“Yeah.”
I lean my forehead against his. “I don’t want to be obsessed with you.”
His face cocks into that irresistible grin. “Not every obsession is unhealthy, Stella.”
Can he hear my heart race?
I glance at the mirror hanging above the fireplace. We both look so small and fragile in this big, harsh, dark world. Like at any moment, one of us could simply shatter, glass on marble. A tear rolls down my cheek.
Pax leans over and wipes it off with his thumb. He smells like fresh night air and wine. “I want to be more than partners, Stella.”
“I don’t know if I can,” I whisper. “Losing a love like Daisy… I don’t know if I can live through another hurt like that.”
He leans forward and places his lips on mine. I gasp, and I realize he’s taken my breath away. Stolen it: stolen breath, stolen heart. Pax’s lips are soft and light and they taste like mint and grapefruit and wine and music and laughter and love.
He tastes like love.
Pax lifts his hands to both sides of my face and kisses me harder. I melt like candlewax.
Spirit applauds and offers us a standing ovation. Cheers and huzzahs.
He leans back. “No more lies. So here’s the truth: I can’t promise you there will be no more loss. I can’t guarantee noheartache. But I can promise you my heart, here. Now.” He taps the diamond brooch. “For what it’s worth.”
I chuckle. “Well, when I met you, your heart was valued at exactly a nickel,which you never paid. But your net worth has grown a tad since we’ve known each other.”
Pax tosses his curly, dark hair with a laugh, that deep, rich coffee laugh of his, and he kisses me again. And again.
Daisy did this.
I don’t know how she did it, but she managed it all. She gave me Pax and Nirav and Kiyoko and William. She gave me money. She gave me friends and a home. She took care of me. She’s always taken care of me.
A sob escapes me.
Pax’s face tilts, a mixture of concern and tease. “I’m notthatbad a kisser, am I?”
I laugh, shake my head, and lean over to kiss him again. And again. And again. I kiss Pax. I inhale. Life. Love. All of it. All of it.
I hear music. A new tune, one with lush harmonies and a deeply happy melody. Music disappeared with Daisy and returned with Pax. Love disappeared with Daisy and returned with Pax. Pax is the dance. And Iamhis partner. His dance partner. His lovely thief.
THE LOVERS
THE 6TH MAJOR ARCANA CARD
Two lovers meet in a lush garden, and a spirit in the sky offers its blessing.
Upright: love, soulmates, kindred spirits, romance, desire
Reversed: disharmony, imbalance, conflict, disconnection, detachment
Ourmamanused to repeat a French saying,C’est fait par du monde. It means, loosely, “It is made by humans.” It’s a reminder that the world’s greatest paintings, the most awe-inspiring statues, the triumphs of architecture and music, stage and literature: all crafted by mere humans. While the inspiration for these may be divine, the artifact is created by human hands.
I would argue that love falls into this category, too.
Love.
C’est fait par du monde.
You might’ve started this story thinking it a tale of revenge, Friend. But it is, rather, a love story, and a sibling story. A story of how siblings save one another over and over and over.
