Redeemed (Dirty Air, #4)

by Lauren Asher

I always traveled with my guitar during the racing season. It made the bad days bearable and the good days memorable.”

“Do you still play?” “No.” “Why not?” “Because music is food for the soul, and mine feels like it’s missing.”

She describes her loneliness as a weakness, but I only see it as a strength. While people like me shrivel away in the shadows, people like her create their own light. She’s like the moon who shines bright despite the never-ending darkness. And she makes me want to wish that daylight never comes again.

“You should consider making more time for your hobby.” “Why?” “Because if you love something enough to smile like you are right now, then you should pursue it before it’s too late.” I press a hand to my lips. “I don’t have the time.” “And you never will if you keep finding reasons not to.” Whoa. Here I’ve been pushing Santiago out of his comfort zone, only to have him do the same. Santiago is embroidering himself into my skin like the designs I love so much, and I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do about it.

“I do want to fight for myself. That’s the point. And you’re not a crutch. You’re part of the foundation to help me get where I want to be.” “And that is?” “Accepting that, while I can never be the man I was, I can become a man you want to be with.” I brush my thumb across her bottom lip. Her eyes widen. “You can’t be serious.” “Why not?” “We don’t know each other well enough.” “Give me a chance then. A real chance. No faking. No pretending. Just us spending time together, learning about each other.”

But I promise you that you’re not alone in this. You do have people who lov—care about you.” His cheeks flush. “I care. Brooke cares. So it’s not about the amount of people who do—but rather the quality of that care—that matters. I might be a bit biased, but whoever doesn’t care about you is crazy, because you are single-handedly one of the best people I know. And I’m not the least bit sorry if they run away, because that means I can keep you all to myself. Because with you, I like being selfish.”

“And most of all, loving you is realizing heaven isn’t a place, but a person.”

“I love you, Chloe. And it’s okay if you don’t know what it means to be loved by someone, let alone love someone else because I promise to love you enough for the two of us. To love you every day to make up for everyone else who failed miserably.”