The Darkest Corner of the Heart (The Brightest Light #2)

by Lisina Coney

And then Dr. Giant, this man who is already way too attractive for his own good, reaches into the pocket of his scrubs and takes out a pair of glasses. And he puts them on. Goddamn it.

I take a moment to bask in the silence. And then the darkness comes back all at once, as if Sammy had been keeping it at bay and now that he’s gone, the spell shatters into a thousand cutting pieces.

And when he’s quick to put a hand on the car so I don’t hit my head as I climb in, I tell myself it’s something he does for all his patients.

“Miss Stevens.” That voice. “This is Dr. James Simmons, from the injury rehabilitation clinic.” No. Way. My heart does a little somersault—who am I kidding? A ginormous one—and

“All right, man, what is going on?” Graham’s question pulls me back into the present moment. When I look at him, he’s frowning. “I don’t know what you mean.” “You’re scowling.” “Your point? I always scowl.”

I won’t be upset if you decide to cut her off, and your brother won’t either.” I’m not so sure about that. “But he…” I squeeze my eyes shut. Damn it, these tears are not coming out. “He tried so hard to keep the peace. He—” “He tried, but your mother didn’t, and there’s nothing you or he can do about that.”

I still can’t decipher whether he appreciated it or thought it was weird, but I make sure to think about it nonstop for the next hour.

“I might be breaking a rule or two by seeking out a patient outside the clinic, so this conversation never happened.” I nod. “You were never here.” “Good girl.” Oh, hell.

My eyes fall on the man in the car a few feet away. He’s staring at the bar, too, and from out here I’m able to discern a couple of his features—old, balding head, mean scowl.

no its her father the dick

“Don’t call me Maddison. It sounds too preppy.” “I’ll call you Maddison for as long as you keep being a brat.”

Mist opens his eye to look at me and closes it a second later, snuggling on her lap again. Lucky cat.

His fingers brush mine as he lifts the pan and pours it over our pasta bowls. My mouth waters at the smell, and maybe at the sight of those strong hands too. Sue me.

“I enjoy teasing you and all that. Being playful. It’s lighthearted fun. I like it.” There’s nothing playful or lighthearted about what I want to do to you, baby.

“What does that say about you, then? That you hang out with an ancient man.” She shrugs. “I’ve always felt for the elderly.”

“Get out of here before I make you swallow your own fucking teeth for putting your hands on my girl.” My girl. His girl.

“Who did this to you, Maddie?” The sudden change in his voice takes me aback. “Who made you so untrusting, so wary? Who made you believe you were to blame for other people’s actions?”

My older brother and ex-girlfriend made sure it stayed that way.

ooo are they together

And then it combusts a little more when her niece gives me the brightest of smiles. “Do you have games on your phone?” she asks, and I nod. She turns to her aunt. “You can keep him.”