A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)

by Stephanie Garber

“I am the one who will never let anyone harm you again.”

GET APOLLO OUT OF THE STORY RAAHH!!!!!

He would carry her through more than just freezing waters. He would pull her through fire if he had to, haul her from the clutches of war, from falling cities and breaking worlds …

Having an heir would also protect his relationship with Evangeline. Once she had his child, there was no way she would leave him.

Huh.

“The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: The True and Unabridged History of Evangeline Fox and the Prince of Hearts.”

WHAAAAAAA

He was beautiful. Inhuman. A warrior angel with blue eyes and golden hair and a face that made Evangeline think that writing poetry should be her new hobby.

HES BAAAAACKKK!!!!!

Jacks had always considered himself more of a sadist than a masochist. He enjoyed inflicting pain, not receiving it. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave the shadows of Evangeline’s bedroom.

WHAT

It wasn’t an obsession. One visit wasn’t an obsession. Jacks just needed to make sure she was still alive. That she wasn’t bleeding. In danger. Unhappy. Cold. She was safe in her bed. She’d be even safer when he left her. But he was too selfish to leave just yet. He leaned against the bedpost and watched as she slept. He’d never understood why someone would watch another person sleep … until her.

OH MY GOD???!!!!!

He considered setting the room ablaze just so that he’d have a reason to pick her up and carry her out, to save her one last time, before he left her for good.

Left her for GOOD?…

Jacks had thought Time would take something from him. He hadn’t thought it would take it from her.

Cryin

“Wait!” Evangeline called. “What’s your name?” You already know, Little Fox. But once again, his thoughts weren’t projected loudly enough for her to hear. Instead, he gave her the name he’d planned on. He knew she wouldn’t remember it, and he needed to make sure he didn’t forget it. “You can call me Archer.”

“You want to test me, Princess? Because I would dare to do even more.”

HEELLLL

He leaned over her back until his mouth was right at her ear.

I....

Archer held her tighter. He banded one arm firmly around her ribs, the other he circled just below her waist, almost on her hips, his fingers splayed in a way that felt less like he wanted to restrain her and more like he just wanted to touch her—to hold her on that bridge in the dark where it was only the two of them and the rain and the feel of too many heartbeats racing between them.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

“This is where you break free,” he said softly. “I don’t want to,”

WHAT

It had been too late ever since he’d told Victor and Hansel to give Evangeline the falsified note from the tutor, to pretend to lose her in the gardens, and then to push her in the well. But Evangeline had given him no choice. She’d refused to believe that she was in danger. He had to show her that she was wrong.

WTF

Her hair had been swept up and her dress was low-cut, with thin little straps that Apollo imagined he could break with a snap of his fingers. Maybe if he played this right, she’d let him do so later that night.

[insert eyeroll]

She must have lost her mind sometime during the night because she wanted him to move closer. She wanted his hands on her. She wanted him holding her, restraining her, teaching her to fight. She didn’t care, as long as they were touching.

Girl ur too real fo this

Apollo clapped him on the shoulder. “I truly am sorry for your loss,” he whispered, “but soon you won’t feel any pain at all.” Then Apollo took his knife and stabbed the boy in the heart.

W. WhAT THE FUCK

“What are you to me?” she asked. Archer’s eyes locked with hers. “Nothing.” But it didn’t feel like nothing when his fingers reached down and he took hold of the sash that kept her robe tied together. He held it as if he couldn’t decide if he wanted to untie it or tug her closer to him.

AYO

He slowly took an errant pink strand of hair between his fingers and tucked it behind her ear. He was so careful, his fingers didn’t even brush her skin, but he looked as if he wanted to.

HHHNNGGNGHHFGH

“If Evangeline ever gets her memories back, she’ll never forgive you for this.” “At least she’ll be alive to hate me.”

Omg

“Yes, I am a murderer. I enjoy hurting people. I like blood. I like pain. I am a monster, but whether you remember it or not, I’m your monster, Evangeline.”

HELLO!????!!!!!??!

