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“I’d love to walk, but I will settle for a spin around the beautiful facility.”

  “Quite the smarty pants today, aren’t we? Look, I know you’re miserable. I want to show you something, you up for it?”

  “I have no other place to be.”

  “Then let’s roll, Talon.” She pushes me through the door. “I want to take you up to the fourth floor. I’ve worked here for about ten years now, and I have seen so much worse than what you’re going through,” she says as we enter the elevator.

  “I know I’ve seen worse,” I whisper.

  “What’s that,” she quips.

  I clear my throat. “I have seen worse. Don’t forget I served our country for five years. I watched many of my men die.” I leave out the part about Amelia.

  “See this room? That’s where Randall a Navy SEAL is. His arms and legs were blown off in a bombing. Next door there is Susan, she lost both legs and one arm when her Humvee was targeted. She was the only survivor.” She pushes me to another room. “That man in there? His name is Jack, and he lost both his eyes and one ear.”

  “Okay, Nurse Downer, I get it. I need to go back to my room.”

  “I can keep going,” she says bitterly.

  “No,” I bite out. “I need to lie down.”

  “Okay, sir. I’ll take you back to your room.”

  I’ve been so fucking selfish, I never thought about others who have it way worse than I do. I have always had it rough, and I just never imagined that it could get any worse than losing a limb. I feel the tears welling in my eyes. I have no clue who I am anymore. When you grow up the way I did, and see and get treated a certain way, you shut people out, and that’s what I did. But I got a second chance with my parents, and Reese opened my eyes about a lot of things. She showed me that I can love, when I thought I couldn’t. She showed me that I am worthy of being loved, when I thought I wasn’t.

  “Hey, handsome, are you ready to go home,” Reese asks, entering the room. I’ve already gotten dressed and I’m sitting in the recliner, flipping through the channels on the TV.

  “God, I am so happy to see you.” I go to stand and realize that I don’t have a leg to stand on. “Shit, I forgot.” Falling back into the chair.”

  “Soon, baby. Soon, you’ll be able to walk. You’ve already packed up everything,” she asks, looking around the room.

  “Yeah, I am ready to go.” Just as she starts to help me in the wheelchair, my favorite nurse walks in.

  “Mr. Livingston,” she greets me. “You’re all discharged. I’ll send one of assistants to walk y’all down stairs.”

  “Thank you,” I say reaching my hand out to her. “You opened my eyes today. It meant a lot that, although I was an ass, you did that. I needed that visual and I’m glad that you put me in my place.”

  “Just showing you around this place. I wanted you to see that your injuries are mild compared to some of the other soldiers. We have group sessions here every Friday, the two of you should attend a few. I’ve heard that it helps the healing process.”

  “Thank you for all of your help, we will think about those meetings for sure,” Reese says, hugging Melissa.

  “Let’s get you two out of here.” She bends down wrapping her arms around me, she whispers, “Remember, there is always someone worse than you.”

  “I see that now,” I say.

  “You okay,” Reese asks.

  “No, but I will be.” I pull her onto my lap. “Thank you for showing me what was in front of me all along.”

  “You’re welcome, soldier. Let’s get home.”

  NOVEMBER 30, 2010

  CHESTERFIELD, MO

  TALON

  I watch as she prances around the kitchen. Today is the day. The day that she, becomes my wife. It’s moved pretty quickly, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. She is the reason I wake up every morning. I just received my new leg yesterday and, so far, it fits perfectly, and I can walk almost as perfect as I could before my amputation. A lot has changed since I left the VA in St. Louis. My eyes have been opened a lot, and I now see things in a different perspective.

  Today I am going to stand and marry my best friend, my lover, and my soulmate. No one could ever get me the way she does. Our ceremony will be small, just our folks, Winter and Dax. I wouldn’t want it any other way. The ones we love will surround us.

  REESE

  Today is the day. I am so freaking nervous. I have loved Talon for the last five years. I’ve always admired the man he is. The night of the accident, I thought I’d lost him. Then when I knew he was going to be okay, I thought the he had mentally checked out on me. I knew I had to be strong for the both of us. They rushed him in for emergency surgery, and I fell to my knees praying that God would save him and not take him from me.

