by Elaine May
He could hate me for what I did. The thought sickens me as I remember the look on his face as he took in the carnage I caused in my stupidity. I take a gulp and decide to go for it.
“What do you want, Harry?”
“What do I want? I want you.” He starts to run his fingers through his hair and I can see his eyes start to look around to see if anyone is near us.
“But you’re fucking crazy.”
“Crazy.” I can hear the alarm in my own voice. I know what he’s saying is true but it still doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“You think I’m crazy.”
“I can’t think of any other reason that you would do everything you have.” He whispers and this time his sole attention is on me. His fingers twitching to run through his hair again as he awaits my reasoning, but what can I say?
The truth?
“What do you want, Harry?” I try again, hoping he may give me away out.
“I want the truth.”
“The truth?”
“Yes. I want to know why you put me through your special type of hell.”
“I....I..I can’t explain it.”
“Well, you’d better try because I’m not leaving until I know.” He wraps his arms around his middle and takes a step towards me, looking at me, trying to check me for any signs of what he wants.
“I want to know Ayria.”
“What? I’m sorry, that Ayria is no more, that Ayria died a long time ago when the two men she loved betrayed her like it was nothing. Like I was nothing.”
“Tell me.” He begs, but I give nothing away because if I do than I’m giving away too much of myself, a part of myself that I have always kept hidden. I raise my head in defiance and he just gives one back at me. Time seems to stand still as we stare each other out but no one is willing to surrender. Harry starts looking at his watch and makes a tapping noise against it with his finger. The noise starts to get louder the longer we stay immobile and then he tick tock tick tocks at me and the more he does it the more I just want to go home. I make a move to go around him and he’s as quick as lightning as he grabs me around my waist.
“I’m waiting Ayria. I want to know.” His words snap something inside me and I give him what he wants.
“You think I like living like this?” I shout at him and this time I’m the one who runs her fingers through her hair.
“You think I like living in the world he made me? The role he has forced me to play for far too long?” As soon as the words leave my lips I can feel my whole body start to shake as if just the mention of my grandfather is enough to set me off.
“What do you mean? Explain it to me.”
“W..W.Why?”
“Because I want to know. I want to know about you.”
“I was never enough for him.” I stop and look around, it’s just the two of us except the beat from the club that seems to be all around us. I look back at Harry and he’s eager for me to continue.
“I...I was in love once. He was perfect, tall and handsome. He came from money and had been to university to study business. He was the perfect catch.” I look up into Harry’s eyes and he’s just listening. I try to gulp away the lump that has formed in the back of my throat. I can’t believe I’m about to do this.
“Grandfather thought so, he was so happy. We were going to get married. Just before we were to announce it I was unable to sleep one night. I went downstairs to go get some water and I heard the two of them talking and laughing. They were both talking like our marriage was going to be nothing but a transaction. The man I thought loved me was more interested in the business he would inherit rather than me, rather than the wife he was going to have.” I can feel my tears travel down my cheeks as the memory comes back and all I can feel is the betrayal from the two of them. A pain like nothing I have ever felt before and even now it still threatens to cut the air from my lungs.
“I made him pay, I made both of them pay, and every man that thought he could do the same.” He doesn’t look too impressed but he leans forward and wipes away my tears.
“I’m sorry.” He whispers. Once the tears are wiped clean his fingers start to trace the side of my face, taking in the softness and I lean into his touch, wanting more.
“What happened next?”
“I got used to it, I liked it, and then you came into my life and messed everything up.” His fingers stop and I can tell he doesn’t know what to say next.I step away from his touch, pointing my finger at his chest.
“I hate you for the way you have made me feel. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. You weren’t supposed to be like this. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you!”I shout again, pushing my fingers into his chest and when I realise what I’ve just said I stop dead.
I just told him I love him, I’m an idiot.
“You love me?” He asks me, as if he can’t believe what he has just heard. I can’t believe what I’ve just said. Panic starts to change into full-blown fear as his face doesn’t change. He isn’t showing any form of emotion and I have no idea where his head is at. What have I done?
“I love you too.” Panic thrashes through my veins as my knees start to buckle. An agonized sob tumbles past my lips at the lie.
“Don’t lie to me.” I shake my head as bile inches up my throat. Shaking my head, disagreeing with his words. My wounded heart warms at his kind words but I know that’s all it is. Harry takes a hold of both my hands, a smile lifting my trembling lips. His lie means so much to me even if that’s all it is.
“I love you too.”
“What?”
He squeezes a bit tighter.
“Ayria, I’m crazy in love with you.” I go to ask him to stop but he places a finger over my lips. I fake a smile for his benefit. His fingertips start to brush the soft skin of my cheek. I peer up at him. His answer reflecting from his eyes.
“I love you Ayria.”His words are like magic, each one managing to heal all the aches in my heart.
They bring warmth to my heavy heart, it feels heavy as my head pounds too fiercely with everything that is happening.
“You love me?”
“I love you. I crazy love you.”He brings me flush against his chest and my pulse skips a beat. I can feel his heart beating against my own as I go up on tiptoes, wanting to steal a kiss. I can feel the thread of truth winding its way through my emotions.
I love him and he loves me.I feel like for the first time in my life I could be enough. I could be enough for Harry.
“And I want to be crazy with you forever. We can do anything you want, build the hospital, work at the shelter. Hell, we’ll do it all just as long as we’re together.”
“Yes, yes and yes and your family. I want to be a part of a family.”
“I just want to be with you.” He just wants to be with me, just me.
“I love you Harry.”
“And I love you forever.” I take the back of his head in my hands and pull him towards me, taking him in a fierce kiss, knowing I’m where I’m meant to be.
