Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

28. Perfect Specimen

CHAPTER 28: Perfect Specimen

Opening my eyes to utter darkness is all that I could see, the loneliness seeping into me, crystallising my already cold-heart. A canopy over me and soft brushes of masculine fingers against the base of my spine. His intense stare boring into mine when I roll over and look up at him, he moves the sheet, lowering down against me, I gasp at the now familiar contact, "What are you doing up?" I ask him, curling my arms around him while he starts making love to me.

"We slept in, the little monsters almost came running in before chasing the dogs out in the yard. You have that conference today, remember?" He whispers, breathless as he moans against my lips and I breathe heavier the second an explosion shudders against me, Aaron buries his head in against my neck, clutching my exposed, naked body to his. The sound of trees rustling outside in the yard and colourful laughter making way has me looking out and freezing.

"What-who..." I trail off in shock.

"You don't recognise our own daughter?" Aaron chuckles behind me when he spooned me and snuggled in, "-my, you are tired, baby. It's Lyra's dance recital tonight too, remember. We promised we'd get flowers and go out for ice-cream when she's done." He says to me.

"When did I give birth?" I whisper, shock overtaking my system and crunching on my lungs as I sit up, he rubs my lower back gently, I look at him, cognac brown eyes stare at me astutely.

"July fourth, darling. I helped deliver Lyra, remember? Samsara helped us too, you ended up breaking Branson's fingers and he basically screamed along with you when you pushed Lyra out. I couldn't let go of her, even through your coma,sweetheart, but you got out of it. You always do." He says to me, the room was alit with some sort of hypnotic glow from the sun.

I pull the sheet around me, "Aaron, what's going on?"

"Honey, why are you stressed? Everything's going to be okay, it's not going to be like last time."

"IT'S NOT ME, OLIVE! THAT'S NOT ME!"

I stare at Aaron, who stills where he stands, he looks at me, "Honey, what's going on?"

"I'm asking you that question, Aaron. Since when do we have a daughter? And a dog? And a house already, where are the others? My Mom! Aaron, it's Cassandra Crane who's doing this." I say to him, reaching for him, he slides his arms around me.

"What could your Mom have to do with this? She just bought the Husky for Lyra." He says to me, softly rubbing my arms, looking at me like I grew thorns out of my head.

"What husky? My Mother has spent the last three years ordering doctors to torture me while they turn me into a genetically modified killing machine for her own self-righteous, piece of shit gain. Where is Pierce and Fern, and Samsara, where are the others? We still haven't taken down all the companies, Aaron, there are still a few left. Aaron, tell me what is going on?" I stress to him.

"Olive, honey. This stress is not good for the baby." He whispers to me, removing the silken sheet and kneeling down, hands running over the small bump, I gasp at the suddenness, he smiles below me, running his fingers over it.

"It's not me, Olive. That's not me. You have to WAKE UP!"

I kept hearing the echo, "She cannot hear you, little Westlake. Don't be too frightened, her body can handle this kind of torture, if that's what you really want to call it. Eight days, you promised to put my head on a stake within three and still, your darling wife can't wake up from her sleeping beauty slumber. Did you enjoy your time together at the falls?"