  I was in love with Markus, but as quickly as I fell in love with him, I fell out of love with him. Him breaking off our engagement just proved what I had known all along, it wasn’t meant to be. I was made for someone else and that man was right in front of me. I’ve helped him become the man I knew he was. The man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the man he has always been, but didn’t see.

  Today, I become Mrs. Talon Benjamin Livingston.

  The End

  Just kidding!

  There will be more of Reese and Talon in Reese’s story. Coming early 2017.

  Delisa Lynn grew up in Columbus Ohio, where she currently resides with her husband and fur daughter Sophie. During the day she works as a Medical Assistant and at night, she types away on her laptop, allowing her characters to escape her mind. Pink is her favorite color, and she loves anything animal print. She loves traveling, shopping and baking. When Delisa isn’t working or writing you can catch her snuggled up with her kindle reading about her newest book boyfriend.

  WANT MORE FROM DELISA LYNN? CHECK OUT THIS EXCERPT FROM UNTIL THEN

  CHAPTER 1

  ROE

  There’s a saying that everything can change in the blink of an eye. I always thought, "Oh, nothing like that can happen to me…to us." But that statement has never been truer than it is right now. My life was perfect…until two months before my wedding day.

  As little girls, we dream of the perfect wedding. Wearing huge white sparkly dresses, making memories with our husbands to share with our children. I was one of those little girls, and I’d known for the last ten years that I wanted to marry Lucas. I’d been planning our wedding in my head for years. I had practiced writing my name as Rosealy Lowe for months. My designer white and silver wedding dress, which I flew to New York City and had custom made, was paid for. I’d paid the deposits on the chapel and the reception hall. Invitations had been mailed, and our honeymoon to Cancun had been booked.

  My life was all set, and I was going to marry the man of my dreams. The man I wanted to father my children, the man who stole my heart when I didn’t even know what love was. The man I loved with all that I am, the man who was my best friend all through high school. The one I attended prom with all four years. The one I went to football games with, the one that was my best friend. The one I made love to my first time. The one I told all my secrets to, shared my fries with when we went out. The one I gave my heart to…only for him to stomp on it like it was a fucking spider.

  Lucas was in an ATV accident a few months back. As a matter of fact, it was four months, twenty-one days and three hours. He doesn’t have any memory of me, or us. Nothing. He woke and asked who I was and why I was crying.

  That wasn’t my Lucas in that hospital bed. My Lucas adored me. He loved me so much.

  Until the accident claimed his memory.

  Today, I’m leaving the place I call home. I can’t stay here. After he had been released from the hospital, his parents hired an in-home nurse. Whom he started dating. His parents hated me anyways; they never thought I was good enough for their baby boy. They thought I was trash because my daddy wasn’t part of the country club they belong to, because our house wasn’t as fancy as theirs. They didn’t w
ant someone like me, who came from a broken home, to be with their baby.

  Their only son.

  My dad isn’t happy that I’m moving over two hundred miles from the only home I’ve ever known. I’m leaving my family and my friends, but I need this. I need to move on. Lucas has told me more than once in the last week that we will never have anything. That I’m not a part of his life, and never will be. His words still cut through me.

  “You need to move on. Just forget about whatever you thought we had.”

  So that’s exactly what I’m doing. I quit my job, bought a house a few hours from my grandparents in Ohio. I’ll start my life there, and do exactly what Lucas said. I’ll try to forget about him and our life, the life he doesn’t remember existed. The life I thought I was destined for, until now.

  Loading up my small car, I pack as much as I can in it, leaving behind everything Lucas and I shared in our small condo. The one we just purchased last year. I guess it’s his problem now, seeing how it’s in his name.

  Today, I’m saying good-bye to Michigan and everyone I’ve ever loved. They say that starting over is one of the hardest things I’ll endure, but hearing the love of my life tell me he doesn’t remember me and that he will never love me the way I love him has broken me.

