE kitchen counter, I flipped through the notebook Dr. Linda had given me a couple years before. Every day, I was supposed to write something good. One reason I smiled.

One thing I had to live for.

At first, it’d been hard to find happiness. I’d had to settle for listing the least bad parts of my life.

But then it got better. Easier. I didn’t settle nor did I have to search for joy.

Thanks to Alexander, my life was joy in abundance.

It wasn’t perfect. I wasn’t perfect. I still saw Dr. Linda. I still took meds. I still had an anxiety elephant that liked to sit on my chest. I still had intrusive thoughts that twisted inside me like thorny vines. I still had the occasional bad day that required a depression nap.

Alexander and his magic dick hadn’t cured me. I wasn’t normal—whatever the hell that was. And I’d never be picture-perfect.

But I was able to love and be loved. Worthy of it. Unconditionally. Reassuringly.

Obsessively.

Soft snores and squeaks grew louder before Alexander entered the kitchen. Once he was within reach, I swiped his precious cargo.

Baby Rose.

All blond hair, honey eyes, and chubby cheeks.

She was perfection.

I kissed her soft skin and inhaled her baby scent, marveling for the billionth time that day that we’d created something so incredible.

I’d thought I’d fallen for Alexander quickly, but it was nothing compared to Rose. I’d loved her from the second those two pink lines had appeared. I continued to love her more and more with each passing day.

And she’d always know it, too. There’d be no cruelty. No cold indifference. Only a lot of love and acceptance and smiles so wide, they hurt our cheeks.

Alexander positioned himself between my thighs—his favorite place to be. “They’re almost here.”

I glanced around. “Did you pick up—”

“The Fudge Stripe cookies and marshmallows, yes.”

“What about—”

“Salsa and chips, too.”

“How about…”

“What’d I forget?” he asked when I didn’t finish my sentence.

“Nothing, I just like keeping you on your toes.”

Careful of the baby, he pushed in closer, his voice low and rough. “And I like keeping you on your knees.”

“Maybe if we’re quiet, we can sneak upstairs and pretend we’re not home.”

As if on cue, someone knocked at the door and Mister, genius guard dog he was, began barking.

“Think that ship has sailed, flower.” He took Rose so I could hop down.

Walking to the front of the house, I opened the door to kisses, hugs, and