He debated keeping her trapped under him until she did. He knew it was a bad idea, but he wanted her to remember him. He wanted her to look at him, just once, and know him the way she had before.

*sobs*

Jacks had so badly wanted to tell her that he couldn’t even remember what Donatella looked like, that Evangeline’s face was the only one he saw whenever he closed his eyes, that he would go with her anywhere … if he could.

omg stop im crying

It was better to hurt her, better to break her heart, to do whatever he needed to do, to keep her alive and to keep her away from him.

AGH…

But today, Jacks was failing at letting her go. He wanted to keep her pressed to the floor beneath him. He would have set the world on fire and then let it all burn just to keep holding her like this.

Pls.

This was so wrong, wanting the man who’d tied her to him and done countless other unspeakable things. But all she could think was that she wanted him to do even more.

HEELEPEEPPEEPEPP

She tried to pull away, but Jacks held tight, knotting her hair in his fist and keeping his forehead pressed to hers. “Please, Little Fox, remember.

Pls.....

“We need a room for the night.” Jacks lifted their tied wrists, covering Evangeline’s face. “I believe you’ve been expecting us. I wrote earlier this week to reserve a room for myself and my new bride.”

HEELOO?…

He slowly worked his jaw. “I lied,” he said. “I do wish that we could have had a different ending.” He uncorked the vial. “Goodbye, Evangeline.”

NO SHUT THE FUCK UP

I can’t stay with you. You and I aren’t meant to be.

No...

Then she could feel them on her skin as he slid one hand under her chemise and rested it on her heart.

PLSPSLSPSLSPSLSL

The only magic in the room was that of touch and heartbeats and Jacks. And for a moment it was perfect. He felt like hers and she felt as if she was his.

AAAAGAGAUSHGSAHAHH

PPLEASE

Love was the world’s most powerful magic. But love had failed her that night. It hadn’t been enough.

Do you fear your wife is so fragile she might hurt herself if she swings a hammer?” Apollo clenched his jaw. “I did not say my wife was fragile.” “Then perhaps you shouldn’t treat her that way or laugh at her wishes,” said Aurora.

GAGGED

I no longer think love is a guarantee of victory or of happily ever after. But I think it’s a reason to fight for those things. I know my attempt to save Jacks could end in a fiery explosion, but I’d rather go up in flames with him than watch while he burns.”

Omg..

“Tell me, pet, just how much do you remember?” The tips of his cool fingers found the base of her neck. Her pulse spiked. Just a little, and yet it was enough to erase some of the warmth inside of her as Jacks slid his fingers from the hollow of her throat up to the line of her jaw.

HELEELPPPPP

“He’s not safe right now.” “I’m never safe,” Jacks said. Then with a smirk toward his old friend, he added, “Playing the hero doesn’t suit you, Castor.”

Whats happening

“We need to leave before Jacks tries to kill you again.”

oh my GOD

“Jacks traded the cuff for his heart.”

W H A T

“Everyone has two different hearts,” Chaos said. “There is the heart that beats and keeps you alive. Then there is the other heart, the second heart, the one that breaks instead of beats, the one that loves so that there is a point to all this living.

How could he have done this? How could he give away his heart? How could he give up on her like this? Although she very much doubted he saw it this way. Jacks probably told himself he was doing something right, something noble by sacrificing his heart to protect her.

Omg :(

Jacks might have told himself he’d given up his heart to save her, but Evangeline feared he’d also done it to make it easier for him to let her go.

But Evangeline had learned that love was more than a feeling. And it didn’t have to be the safe choice, because love was also more powerful than fear. It was the ultimate form of hope. It was stronger than curses. And yet … She worried that her love might not be enough.

My heart, it hurts.

Im crying

Evangeline had never felt so close and so far away from someone all at once.

But it was a look that said this was the last time he’d be touching her, the final time. This was all there was for them. He wasn’t giving up. He’d already given up. “How can I make you understand,” he growled, “you and I together don’t end well. We just end.”

No.

“I love you, Jacks.”

HHHJNNGHHH