“I know. I do know that, but Selby put a lot of capital into it, and well, let’s be honest, I’ve been a shit husband to her. She deserves to have something to show for the last five years. And besides, it’s time. That house stopped feeling like a home a long time ago. I’ve been living with ghosts, stuck, unable to move on. I’ve stayed for a lot longer than I should have. I know that now, and I’m ready. It’s time to let go.”
I wipe his brow gently, relieved to see the cut isn’t deep, and I let my T-shirt drop. I’m pretty sure I know what this means for me, but fuck it, after how badly we’ve screwed this part up in the past, I want to be sure. I really, really need to be sure.
“So, d-does this mean you’re mine? For real? Mine to keep?”
Two gentle lines cut into his cheek. “I don’t have a lot to offer you, Jude. I don’t have much in the way of savings, and I’m pretty much joblessandhomeless, so I’m not what I’d call much of a catch.” He laughs the slightly unhinged laugh of a man who just took a flamethrower to his entire life. “I mean, I have some old furniture, a bunch of individually crated thrift store art, and a dog that sheds a lot of hair, and that’s it.” His hands are open at his sides and his smile fades. His eyes meet mine. “All I have to offer you is my bruised, bleeding heart. It’s not much, but if you want it, it’s yours.”
My chest caves and rapidly expands as scar tissue stings and sparks and slowly starts knitting itself back together. I cup his face gently and pull him closer. The balmy night air caresses my skin, heating and cooling it simultaneously, sending a subtle tremor through me. A forewarning. An omen. I’m about to speak my truth.
“That’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted.”
He leans in, his mouth open and soft, his tongue looking for mine and sucking it gently into his mouth when he finds it. It’s a knee-knocking kiss that makes the ground beneath us feel like it’s spinning. We kiss and kiss, gulping down pain and regret and turning them into somethingdifferent. Drinking each other in, savoring every sip as bitterness turns sweet. Neither of us hiding or in a hurry.
We kiss like men with years of tears to make up for and a lifetime to spend doing it.
When we surface, Romeo looks up and smiles broadly. “Look where we are, Tiger.”
We’re in the wonky, near-semi-circular shadow Inferno casts when the moonlight hits him. In fact, we’re standing right where we were the day we served him mud cakes for the first time and he almost lit Buddy on fire.
“Come on,” says Romeo, hoisting himself onto the boulder in a way that makes it look easy, “for old time’s sake.”
I clamber after him, losing my footing twice, nearly concussing myself in the process. “Jesus, has this become more treacherous, or have I gotten wiser to danger?”
“You’re just out of practice.”
“And what, you’reinpractice?”
“Yeah, course I am. I come here all the time.” He holds his hand out to help pull me up and glances down, hesitating for a moment and adding, “I still tell Inferno my secrets.”
I lie next to him, curling an arm under my head to make myself comfortable. “Really?” I tease. “I thought you said it was just a rock.”
“Oh, Jude.” He sighs patiently. “It was never a rock.”
We both look up at the starry night sky and breathe so heavily air hisses as it moves in and out of our lungs. I can’t speak for Romeo, but to me, it feels like I’m breathing easy for the first time since the day he met Selby. No, before that. Long before that.
“What kind of things do you tell him?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.
I expect him to laugh it off, but he doesn’t. Instead, he turns his head so he’s facing me and his lips are almost touching the stone. He places one hand flat on the rough surface, stroking it as reverently as one would a mythical beast known to have a temper.
“Inferno,” he whispers, “I miss him. It’s been so long, and I still miss him so much. Why can’t I forget him? Why can’t I move on?” He flicks his eyes at me as the start of a shy smile makes his lips curl at the corners. He turns back to Inferno, nodding as though the giant rock has spoken. “Oh yeah? It’s ’cause we’re fated mates, huh? Well, you’re a dragon, so you would think that, but I’m human, and that’s not how it works for us.”
I place my hand over Romeo’s and move my face close enough to feel his breath on my lips. “Romeo’s right, but he’s also wrong,” I say to my old friend, the stone dragon. “We may not have fated mates in this realm, but we dohave people who are perfect for us. People who were made for us.” My eyes sting with tears suddenly and without warning. “We get one in a lifetime. Only one.” I lean in and kiss Romeo softly. “We call them soulmates.”
He bites back a smile. “Thought you didn’t believe in soulmates.”
“I didn’t. But I was wrong.”
27
“Give me thy hand”
Now
It’s a still, breathlessmorning. The car has been packed since last night. The tank is full. The tires have been checked. We’re ready.
It’s time to go.
Tiger pants cheerfully in the back seat. He’s been anxious for the last few days, even more reluctant to leave Romeo’s shadow than usual since he first caught sight of the boxes and luggage.
