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

by Lisina Coney

“My father is dead.”

“You’re my sister, my blood, my everything. You were never a burden, okay? Never. Since you were born, all I wanted was to keep you all to myself because I knew nobody would take better care of you than your big brother. You gave me a purpose—you still do, just like Lila and Grace. You three are the only ones who matter to me, and you could never be a burden to anybody in this family. You could never be when we love you so much.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better sister. I love you and I’m proud of you, you hear me? We all are, and I will remind you every single day for the rest of my life if I have to.”

“I love you,” I say against his skin, my voice muffled. “I love you all so much. I love you.” He wraps his arms around me, pulling me into a big bear hug that glues all my broken pieces back together. “Cry for as long as you need, princess. I’m not going anywhere, and Lila would love nothing more than to cuddle with you all day long.”

“He wasn’t a good man,” my mother says in a firm voice, eyes on his casket. She stands still, rigid, but not solemnly. “Living with him wasn’t easy, but I don’t regret it. He gave me you, after all.”

“Thank you for being here. You didn’t have to, but I needed you, and I’m glad you’re here.” The softness of his gaze, so contrasting to all his rough edges, ends me. “I need you more, Maddie. Trust me on that.”

“How do you see yourself in five years?” “With you.” My heart stops. “Doing what?” When did his forehead come so close to mine? “I don’t care, Maddie, as long as I’m by your side. I know you’re twenty-one and have many things to figure out still, but so do I.”

I’m tired of fighting this when all I’ve wanted since I laid my eyes on you was to be in your life. Take care of you, love you like you deserve. And if that means quitting my job to move somewhere else with you, or have a bunch of kids, or adopt a dozen cats, then I’ll do it with a smile on my face because it’ll mean I get to have you.”

I don’t want to pretend anymore, Maddie. It’s tearing me apart.” My voice comes out as a whisper. “Wh-What do you mean?” “It means I love you,” he declares, inking his words permanently on my soul. “It means I’ve fallen in love with you, and I’m so scared to fuck this up, I can’t think straight. That’s what it means.”

“You’re my guiding light, Maddie. You have been since the moment I met you. You’re admirable in so many ways, I would lose my breath if I dared list them one by one. Just the fact that you’re here today, facing the demons of your past, tells me I have a lot to learn from you. I feel like the luckiest man on this planet when you smile at me, and I want to make you happy, to love and protect you for as long as you’ll want me. If you even do.”

“I wouldn’t allow myself to fall in deep because I needed to protect my heart, but… My heart doesn’t need protecting from you. You’re worthy of it, James—of all of me. Don’t ever doubt that again.”

“My heart is yours,” I whisper against his lips. “And I want your heart, James, all the dark corners that come with it. Will you give it to me?” His charged gaze searches mine. “It’s always been yours.”

“I love you,” I whisper against his lips as I pull away briefly, and only because I needed him to hear it. “I love you. So fucking much. I will love you every moment until the day I take my last breath and all over again in my next life.”

He… Oh my God. He drew a mandala. By hand. In the shape of a heart.

She’s my light, my world, my everything, and I’m tired of feeling bad about it.

“She’s it for me. We’ve found something special in each other, a home we never thought we would find in another person, and I’m sorry, sir, but I won’t give her up unless she wants me to. She’s too important to me. She’s my everything.”

“I don’t know what kind of man you are. But I know this, James—if you ever hurt my sister in any way, shape, or form… I don’t care who or where you are, because I’ll find you, I’ll fucking end you, and I’ll make it look like an accident. Am I making myself clear?”

“This doesn’t mean I like you,” he warns, but the easiness in his eyes tells a different story. Much like his sister, he can’t hide anything in them. He holds out his hand, and I give it a firm shake. “I’m still keeping you under surveillance.” “I understand.” “And please, cut that sir crap. It makes me feel old as shit,”

“Yes, Lila. I’m Maddie’s boyfriend—James,” I declare so proudly I swear my heart combusts. “It’s really nice to meet you.” 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.” That dissipates the remains of the tension between us as we all laugh. And when I catch Maddie’s next words, a low whisper, all the darkness in my heart goes away at once. “I was already going to.”

“So fucking sweet. I can’t wait to fill you up. Do you want that, baby? Do you need my cock in this tight pussy right now?” “Yes,” I pant. “God, yes.” “Yeah?” he teases. “I need your cock inside me. Shit,” I whimper as he continues to eat me out. “I want it so bad.”