  I say my goodbye to my friends, and then finally my dad. Which was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. He has always been my rock, my supporter, and my hero. He’s always stood by my choices and always gave me guidance through school; whether it was about sports or just needing an extra ear, my daddy was my go-to person. I’ve worked in the medical field for years, billing and coding, but once I arrive in Cleveland, there’s a new career path I’m taking. I want to be a firefighter. I’ve already inquired with a few of the local firehouses close to my new home. I’ll be able to complete the process once I arrive.

  Here’s to starting my new life.

  CHAPTER 2

  KOLE

  “Harris, can you hear me? I need you to call 911. Get your shit together,” Falcon says as he runs toward the suspects. “Call for backup, and do not fucking leave her. I’ll handle this, but I need backup now,” he yells as I hear more shots fired. The sound rings through my ears. Bang, bang, bang.

  Three shots. Three shots that take her down. Take her away from me. I hear those three shots over and over as my ears ring.

  “This can’t be fucking happening,” I say as I see the crimson spreading through her hair, down her face. She’s lying on her side, the blood pouring out. I’m frozen to the spot. I hear my name being called, but I just can’t move. How did this happen? I never wanted my work to follow me. I never thought she would be the one in the crossfire.

  Crawling over to her, I pull her onto my lap.

  “I love you. I just wanted to bring you coffee and tell you that I can’t wait to start our family. Please… Live, Kole,” she gasps then her breathing stops.

  “Sherrie, no… Stay with me, baby. Help is on the way.” I rub my thumb over her lips. Her eyes are closed, and I feel her tears on my skin. “Baby, please don’t leave me,” I beg. Jesus, this can’t be happening.

  I check her pulse—nothing. My wife, the love of my life, is gone. She’s really gone.

  Placing her head gently on the ground, I stand up, wipe the tears that are streaming down my cheek, and start sprinting toward the other end of the street. They came this way; I saw one of them run in this direction. Pointing my gun as I round the corner, I hear someone’s cries.

  “Please, don’t shoot. I didn’t mean to! I mean, it wasn’t me!” the young man cries as he falls to his knees.

  “Get up!” I yell, but he doesn’t move. “I said get the fuck up. You killed her. You fucking killed her!” I scream as I walk toward him. He can’t be any older than twenty, if that.

  “I’m so sorry. They made me. I needed the money. My mom is—”

  “I don’t care why or who had you do what. You killed my goddamn wife. You took her away from me. She was my woman.” I hold my head in my hands, trying to keep it together, then glare at the guy in front of me, pointing my gun at him once more. “Get up! I should blow your fucking head off right now. I would get so much satisfaction from seeing your blood splattered on the cement, just like you did hers. Why her? Why did you shoot at her?” He hides his face but doesn’t say anything. “Why? Tell me why you decided to gun my wife down outside this coffee shop.”

  “Harris, stop. She’s on her way to the hospital. He isn’t worth it. I’ll take care of him. You go be with Sherrie. She needs you. Come on, give me your gun,” Falcon says, walking toward me.

  “No, she’s gone. This piece of shit killed her. She isn’t breathing. She’s just gone. The blood…it’s pouring from her mouth. Her hair’s covered in it,” I say, keeping my gun pointed at the suspect.

  “Come on, just go to the hospital. I’ll take him into custody. He isn’t worth you losing your job, man. Sherrie’s family will need you. Stay strong, brother, I got this.”

  “Don’t tell me what Sherrie’s family will need. She was my fucking wife, not yours. What if it were Brenda lying there? Would you be so goddamn calm then?” I seethe.

  “Give me your goddamn gun, Kole! You can’t kill him, or it will forever be on your conscience. Trust me, killing him will not help your pain.”

  “No, it sure won’t. But it can help, that’s for damn sure.” I want to see this piece of shit die. I want his family to feel what I’m feeling.

  I’m lost, vulnerable, broken. And filled with hatred.

  “Kole Harris, drop your gun. Come with me, I’ll take you to the hospital. Your sister is on her way, I just spoke with her,” Lopez says, stalking toward me. He’s married to my sister, Kathy. He and I have been best friends for years. He was my best man when Sherrie and I got married five years ago.

