Holding out his hand, he coos to her, “It’s okay, Beauty. I’m here.”
He hears a quick intake of air and goose bumps break out across his exposed flesh. His heart starts to pound as he moves closer to the motionless figure on the ground. She has her face turned up to him, and as he approaches, she doesn’t move. Bach’sAircontinues to float around him. It’s her favorite.
“Chantel?” he whispers again.
This time, there’s slight movement.She’s coming back to me. I haven’t lost her.
The woman before him shifts. She rises to her knees as he sinks to his.
She takes his hand in hers before she replies, “Gemma.”
Holding my breath, I kneel there before the man I just gave myself to completely. He is lost. He’s in some kind of hallucination where he can’t even see me. He is seeing, feeling, and rememberingher. As I hold his hand in mine, I realize that he is shaking.
“Gemma?” he asks.
Squeezing his fingers tightly, I rise up on my knees so I am face to face with him. “Yes, it’s Gemma,” I softly reply.
There’s silence all around us, except for our breathing.
“I thought…” His voice sounds miles away even though he is kneeling right before me. “I thought she was here. I heard her.”
I swallow slowly. I try to decide if what I’m about to admit is better for him or just something that will makemefeel less crazy. “She was.”
Haunted green eyes move to mine. The darkness still surrounds us, but he is close enough that I can make out the sadness and dejection in his gaze.
“That’s why I woke up,” I whisper. I run my fingers through his hair. “She was here only minutes ago. Give her to me, Phillipe,” I entreat him softly.
His weary eyes search my features. He raises his hand to my chest and places it over my heart. The warmth that radiates from him seems to seep through my skin, touching my soul.
“Will you look after her?”
Tears start to fill my eyes as I nod slowly. “Give her to me, and I will take care of her.”
He swallows deeply, his Adam’s apple moving, as he closes his eyes and removes his palm. “Where’s the journal?”
My breath catches as I look around the room. I spot it on the floor where he dropped it earlier. I reach out to pick it up. As I touch the leather cover, I feel a shock hit my fingers. Deep down inside, as crazy as it seems, I know it isher. I know she’s just as frightened as the both of us. Refusing to be sidelined, I grab the journal and turn around, only to find he’s moved back to the bed.
He’s sitting on the edge of it, naked, save for the sheet he has pulled over to cover himself. I make my way over to him through the shadows. When I am standing before him, he looks up at me with eyes full of sorrow.
“I would have done anything to swap places with her. I begged him, you know.”
Gritting my teeth, I try not to let my tears get the better of me. My fingers tighten on the journal as he reaches out to take it from me.
“On the day she left, I made deal after deal with him to take me instead.”
I release the journal as I keep my eyes on his.
“He didn’t listen.”
Marked ~
“How could you have left me tonight, Phillipe?” I yelled as we made our way into the studio.
“Excuse me? I think if anyone left anyone, it would be you when you left me to have an all-night cozy chat with the ambassador.”
Fuming, I turned away from him.He is being so unreasonable.“He told me things.”
“I know what he told you, Chantel!” he boomed.