“There’s my pretty girl,” he coos. “You take my cock so well. It stretches you nice and good, doesn’t it? Fuck, yes. Keep touching yourself like that.”

“I love you,” he whispers, the softness of his voice contrasting with his punishing thrusts. “I love you so much, Maddie. More than anything. More than life itself.” His words throw me over the edge, but I don’t want to fall without telling him, “I love you too. I love you. I love you.”

For better or for worse, she’s the reason I’m the person I am today. And I love this new Maddie with all my soul.

“You’ve always been such selfless souls, your brother and you. So strong, so full of love to give. I don’t deserve you.” “Yes, you do,” I tell her firmly. “Please, Mom, stop punishing yourself for this.” She chuckles, but it’s humorless. “It’s going to take a while.”

“Thank you, Maddie. Thank you,” she whispers. “I love you so much, dear. I will never forgive myself for hurting you, but I promise to be the mother you’ve always deserved from now on. If you’ll accept me.”

“I want you in my life, Mom,” I tell her, holding her close. “Sammy does too. We love you, and I forgive you. I want to start anew. Do you?” “Yes. So much.” She pulls away, wiping my tears away like she would do when I was a child. “I’m proud of the selfless, loving, giving woman you have become, and I couldn’t be prouder to be your mother. Don’t ever forget that.” I won’t. For as long as I live, I won’t.

He grounds me, calms me, and I know without a doubt now that this is where I’m meant to be. He’s the one I was always meant to find, the one I was meant to share this journey of healing with.

I’d love to open my own one day,” I confess out loud for the first time, and it doesn’t sound silly or far-fetched. James is looking at me like I’ve finally figured out an answer he’s known for a while. “I want to offer inspiration to young girls, to teach them to cherish their bodies and embrace the journey, no matter where it takes them.” “That’s a beautiful dream, my love.”

“You’re a gift to this world, Maddie. I’m so goddamn lucky I’ll get to be with you every step of the way, holding your hand. I’m sure you’ll make a difference. You already did with me.” He smiles, a smile so soft and full of love, I almost can’t believe this incredible man is all mine. I wrap my arms around his torso again, hugging him against me. “Ugh,” I groan, which makes him chuckle. “I didn’t think I could possibly love you more.” But I was wrong. So wrong.

And ten years ago, fate put me in the professional care of some sexy man called Dr. Simmons, and I’ve chosen to put up with (and love) the stick up his ass ever since.

“You angry with me, Mommy?” “I’m angrier with your daddy, if I’m being honest.” I mock-glare at my husband, who holds his hands up again. “I only looked away for a second,” he insists. “Shadow and Mist were chasing each other, and I was making sure they didn’t break anything.” “Mm.” I run a hand through Dylan’s messy brown curls and kiss the top of his head. “It’s okay. Just tell Daddy to give you more eggs and flour, okay? And change your T-shirt.” “I was just making Gramma’s cake recipe.” He pouts again, and I melt. “Lila said she liked it last time. I ruined it.”

“Can she sing happy birthday in your belly?” he asks, so full of innocence and love for his unborn little sister, I want to bawl my eyes out. “I don’t think so, but she will sing for you at the top of her lungs next year when she’s here,” I tell him. That makes him smile. “Yes! I want to see her face now. Do you want to see her face now, Daddy?”

“Fuck, it’s so hard to hold in the laughter sometimes,” James whispers, shaking his head with amusement as he stands up. “He’s so funny.” “He gets it from his mommy,” I tease. “Yeah, you’re both brats.” “But you love us.” “More than anything in the world.”

“This is kind of your fault, you know? You and Dylan told her you wanted to see her face, and she’s clearly eager to meet her daddy and older brother too.” James opens and closes his mouth several times, like a fish out of water, but nothing comes out. “I…” he starts, blinking his shock away. “She’s coming? We’re going to hold our little girl today?”

And after our precious Alice is born six hours later and she’s asleep in her father’s arms as I rest, I know for sure this is the life I was always meant to live. There’s no other place I would rather be, no man I would ever want to build a family with.

Life is a constant battle of choices, and you won’t know if you’ve made the right one until you dare to take a leap of faith. This was mine.