  I feel my knees shaking. “She’s gone, Pez. This son of a bitch killed her.” The chilly September air fills my lungs as I breathe in deeply, trying to calm myself.

  “I know, brother, I know. Your sister’s a mess. She’ll need you as much as you will her. Let Falcon take this garbage in. Just give me your gun,” he orders, reaching for my weapon. “Let’s go friend, you need to get to Kathy. She loves your wife as much as you do. I know you want to take him out, but that’s an easy out for him. He needs to suffer. Give me your gun.”

  Dropping my weapon to the ground, I walk up to the kid and kick him as hard as I can before grabbing him by his hoodie. Pulling the hood over his head, so he can’t look me in my eyes, I ram my knee into his head. His screams make my blood boil, more than it already was.

  “I hope you rot in Hell! That’s where you belong,” I say before pushing him into Falcon. “Lopez, let’s go.” I walk toward the cruiser, my legs moving faster than my brain, and although my pace is brisk, everything around me feels like it’s in slow motion before I reach the car door.

  ***

  As we pull into the hospital parking lot, I see my sister, Kathy, and Sherrie’s mom. They're crying and talking to some other folks. I tried holding it together on the way here, but she was my world. I think back to the conversation we had this morning.

  “Kole, now that I’m finished with school, and you just got a promotion, I think it’s time. I’ll stop my birth control today. Jen said she could fit us in this week to see the fertility specialist.”

  “Are you sure you’re ready? I know I am, but with you just starting your new job, will they be okay that you’re going to need time off?” I ask as I pull her into my arms.

  “They’ll have to be. Don’t get me wrong, I know a lot will change, but you aren’t getting any younger, Harris.” She laughs.

  “I say we get to work on starting our family right now then.” I smirk as I kiss her.

  “I think I can pull a quickie off before I have to go to work,” she says, dropping the towel she’d been holding around her body.

  I hear my name being called, bringing me back to the present. My sister grabs me, almost bri
nging me to my knees. Holding on to her, I finally shed the tears I've needed to.

  “I’m so sorry, Kole. She was a wonderful woman. God, she loved you so much. I just spoke to her not even two hours ago,” she cries as we hug. “I hope they catch him. Why was she there anyway?”

  “Falcon has him. A kid, a fucking punk-ass teenager.” I sigh. “She was bringing us coffee. When I spoke to her, she asked where we were, so I told her. She wanted to see me before pulling a double shift at the hospital tonight. I didn’t think there would be trouble. But then we saw one of the guys we arrested a few weeks ago, and that kid was with him. The next thing I saw was her falling to the ground and the coffee flying through the air.”

  “You saw it all? Oh, my God, that’s awful. I’m so sorry, bub,” she says, holding me tighter.

  “I hope you have that bastard who killed my baby,” Tammie, Sherrie’s mom, grits out as she approaches Kathy and me.

  “He’s in custody, Mom. He will pay.” I release Kathy to wrap my arms around my mother in law. She’s been an amazing second mother to me. Sherrie is all that she had. She was her only child.

  “They said you have to identify her.” She sobs in my arms.

  “What? I do?” I ask, looking at Lopez, now holding my sister in his arms.

  “Come on, I’ll go with you. Kathy can stay with Tammie,” he states.

  “I can’t do this right now… I just can’t.” I punch the brick wall behind us. I watched my wife die and now they want me to identify her?

  “I’m sorry, but you have to. I’ll be right here with you.” Lopez grasps my shoulder. “It has to be done, you know that.” As he squeezes my shoulder, I nod in agreement.

  Walking down the long hall, we come upon two cold metal doors. The ones no one wants to walk through. Once through them, the smell almost knocks me on my ass. The smell of death.

  Lopez talks with the man in the white lab jacket, who I’m assuming is the coroner. I see him whisper a few things. I stare at the table with my wife’s dead body, covered with a white sheet. The man moves closer to her body then slides the sheet down. I see my beautiful wife, her pale skin bruised, her blonde hair pulled back behind her ears. My knees buckle, bile creeping through my esophagus. Turning toward the door, I make a beeline for the nearest trash can. I see Lopez walking toward me.