Fragile Sanctuary (Sparrow Falls #1)

by Catherine Cowles

I was a different person than I was back then. Not just because I’d grown up but because I knew what life could throw at you. I knew you had to be grateful for every moment because you weren’t guaranteed a certain number of them.

“Don’t do people. Love dogs.” And with that, he stalked back to the main site and his crew.

Fuck. No, I needed a word a hell of a lot stronger than fuck. But I wasn’t sure the English language had one.

I didn’t offer her platitudes or I’m sorries. Because none of that did any good. It didn’t comfort. It didn’t ease. Nothing could. Not in the face of that kind of loss.

“You shouldn’t hide a damned thing, Reckless. Especially not something that proves how strong you are.”

“Sometimes, the only way to stay alive and breathing is to pretend it never happened. Over time, you can let it in, piece by piece, but if you do it all at once, you could drown in the grief.”

If everything happened for a reason, we were all walking around rocking some seriously horrendous karma.

“But good can come, even out of those darkest depths. It doesn’t mean we’re glad we went through it. It just means we won’t let it change us for the worse.”

“You’re right. He does need people.” “We all do. It’s just harder for some to let them in.”

“Sometimes, being the one who’s left behind is the heaviest weight. But it doesn’t mean you stop fighting.”

“Sleep, Reckless. I’ll keep the demons away.”

“You can’t truly live without some sort of hurt. If you’re so focused on avoiding discomfort, you end up living a half-life. You might get to skip the lowest lows, but you don’t get the highest highs either.”

“Here is the only place I want you. And the only place I want to be.”

Rho melted against me. “I’d rather have you and your fuckups than anyone else.”

“Finally, someone is testing out the brooding god’s goods!”

That’s the thing about life. Events and circumstances have the power to mark you. Change you.”

“But you stormed in anyway. You tore down every wall I put up. I didn’t want to love you. But I fucking do. With every part of me. It’s not a sappy love. It burns. Scars. It changed me. All in the best ways. I love you, Rho. And it killed that I was too scared to give you those words until now.”

“He gets me. Sees the part of me I always thought I needed to hide and loves me anyway.”

“Home is wherever you are,” he whispered. “You’re my sanctuary. Where I feel peace. Where I feel seen. Don’t want anything more.”

“You gave me air when I thought I’d never breathe again. You gave me color when my world had gone black. You see every part of me. I don’t want to spend another moment without you. Marry me.”