Fractured Freedom

by Shain Rose

“This is how it’s supposed to feel. Like you were empty without me, like you were missing a piece of you and I just found the missing part.”

“I think I love you, Lamb. I think you’re the one thing I love too much to let go.”

I thought I was her rock like she was my last glimpse of light.

“And the wolf that watches it.”

“Maybe I'm just as broken with my need for you.”

“She’s the one,” I admitted out loud for the first time.

She wanted to be good to everyone and wanted to be her best self always—even when no one was looking.

“Careful.” Low and vicious in warning, Dante’s voice was right beside us. “You’re talking to the one person in the world I refuse to have hurt.”

“When a man pushes himself on a woman, more specifically my woman, I intend to teach him manners or have him die learning.”

“Yes, Lilah. I don’t know why we’ve been ignoring the inevitable. You’re my lamb. I’m your wolf. It’s about time I stop letting others play with my food.”

The wolf gets what he wants, and I was just the lamb, too overpowered by who he was to do anything else.

“I made the list for us.”

“Why are you so scared you need me?” He cupped my cheeks. “Why not share your happiness with me?”

“You can’t keep changing the list.” “Of course we can. That’s life. Change, adjust, find what you love.

They say if you play music, your mind can only process a certain number of things. You surrender to the ones you need to focus on.

I wasn’t going anywhere without you. I’m still not. I’ll wait forever for a baby with you, or we’ll be happy without one.”

I enjoy every part of you. Even the dark parts. Even the ones you’re scared of.

Silence was either an enemy or a friend. It calmed you or left you alone with the worst of your thoughts.

“Lilah’s as much a fucking Untouchable as your wife, Bastian. She’s mine. My Untouchable. My Lamb. My whole goddamn future. I will tear this island apart, I promise you.”

“She’s mad because she thinks I kissed Izzy. That wasn’t what that was, Lilah. You know I wouldn’t let another woman’s mouth on my lips willingly. Not when you’re the girl I love.”

“I’m only going to say this once because it’s not in my nature to repeat myself. I’m an Armanelli. I’ve named your daughter my Untouchable. What that means is no one will harm her or disrespect her unless they want to deal with the wrath of my whole family. It means I take care of her now. It means you all respect our wishes. Respectfully, Mrs. Hardy, she’s not going back to school unless she decides that’s what she wants.”

“I love you, man. I love you like you're my only brother, but I’ve already put a man in a bucket of acid for harming your sister.”

“She needs to feel free, even if she’s not, and she needs to do it on her own, even if it’s painful. She couldn’t have the baby on her own. So”—I went to the lock on her stall and wiggled it as I said the words I knew weren’t about the horse anymore—“let her do this on her own.”

“Sure, but everyone has a disorder if you dig hard enough, and I’m willing to find your way back to happiness every time.”

So instead, seven diamonds to get us to heaven, Lamb.