Hot Summer Night

12 - Seraphine

I'm grateful Declan went out to buy me something so personal, but it embarrassed me to have him do it. It was either having him go or me going to the store looking as if someone tried to murder me, embarrassing myself more. I seriously felt like a walking blood bank as heavy as I was bleeding.

I'm still stunned that after thirteen years of believing I'd never see my ex again and wondering what happened, Declan's back in my life, and I'm in his home. Since coming here, I've slept the best in years until last night.

I woke up in a sweat after having a dream that felt real. Chadwick discovered where I was, broke into Declan's home, and instead of snatching me, he took Everly, torturing her until she told him where to find me. When he did, he bound and gagged me, beat me until I couldn't move, see, or breathe, and then dragged me by my hair out of my room, down the hallway and stairs, and out of the house and to his car.

While being dragged, he and Declan were involved in a shoot-out, and Chadwick was calling Declan names I couldn't pick out and accusing him of killing his family. He also boasted about torturing and hurting my ex's daughter, similar to what Declan had done to someone close to my husband. He also gloated about how he took the love of Declan's life and tortured her until he broke her—me.

When Declan begged and pleaded with Chadwick to let me go, I awoke when he pressed the barrel of his gun deeper into my temple, threatening to pull the trigger if Declan continued coming after us. It felt so real that I ran to Declan's room. I was out of breath and couldn't speak when I got to Declan's room; all I could do was beg him with my eyes to ensure I was safe. It warmed me when he lifted the sheets, offered me a spot in his bed, and comforted me with no questions asked and expecting nothing in return.

I don't want to think about this, but being in Declan's bed and his arms again felt good. I felt so content, secure, safe, and loved—feelings I hadn't felt since Declan and I were an item—that I quickly fell back to sleep.

Declan may have expressed that he's still in love with me, but no love exists between us. For years, I missed him and cried often for his return, but the love I still felt for him left me when I saw he had a child almost as old as our breakup. That hurt me to no end, including when he admitted that he had signed on another four years when he had told me he was done. I instantly felt that the Marines were more important than me.

Declan asked for me to find it in his heart to forgive him and for a truce, and I'm unsure if I want to accept his truce or forgive him. He broke and shattered me.

If he had told me from the beginning he decided to stay on with the Marines, I never would've met and married the monster I did and become a victim of daily abuse for nearly seven long years. I would've waited for Declan's return like I always did when he got deployed.

I sighed as I rolled to my side, blankly staring at the glass of water Declan left on the nightstand for me. I thought about everything Declan had done since arriving at his home. Since he naturally took care of me without asking what I needed, I feel he deserves a truce—this time.

Declan left me a note saying he was at work and told me to call him if I needed anything. But I wouldn't call him unless it was an emergency.

I left Declan's room and headed to mine. I showered, changed, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee, but Declan already had that covered. He left a mug beside it with another note telling me my favorite cream was in the fridge—caramel macchiato.

I licked my lips and smiled that he remembered something as small as that. I also felt thrilled to have cream in my coffee again.

There was also another note with keys on top of it on the breakfast bar countertop.