Sparrow

by L.J. Shen

Troy: Your mother was in love, and so was my dad. So are you.

Troy: And so am I.

He always managed to make my heart float. Whether it was out of fear, out of fury or out of love. My heart always beat faster for him. My knees buckled, just for him. He was right. He did atrocious things, but it was him I wanted. Always, only him.

“I love you, Red. I love you determined, tough, innocent, resilient…”

“I love you broken, insecure, scared, furious and pissed off…” He let a small smile loose. I actually felt it, even though it was on his lips. “I love every part of you, the good and the bad, the hopeless and the assertive. We don’t just love. We heal each other with every touch and complete each other with every kiss. And fuck, I know it’s corny as hell, but that’s what I need. You’re what I need.”

“We don’t have ordinary words between us. You always set my fucking brain on fire when you talk to me. We don’t even have ordinary moments of silence. I always feel like I’m playing with you or being played by you when you’re around. And I refuse to let you walk out on this, on us.”

My capturer. My monster. My savior.

“I’m an asshole, was an asshole, and have every intention of staying an asshole. It’s the makeup of my fucking DNA. But I want to be your asshole. To you, I can be good. Maybe even great. For you, I’ll stop the rain from falling and the thunder from cracking and the wind from fucking blowing. And yes, I sure as hell knew you’d come back. You came straight back into my arms, flew back to your nest, lovebird. Now why would you do that if you didn’t love the shit out of me?”

“A brutal asshole. Not a lot of women can handle something like that. But I think I just might.” “I fucking love you, Red.” “I fucking love you, Brennan.”

I was his, he was mine, and everything else we did and didn’t do to each other was just that. Our past.

I will tell this man that I didn’t kill his father to avenge mine. I killed his father to protect the beautiful woman who makes him pancakes every now and then and has sunshine in her laugh, even when she faces the storm. Even when it was the coldest summer ever recorded in Boston.

All I know is that I wasn’t ready to be a dad until she told me I would be, and now? I can’t fucking wait. Even villains have a happy ending every now and again.

“I was only Sparrow Raynes when I used to be your nightmare.” “You were never a nightmare. At first, you were business…” I smirk, my fingers spreading wide on her stomach. “And then, at some point, you became my pleasure.” “And what am I now?” She covers my hand in hers over her stomach, squeezing it hard. “Now, my lovebird, you’re my home.”