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Carl Jung once said, “There is no light without shadow and no wholeness without imperfection.” I just wanted you to know that ever since the fire, I’ve lived in the shadows. Meeting you again has brought me out into the light. The rest of the world sees our scars as imperfections but in your arms I felt whole.
I may not have taken what I came for, but I’m leaving with so much more: a capacity to love that I never knew existed.
I’ll remember you always.
Rose x
My throat was dry. I hadn’t swallowed since I entered the room and I didn’t recall breathing either. Now, all I could feel was pain. Splinters of agony breaking out across every surface of my skin. The grief made me shake.
Before my head could catch up, my heart propelled my feet out of the room, down the stairs, across the hall and out to a waiting car. I didn’t care which of my cars it was – I hadn’t driven so much since my eyesight had worsened – but realising I was sitting in a Lamborghini didn’t hurt. I pressed the accelerator and burned down the drive, through the gates and out onto the coastal road.
According to my watch, I had three minutes to reach the helipad if I were to stop her. I called the pilot but it rang out continually with the deafening noise of whirring propellors drowning out the sound. She’d be sitting in the helicopter already, strapped in and ready to go. I couldn’t let her leave. The whole way there, I chewed on her words. I made her whole;I brought her shadows into the light. I couldn’t have put it any more accurately myself. She had put into words the exact same feelings I was battling with.
I crested the hill and the helipad came into view. I pressed my foot to the floor, racing to the aircraft which was poised for take-off. At the edge of the tarmac, I ignored all the safety signs and ploughed onto the field, swerving to a halt about three millimetres from the nose of the helicopter. The car engine hummed as I leapt out and yanked open the aircraft door. Rose’s mouth dropped open.
I stretched out my arms, the wind from the propellors whipping my shirt collar up around my neck.
“Rose, come here,” I called out over the din.
In slow motion, she unbuckled her seat belt and clambered across to me. I wrapped my arms around her small body and yanked her from the aircraft. Bypassing my car, I carried her to the sun-warmed lawns where I placed her gently on the ground. The pilot thankfully got the message no one was leaving and switched off the engine. As the propellors slowed and Rose’s hair settled messily around her shoulders, I pressed my palms to her cheeks.
“I’ll tell you everything,” I whispered.
Her large eyes rippled like freshly poured whisky.
“What?”
“I’ll tell you what happened to me. What caused my scars. I’ll tell you everything you want to know, if…”
Her head tilted to one side. “If what?”
“If you agree to join yourself to me forever. If you agree to that, I’ll let you in.”
“I-I don’t understand.”
I couldn’t hide the smile from my marred face. “I’ve met her Rose. I’ve met the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I’ve wasted the last four years hiding myself away, hopingI would get just one more glimpse of you – one more chance. I don’t want to waste any more time, Rose. If you’ll have me, then I will take you now. You will have my unwavering attention, my unbridled devotion, for the rest of your days.”
Her head shifted from side to side. “But, what about my mum…”
“Tell her,” I said. “Tell her you’ve met someone. Bring her here, let her see for herself how happy I can make her daughter.” I kissed her forehead with urgency. “I know I’ve gone about this in an unconventional way, but I will make you so happy Rose. You’re my purpose now. If you leave, I will track you down. I’ve seen the love in your eyes. As long as it burns there, I won’t ever give up. So, you can either leave now and have me stalk you every day for as long as you live, or you can give in to me and let me make you mine.”
Her voice weakened, like her fight. “University…”
“You can attend classes from here. I’ll pay your expenses.” I ran a hand through her hair and gripped it hard, steeling my gaze on hers. “You don’t ever need to worry about money again.”
Her face paled. “But… I?—”
“I know you don’t want this for the money Rose. The cheque for a hundred thousand pounds lying on my bed is proof of that. But I have it, so if I can use it to help you fulfil your dreams, let me.”
“Dax…” Her eyes brimmed with unspilled tears. “I don’t know what to say.”
I let out a breath, releasing all the demons that over the years had taken up residence in my bones. “Say you’ll be my wife.”
Her face bloomed with shock.
“Say you’ll be my Rose Thorn.”
She pressed her fingers to her lips and stifled an adorable giggle. “Seriously? That will be my name?”
I wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her into me, feeling my cock stiffen as I held her close. “Fuck yes. And you will be the most beautiful, most fragrant, most lethal Thorn that ever lived.”
She peered up at me and her expression darkened. Shadows amidst light. Imperfections against wholeness. She was multi-dimensional, multi-faceted – the full package.
And I knew then, not only had I met my soulmate, I’d met my match.
The End.
