Chapter 210
CMWMBB 12
+25 Bonus
CMWMBB 12
Venus
When I came to, the world felt wrong. Too bright, too clean. The air smelled of antiseptic and something faintly metallic. My body was a map of pain-dull, deep aches radiating from places I couldn’t quite locate. It was like waking up after being hit by a truck, or maybe a memory I wasn’t ready to face yet.
My eyelids fluttered open. The ceiling above me was white, humming softly with fluorescent light. Machines blinked on my right. A slow, rhythmic beeping tethered me to the present, to proof that I was still alive.
I tried to move, but my limbs didn’t respond the way they should. My mouth was dry, my throat a desert. The sound that came out of me was barely human-more a broken rasp than a word.
Immediately, a shadow fell over me.
“Venus p>
The voice was low, broken, and utterly familiar.
Aaron.
He crossed the room so fast I barely saw him move. His eyes were bloodshot, jaw tight, like he’d forgotten how to unclench it. The moment his gaze found mine, something in his expression cracked-relief tangled with exhaustion, guilt, and a grief he was trying hard to bury.
“Venus,” he said, his voice low, shaky in a way I’d never heard before.
I tried to speak, but all I could manage was a rasped, “W-water p>
He reached for the cup on the bedside table and slipped an arm-gentle, careful-behind my shoulders to help me sit up. Every inch of the movement felt like fire under my skin, but his hand was steady, grounding. He pressed the rim of the cup to my lips, tilting it just enough for the water to touch my tongue.
Cold. Perfect.
I drank greedily at first, then pushed it away with my good arm before I choked. He set it aside, his hand lingering on mine, thumb brushing over my wrist like he needed the contact to believe I was real.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence between us was alive, humming with everything that wasn’t being said.
Then my voice came, raw but steady. “My children p>
Aaron’s hand froze.
“Sabine,” I pushed out. “The twins. Where-where are they p>
He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at me, and that pause-God, that pause-was worse than any wound.
“Aaron,” I said, firmer this time. “Tell me p>
He swallowed hard, his throat moving. “Sabine is safe,” he said finally. “She’s with Rosemary. Colton’s on his
1/3
CMWMBB 12
+25 Bonus
way there now p>
My chest loosened-just slightly. I let out a shaking breath. “And the twins p>
That was when I saw it-the hesitation. The faint tremor that ran through his jaw. The way his eyes flickered away, just for a heartbeat. My pulse spiked, fear clawing up my throat.
“Aaron.” I whispered his name like a threat, like a plea. “Where are my twins p>
He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the door creaked open again.
Sabine stood there, her face drawn and pale, relief and horror battling in her eyes. Beside her was Gianna, who looked shell-shocked and terrified, having clearly just been briefed on the horrific new reality.
And between them, holding Sabine’s hand, was George.
He looked so small in that doorway. His hair was messy, his face streaked with the faint trace of tears that had dried too long ago. He just stood there, staring at me like he wasn’t sure if I was real.
Sabine’s voice was soft, apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Aaron. He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t eat or sleep. He kept asking for his mother. We had to bring him p>
And then George moved.
He broke free from Sabine’s hand and ran-fast, clumsy, desperate. His shoes slapped against the linoleum, and before I could even lift my good arm, he was climbing onto the bed, wrapping himself around me with all the strength his little body could muster.
The force of the impact hit my wounded arm, sending a blinding, white-hot lance of pain through my shoulder. I gasped, swallowing the groan that rose in my throat. I didn’t care. I just wrapped my arm around him and pulled him close, breathing in the scent of him-he showered and all the dirt and grime washed off.
How long was I out?
“Hey, baby,” I whispered into his hair. My voice trembled. “It’s okay. Mommy’s here p>
He didn’t answer. His tiny body was rigid against me, his breathing uneven. He clung like he thought if he let go, I’d disappear again.
“George,” I said softly, stroking the back of his head.
He didn’t move.
I winced when he shifted-his small elbow brushing the bandages on my arm-but I forced a smile when his eyes flew up, wide and guilty.
“It’s okay,” I soothed quickly. “You didn’t hurt me, sweetheart p>
He nodded, lips pressed tight, but the tension didn’t leave his shoulders. He looked older somehow, Haunted.
I brushed his cheek, then lifted his chin so he’d meet my eyes. “Where’s your sister, love?” I asked gently.” Where’s Iris p>
He froze. Completely.
2/3
CMWMB6 12
+25 Bonus
The question hung in the air like smoke. His fingers, which had been gripping the blanket, went still. His lips parted-but no sound came out.
Aaron’s eyes flickered to me, then back to George.
“George?” I tried again, my voice breaking on her name. “Where’s Iris p>
Silence.
His breathing quickened. His eyes darted away. The small, trembling sound that came out of him wasn’t an answer-it was a sob he couldn’t quite swallow.
And in that instant, I knew.
The room tilted. The steady rhythm of the heart monitor thundered in my ears. My good hand clenched around the thin fabric of the hospital sheet, holding on like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
George wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Aaron’s silence said the rest.
And all I could do was stare at the doorway, my world narrowing to the empty space where my daughter should’ve been.
COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus
P
Comments
Support
Share
3/3
GET IT
X
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.