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“Fine.” He bit the flesh on my neck
“I don’t know if it’s the same thing,” I started, my fingers circling back and forth along his strong arms that were enveloped tight around my waist. “I remember the name being mentioned in a book I once found in the Codex. It didn’t have an author’s name, not even a proper cover, and the pages were falling apart. Even the ink used was unusual, not something I’ve ever seen before. I could tell it was old, very old, like possibly ancient times old.”
“What did it say?”
“It was very complicated, in a language I didn’t understand, but I was able to derive some of it. It spoke about a star system called the Alacteon, which meant six stars or six realities that co-exist in parallelly in the same system, and that many such systems exist and make up this universe.”
“What? Stars again.” He chuckled. “Like alternate realities?”
“Anything is possible,” I mumbled.
“Only in theory.”
“Everything is theory or imagination before it becomes evidence and proof,” I countered, flicking my fingers at him.
“Stop being so fucking sexy,” he groaned. His lips touched mine, and the rest of the night simply became heaven on earth.
Later, after another warm shower and plenty of food, we were both curled up under the sheets, with nothing but skin between us. Warm and content.
My mind was empty in a blissful way.
“Being with you feels like my heart has wings and it wants to fly,” I mused, jestingly, as my fingers traced patterns over his chest. “Fly only around you.”
His arms flexed around me. “Don’t say sweet things like that,” he grumbled.
It was true, though.
I never felt safe being a little kid, so I forgot to grow up. And when I did, I was already an adult.
I didn’t make mistakes. I didn’t have the same experiences as the other kids. I didn’t grow up the same way.
But right now, with him, I was safe to be that kid once again because I knew he’d take care of me and I of him. Nothing in this world ever compared to this feeling.
“I love you,” I said, pressing a soft kiss on the corner of his lips.
His adoring gaze bored down on me. “This lifetime isn’t enough to love you.” There was something hoarse in his voice as his lips traced over mine. “I love you, my Bella.”
“Then let’s meet for another then.” My lips curled with a slight grin as I kissed him. “And another one.” Kiss. “And another one.” Kiss.
He laughed, holding me so close that our skin would burn into each other.
Nothing was set in stone. We would have to always look over our shoulders for the rest of our lives and live a life that wasn’t purely conventional.
But I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
Because the man whose heart beat under my cheek was worth it all.
EPILOGUE
BELLE
Three years later…
“Ark?”
My bare foot padded along the empty hallways, searching for him. Only he was nowhere to be found. The house was quiet, so sighing, I wrapped a blanket around me and walked out to the cliffs that made up our backyard.
Many days ago, when I first saw this house, I thought, in another life, I would’ve described it as my perfect home, and now it really was mine. To say I was a lucky girl was an understatement because my husband treated me so well.
