“That’s the most important thing. All the surgeries went well. They said you’re fighting.” There was a sniffle somewhere close by. “I’m so sorry, Alex.” The dark cloud woman from my past apologized again. “I’m so sorry. I’ll come back tomorrow, okay?”
The darkness flashed once more, and her voice and sickly-sweet smell were gone. It was gone for a long time, and there was no more Jade either. There was just a void. There was just nothing. No sounds, no images, no feelings.
Justnothing.
But then I was propelled somewhere. I swayed back and forth, the light blinding. I had eyes. I blinked them open, staring at something white.
My name was Alex. I was thirty-four. My birthday was in October. October nineteenth. I was Russian.
Da. Da, ya govoril po russki.
But who was that person standing by the window and looking out? It was a young woman, she had jet-black hair, and she wore a white T-shirt and beige cargo pants.
I blinked, wanting to ask her to turn around. I opened my mouth, but there was no sound. What was this place?
Beep, beep, beep.
I looked toward the steady beeping. What was that? I didn’t know, so I looked down instead, seeing an arm. That was mine, and those were my fingers. I wanted to move them, and they did.
Do not touch her. Do not think about her. Do not fall in love.
“Ah!” Someone gasped, and I looked toward the woman at the window, finally getting a glimpse of her face. “A-Alex! Oh my God, you’re awake!”
This must have been Jade. She looked different when she was in the darkness with me, but this must have been her. I lifted afinger, and the woman came closer, eagerly clasping my hand in hers. Except her hand was cold.
Jade’s touch was always warm.All of her was warmth and softness and fire and damn fucking sparkles.
I pushed past the heavy weight that settled on my chest. Jade didn’t feel like that. Jade cradled me in her arms and kissed my lips—as light as a butterfly. This woman didn’t do that. No. She drank something instead. She drank my life energy.
“Alex,” the woman said through tears. “I’m-I’m so happy you’re awake! It’s been a month!” She sat in front of me and held my hand, crying and crying andcrying.
But I was drifting into the darkness once more, deep down knowing that something was wrong.
“Alex,” someone whispered. “Alex, I have to tell you something.” The darkness faded out, and the beeping faded in. “Alex, I should hate you…I should hate you for what you did, but I don’t.” The person sniffled, but I kept my eyes closed.
Cold fingers clasped around mine, and that feeling of unexplained dread returned.
“I love you, Alex. I love you, even—” Was this…Jade? “Even after what you did to me! Because I understand now,” she spoke softly, clutching my hand. “I get it. I get why you did it, and it-it changed me. As a person.” She chuckled quietly. “Look at me! I’m in a T-shirt and jeans! Have you ever seen me wear that? Never!”
No, this wasn’t Jade.Thiswas the dark cloud woman, and I knew her.
“But I’m sorry I told him, Alex!” The woman sobbed loudly, and my whole body jerked from the sudden sound. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know he was going to do this!”
I opened my eyes then and recognized something on the woman—her earrings. I bought her those earrings. We went to Tiffany’s together, and she picked them out. The earrings were called Tiffany Victoria. I paid with my black Amex.
But what was the woman’s name? And why did she keep apologizing?
The images were hazy and confusing, but it was building inside me. I remembered Jade clearly last night. I kidnapped Jade, her last name was Moretti, and she was the love of my life.
And I had no idea where she was.
“Why—” My voice was a croak—a mere whisper, but it got the woman’s attention. “Why’re you saying sorry all the time?”
She shot her gaze to mine, full of disbelief and…
Guilt.
“Shh, shh, don’t strain yourself.”
