AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His voice shudders.
Dad stares, eyes glistening, but he says nothing.
Mom has her hands clasped as she watches Silas, and she even glances at me with a small fleeting smile before her expression becomes focused again.
“What about you?” Dad says after a pause, looking at me.
“I’ve told you I wanted to find a husband, start a family. I’ve found him, Dad. Nothing would stop me if it weren’t for not wanting to hurt you or hating ourselves for what we want. I mean us. Nothing would get in our way. I want, no, Ineeda life together with Silas.”
I feel Silas staring at me, his attention a warm focus.
“People these days are always talking about how we can go after what we want,” I go on. “IfIwant a husband, a family,andto work on my career…why shouldn’t I be able to? Especially since I’m lucky enough to have found the right man.”
Dad sits back, his hand constantly fidgeting with his beard, his eyes glistening even more.
“You really love each other?” he says.
“Yes,” Silas says intensely.
“Yes,” I say, with equal passion.
He suddenly stands. “I’m not sure how I feel about this right at the moment. I need time. Until then…keep away from each other, okay?”
Without waiting for an answer, he walks into the house.
Mom flinches at the sound of the door slamming since she’s so unused to Dad being angry at home. But her smile gives me hope.
“Is this real?” she asks.
When we both nod, she goes on, “Silas, you have to promise me you really want this. With everything you have.”
“I swear, Tessa,” Silas says. “I know this isn’t ideal. I know that’s an understatement, but there’s nothing fake here.”
“This is it, Mom,” I tell her. “My chance at everything I’ve ever wanted for my life with the man I love.”
Silas and I stare at each other,intoeach other, but then Mom stands, disturbing the moment.
Rightfully so. We’ve got no business gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes here, now.
“I’ll talk to your father,” Mom says. “But for the time being….”
Silas takes the hint, standing, leaving me with the wordlovebouncing around my mind, with my heart aching as I wonder if we can ever truly experience it.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Silas
It’s only been four days, I tell myself as I walk Buster through the park.
He’s at my side, walking steadily in the lead beneath the street lamps, keeping close as though he can sense the hunger trying to break out of me.
Julian hasn’t been coming to work. Luckily, word of my scuffle with Logan has stayed out of the media. A few rumors are circulating online, but nobody recorded the quick exchange and nobody took any photos.
It’s a lucky break, but I’d rather be featured in every media outlet in the world, looking crazed and aggressive, than exist like this.
Not knowing how Julian feels, not being able to see my woman.
We haven’t spoken since I left the house, knowing we can’t do anything else until Julian tells us he’s okay with it.
