The Breaking Season

It wasn’t before witnesses. It wasn’t part of an enormous ceremony. It wasn’t anything like the first time we had gotten married.

It was better.

Because it was the truth.

He took my hand in his and looked deep in my eyes. “I vow to love you all of my days. To love and cherish you. For as long as we both shall live.”

We were the villains of everyone else’s story. We were the hardened, darkened core that did whatever we had to in order to survive. To come out on top. But here, together, we were something else. Something more.

Together, we could move mountains.

He brought my hand up to his lips and began to kiss each knuckle. “You are my match. In every way.”

He looked calm, confident, and dominating. My perfect match.

Who would have guessed?

He smiled to himself and then dug into his Italian sandwich without another word. And I knew that this was a win. For me and for us.

You know what?”

He shook his head. “What, love?”

“This was my birthday wish.”

His smile was wide at the revelation. Then he kissed my full lips, and everything in the world felt inexplicably right.

Katherine,” he breathed, placing another kiss at my shoulder.

“Mmm?”

“I love you. You know I love you, right?”

I turned over to look into those bottomless, dark eyes. And there it was… that look that I hadn’t been able to explain for so long. It was… love. He loved me.

My heart expanded. And I nodded. “I love you, too.”

Love meant criticism. Love meant responsibility. Love meant pain. Love had never meant Katherine Van Pelt with all of her fire and all of her fierce determination. It had never meant…happiness.