book 1 ✔︎
book 2 ✔︎
book 3 ✔︎
PART OF ME - you become so emotionally close to someone that you feel like they are literally a part of you, like a half of your heart. You don't want to live without them - you can't.
Aviana Ember wouldn't know this fe...
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The first thing I notice is the headache. It's as if there's a little man in my head banging a hammer against my forehead. I groan and reach around my bed for my phone, but all my fingers find are empty sheets. I stir again and try to pry myself up onto my elbows, but my head is so much heavier than I remember it being.
I glance around the room. It must be early morning; hazy light hides behind the blinds. My couch moans, and my body jumps in fright when my eyes land on a body, too big to sleep comfortably on the tiny sofa.
"Axel?" I whisper, confused.
His eyes flicker open and he sits up instantly. "How are you?"
I rub my temples. "What happened? Why does my head hurt?"
He stares at me. There's something I don't remember obviously. Did I do something with Axel? "Um," he sighs, "you, you're hungover. I was going to give you something for it last night but you fell asleep in my car."
I frown. "Why was I in your car?"
He leans forehead, folding his hands in front of him. "You really don't remember anything?"
I stare back at him in his adorable Star Wars pyjamas. He must keep a set here, unless they're Will's, but he looks so comfortable; so snuggle-able. His face, though, so calm and compassionate all of a sudden, is bruised badly, and something comes back to me, and my eyes flicker down to his knuckles, his bandage stained brownish-red.
I can't even think about what happened to me. I jolt up, holding my face in my hands. "Jem?" I gasp. "Where's Jem?"
He sighs, surprised she's the first thing I think about. "Jem's fine, Aviana."
"She's not hurt?" I worry, my heart pounding harder. I see her fall to the floor again. I hear screaming. "I tried to," I drop my head, "I didn't know he would do that. I would have caught her if I could, Axel, I'm so sorry."
He shakes his head and smiles softly. "She's not hurt at all. She's okay."
"How is she taking everything? Is she okay emotionally? I can't imagine what that would do to a three year old. She's so brave."
Axel chuckles, combing his fingers through his soft, coffee hair. "Jem's great. She's got tough skin. She insists with staying with our mom. And she just won't shut up," he sighs, his smile wide, and falls back against the couch and gazes at the ceiling as if it's a work of art. "She's trying to read Mom's book, but obviously she can't because she's only fucking three years old, and then she makes up some crazy story on her own and Mom is just in awe. They sit there for hours."
His heart is heavy, I can tell. He blames himself. He couldn't protect them, and now he hates himself.
