Dark Love (The Two Sides of Me Book 3) by Amy Garcia Page A

to love and let someone past my boundaries, I’ve upped my spunk a little and found trust. It’s shocking that so much has happened in such a short time. I stare at the blank white wall directly in front of me for a while, it’s late, I’m not sleepy physically, but my mind is exhausted from the day's ups and downs.
    “Lean on my shoulder, Mia, close your eyes for a few minutes,” Isaac suggests, and I take him up on his offer, his shoulder is stone solid muscle, not comfy at all but it’ll do.
    “Mia, honey, wake up; it’s over.”
    “Over? It’s over?” I mumble and blink away the sleep. My mom is shaking my shoulder gently, it feels like no time at all has passed but when I turn to see the clock it’s been ninety minutes, shit!
    Isaac stands and pulls my weary bones to my feet. Kelly approaches obviously exhausted, but the strain on her face in previous visits to give us updates is gone, he’s ok I know it; she doesn’t even have to tell me.
    “When can I see him?”
    “Everything went well we had to…”
    “Just tell me when I can see him, I need to see him,” I repeat, I don’t want to know how it went, he’s alive, and right now that’s all that matters to me. I know this woman most likely hates me but she also knows what’s best for her own wellbeing so she halts her recap of the operation and silently cocks her head left toward where I imagine the post-op area is.
    I turn to my hovering family; my mom is biting her lip preventing herself from delaying me by asking questions.
    “Go. Go to him, honey,” my dad shoos me with his hands, mom nods, Gabby gives me a tiny encouraging smile and Isaac, well he doesn’t need to say or do anything we just exchange a knowing glance.
    I follow Kelly through frosted glass doors that silently slide open automatically, down a short hall and into the small area where they will stabilize my husband and make him comfortable. I stop abruptly at the threshold of the room and cover my mouth with my hand inhaling sharply. I know what a patient looks like after a long grueling surgery, but this isn’t just any patient, this is my patient, the only patient that matters to me now, my love, the home for my heart.
    I hadn’t been preparing myself for this; all I’ve been able to think about for hours, days, months is how badly I needed him to live. Having my eyes on him is a relief mixed with the realization that we have a long way to go still. I’m stricken by how different he looks, they have shaved his beautiful thick hair, and his skin is sallow. He’s still beautiful to me though despite the bandages, tubes, drains, bruises and swelling he is still a Greek Adonis, strong, solid, exuding power. How does a man look so good and so bad at the same time?
    Moving to his side I’m unaware of anything but the magnetism drawing us together, we’re suspended in time and the knowledge that finally we have a starting point, we can pass GO and begin living our lives together settles within me. The lightness of the moment fades, however when I remember we aren’t home free just yet. The second hurdle will be seeing who wakes up, I can’t fathom what I will do if the beast has been spared and given a second chance instead of my husband. There is no doubt in my mind there are two completely different people vying for access to his mind and body but his soul is my Evan’s alone, the beast has no soul.
    That in and of itself gives me hope. Surely my Evan can win this war with his good kind soul in his armory unlike the empty entity of the beast.
    I wince as I pinch the tender flesh on the inside of my arm to distract my mind from crying, I focus on the pain. I’m finished crying; I’m done fainting, no more weakness, what we need now is courage and strength to get us through his recovery.
    I pull up a chair and take residence once again at his side, holding his hand. His current nurse is expressionless, blank, and stiff. I wonder if every damn person in Italy hates or