Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jesse
My husband and I stare at each other. “You’re not going to tell me what the letter says?” he asks.
“No.”
His eyebrow slowly rises. “I could take it from you.”
“You could but you won’t.”
The way his lip curls makes my blood warm. I love sparring with him, but I can see the hurt behind his demand. He still hasn’t received anything from his sister.
“I can tell you what it says,” I offer.
“Why can’t I read it for myself?”
“It has woman stuff in there, and you hate that kind of thing.”
“Fine. Give me the gist and leave out all the girly shit.” He drops to the bed beside me.
“She wants me to help Jenny leave her house.”
“She’s already left at least once. That shouldn’t be too hard. What else does it say?”
“That’s it, really.”
He narrows his eyes and drops his hand across my throat. “What else?”
I roll my eyes. “She wants me to talk to her about what happened to her.”
His hand leaves my neck instantly, and he sits up.
That’s what I thought.
“Do you want me to give you a ride up there?” he asks, going back to hanging his clothes in the closet. I should be doing the same. We’re still unpacking. Moving sucks.
“Naw, I’ll be fine.”
He pauses what he’s doing to look over his shoulder at me. Again, my eyes lull around in my head. The man is impossible. “Yeah, sure. I would love a ride.”
“When are we going?”
I sigh. “I don’t know. I kind of want to talk to Raffe first.”
“Why would you need to do that?”
“To make sure he’s okay with it.”
“I went to see Jenny, and I sure as hell didn’t ask him for permission. He’s not going to care. You know he himself is up there right now.”
When I don’t say anything, he walks over to the bed and pushes me onto my back. “What are you worried about?” He straddles my waist and pins my arms over my head, getting in my face.
I bite my lip, thinking about what to say. I don’t want to sound insecure. “Do you think they’re going to get together?”
He stares at me. “I think it’s a good possibility. Do you have a problem with that?”
“No. I don’t want him to be alone while we’re traveling.”
“Then go up there and get her ass to come home.”
“So, you think I should do whatever it takes?”
He shrugs. “Yeah. I mean, it’s what Rachel asked of you, isn’t it?”
“I feel better knowing you’re okay with it.” A small smile plays at the corner of my mouth when he goes back to what he’s doing.
We’ll be revisiting this conversation later.
My gaze goes to the letter from Rachel. She asked me to bring Jenny home, no matter how that had to happen. I can’t deny her; I owe Rachel everything. She brought Raffe back to life after his accident.
I couldn’t do it, but she did. That’s all that matters. It’s not about keeping score. But, what I did do, was love him enough to let him go.
Rachel couldn’t do that.
That’s why she’s left this up to me, and it’s going to suck having to let him go a second time. He holds a piece of my heart.
Jesse,
It’s been two years, and in my heart I know you’ll have looked after Raffe.
Thank you for that. I’m sure you’re angry at me for hurting him, but I’m going to be honest with you.
I’m just not as strong as you were. I couldn’t bear to see him in someone else’s arms. I wanted him all for myself.
Now that my time has come to an end, I realize I’ve never really had all of him.
Part of Raffe has always been with her. His soul never quit looking for its other half.
Maybe bringing them back together will save mine.
But we both know trauma will do things to you, and I’m worried it will take drastic measures to get her to leave the only place she’s ever felt safe.
You and Dirk are soulmates. You know what that feels like. Many people don’t. I know you’ll do anything for Raffe. Please do what I couldn’t and reunite them … set his soul free.
With love,
Your sister Rachel
I don’t have to meet Jenny to see or feel her connection to Raffe.
I’ve always known it’s been there. He’s never hidden it.
Rachel is right; Jenny is a part of him.
He himself describes it as if the traffickers split him into two the day they separated them, and his other half has been with Jenny ever since. I wonder if she felt the same.
You can’t deny it. I mean, she gave her kid to Raffe. The fact the opportunity even presented itself has to make you believe in something bigger than yourself. It was as if the universe had previously written it into the stars.
Maybe what I’m about to do is already woven into the cosmos.
I flick my lighter in front of my face, amazed by the things I’m willing to do to protect the people I love.