“You weren’t in a tuxedo, and it was a bird of paradise flower that you picked from the little alcove where you tied the knot. It was some officiant from the gay inclusive resort, Gene, Ethan, and Greyson Croft were the only guests, and you did it as the sun set by the water.”
Corbin went pale.
“You did your own vows, and you used the rings that Will purchased for you. That was the first time you were ready to get married, after trying to work toward it. On your thigh is a burn mark that resembles a skull. Do you want me to share where the matching one is?”
“Stop.”
Tori hated shocking them, but Will wanted to cross, and he couldn’t until Corbin got his shit together.
“The bottom line is this, Corbin. Your mourning is keeping Will trapped here. He wants to cross to have peace. When you die, if you don’t go toward the light, you become an angry spirit. You’re holding him here.”
Corbin began pacing.
“Elizabeth, tell him to stop wearing a path in the carpet.”
He came to a dead stop. He had moved out of the line of sight with the phone, and she shouldn’t know that. He was barefoot, silent, and her phone was not directed at him.
“So my husband…”
Tori went there.
“He’s here with me. He showed me his death state, and I can give you that if you need it as more proof.”
He stopped her.
“Please don’t.”
She got it.
“Corbin, he loves you, but he said your vows are complete. You promised to love him until death do you part, and you went beyond that. He was a bridge to one day get you here, and now, he wants to cross.”
Corbin ran his hands up and down his arms.
“I miss him.”
Tori softened.
She knew how difficult it was to lose someone you love. She lost everyone in her family, with the exception of Beau. Trey was gone, her shit mother was gone, and her questionable father, too. Losing Julian would likely kill her, and she could tell that Corbin was goddamn strong to survive what Will said he’d been through.
“He’s right beside you,” she admitted. “They can be in multiple places.”
Corbin looked around.
“Left,” Tori said, using what Will was saying to help him. “The air will feel colder where he is.”
He held out his hand.
He swore he could feel cold air swirling around it, like someone was touching it.
“He wants you to know that he will always love you, and that he doesn’t blame you for his death. It wasn’t your fault, and you weren’t meant to protect him. He didn’t suffer, and he never knew what happened to him. He didn’t feel it, and that your biggest fear is that he suffered. He didn’t. The first strike of the knife was to his heart, and he died instantly. The rest that was done was to his soulless body.”
Corbin had tears dripping down his cheeks.
“Will said that you were never meant to have forever, Corbin, because he was put in your way to help heal you, and to be that stepping stone to this.”
Corbin wiped his eyes.
“What is ‘this’?” he asked. “Because‘this’hurts.”