With Harry.
EPILOGUE
JOSHUA BRYANT
RING RING
RING RING
RING I start coming to, feeling the soft body of Isla next to me, she moves and her long arm wraps around my waist.
“Who is it Joshie? What’s the time?” I can hear the yawn hiding behind her words.
RING RING
RING.
“I don’t know.” With my eyes still closed I reach over and scramble to pick up my cell. I pull the thing to my ear and hear the excited voice of our son. He goes on for a while with a happy tone and it’s something I have never heard from him before. He says bye before I can get a word in and then the call comes to an end. I put the cell down and look over at my wife who’s looking at me with concern.
“Who was it? Are the kids all ok?”
“That was our son.”
“Which one?” She questions as she shakes her head at me.
“He’s getting m
arried”
“What?”she says as she pushes herself up the bed and just looks at me.
“I said our son is getting married.”
“H...Harry?”
“Harry.”
“Oh my God.” She places her hands on her face in shock. Neither of us ever expected this, we had hoped but never thought it would ever happen.
“Harry. Our Harry is getting married?”
“Y..Yes.”
“Oh my God.” She says, bouncing on the bed a little like Hope did on Christmas morning.
“Did you have something to do with this?” Oh shit, she looks serious. I could be in real trouble here.
“No.”
“Joshie?”
“I didn’t do anything.” She raises a brow at me.
“Except push them in the right direction.”
“Joshie, you didn’t?” She questions with a wink as she lies back down in the bed as I do the same. I lie on my side and wrap my arms around her, pulling her close to me. After all this time I still can’t get enough of this beautiful woman I get to call my wife and now with Harry happy all my children will have the same.
“Are you mad at me?”
“Of course not, it’s about time.” She says as she laughs.
“Now all our children will be settled and happy. Just like us, even if they did have some help from their old man.”
“Old man?” She turns around and places a kiss on my nose before rubbing hers against mine.
“Perfect.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elaine May is my author name. I live in the South West
of England with my two beautiful daughters and yummy
hubby. I love reading and writing dark and twisted tales that mess with
your head. I love to travel and spend time with my family.
My dream is for people to like what I’ve written and hopefully to
get to go to a big book signing event as an author and sign my own
books.
I love to be stalked so please find me here
www.facebook.com/elainemaytruth
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I can’t believe we’ve made it to the last book, it feels like I’ve come to the end of a massive milestone and I don’t like it because it’s meant so much to me.
I look at my children sometimes and get upset at how quickly they are growing and becoming independent, wanting them to be babies again so I can have it all over again.
Coming to the end of The Truth Series almost feels like the same thing.
When I started The Truth Series I never thought it would start me off on such an amazingadventure. I’ve met some amazing people and I can never say thank you enough for making thisjourney one of the best.
To The Bryant family thank you for letting me tell all your stories.
It’s been amazing and a pleasure that I can never say thank you enough.
To my husband and two beautiful girls.
I love you so much, now and forever.
Thank you for letting me continue on this crazy journeyand being my biggest supporters. I couldn’t do this withoutyour love and support and I will always be grateful to you forletting me do this.
To all my family.
I love you all so much.
Thank you for letting me talk books and supporting myadventure even though I do go on a bit too much.
You know me, I like to talk.
Heidi you have been there from the start and I couldn’t havestarted or continued to do this without you by my side. You’rean amazing book buddy and one of my best friends and I’m soblessed to have you to share all my crazy ideas with.
Here’s to lots more book signings and fun.
You’re amazing and I love you millions.
Jane,you take my manuscript, errors and all, and make it intosomething that people can read, I really don’t know how you do it but you do.
You tell me what you think and are always there to pullme back up as soon as my doubts start taking over.
Thank you so much and your friendship means so muchto me.
Sallyann thank you so much for your amazing formattingskills, I love what you did to Harry and the rest of The Truth Series as always
You are constantly amazing and so patient with me even while Iblab and panic away to you.
Katrina I absolutely love Harry’s cover and teasers, theyare so much better than how I pictured them. Your supportover the last year and a half has been just what I needed, youtell me what you think, but are so kind with it that I still feelgood without going into my deep world of doubt.
Tracy thank you thank you thank you for all your help.
What you’vedone for me since I first messaged you has been brilliant andI don’t think I would have done as well without you. A massivethank you also for running my reader group, I really wouldn’thave a clue.
To Linda and Aurelie you are both amazing and I’m so happy to have you both on team Elaine May.
I only have to ask and you help me with pimping or getting my name out there and I’mso grateful to you both.
Thank you.
Of course, there is a massive thank you to all the bloggersthat accept my constant messages about releases or offers. I’msure I must be annoying but you are always so kind, youmessage me back and sign up for anything. I am so grateful toeach and every one of you for taking the time out of your busylives to help me out. There is no way any author could get theirreaders without the amazing support you give and for that Iwill always be grateful. You guys are amazing and thank youso much.
There is one blogger that I need to give an extra bigthank you to.
Gayle, you’ve been with me ever since LiesAnd Truth first came out and you have always been there if Ineed to speak to anyone with regards to the book world or evenmy personal life. You’re not just a book friend but a truefriend as well (sorry lol) and I’m so grateful to have you inmy life. Sending lots of British hugs to a very beautifulwoman who means the world to me
xx.
To my readers thank you thank you thank you for one-clicking my book, thank you for taking the time out of yourbusy lives to read my little story and I really hope that I haven’tdisappointed you. Thank you for your reviews, your messages,likes and shares. I couldn’t do this without you and I’m stilloverwhelmed by the fact that you guys let me do this as aliving.
No words can even describe how much each and everyone of you mean to me.
Thank you xx