Broken Lyrics (Book 3 of the Black Heart Series)

Eighteen

Bree

Two days after I signed Asher's ultimatum, I was standing at the sink in my kitchen, washing dishes, when Declan came home, from visiting him.

"Mom, can I stay the night at Bailey's?" I heard the door slam behind her.

"Sure, babe." I smiled and turned, expecting to see her standing there, but came face to face with a sweatshirt clad Asher instead.

I screeched and jumped in surprise. The cup that I was washing fell straight to the floor with a shattering smash.

"SHIT!" I breathed.

"You okay, Mom?" Declan called from the other room.

"Yes." I called to her, as I hopped over the broken glass, reaching for the broom that Asher had already donned.

"You're barefoot," he told me quietly, "I'll get it."

"Uhm, thanks." I mumbled.

He went about, picking up the broken glass, as he spoke, "I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you heard us come in."

His voice was quiet and calm, with no underlying anger for a change.

It was somewhat unnerving.

"Bye, Mom!" Declan came out of her room and bounded for the front door.

"You're leaving already?" I glanced from her, to Asher and back to her.

"Bailey wanted to catch a movie. It starts in thirty minutes." She sighed impatiently.

"Do you need money?" I asked, moving around the glass, to reach my purse.

"No, Dad gave me more than enough." She smiled widely, "I love you!"

"Love you too!" I called back, but she was out the door before I could even finish the words.

"Well, that was odd." I stood, gaping at the door.

"I-uhm... I kind of asked her if I could talk to you." He emptied the contents of the dust pan into the garbage, "Alone."

He paused, before putting the broom away, to gape at the door.

"The kid works fast." He shrugged.

"What did you want to talk about?" I moved back to the sink, to finish my task, "Wedding plans?"

He leaned against the counter with a sigh, "Let's do dinner, we can talk."

"I'm not hungry." I told him coldly, not looking away from my dishes.

"Bree, I'm trying here." His voice was soft and pleading, almost reminding me of the Asher that I knew as a girl.

"What do you want from me, Asher?" I sighed heavily.

"Just a civil conversation, Bree."

"You make me sign some ridiculous premarital agreement, child custody papers and basically my soul away, THEN you want a civil conversation?"

"Please?" Now he was practically begging me.

"Fine!" I snapped, drying of my hands and glaring at him, "I'm all ears."

"Now?" He glanced around.

"Better time than any." I snapped.

"Fine," His lips went tight, "Declan's life is here. All of her friends are here. I was thinking about relocating."

"What about the band?"

"We discussed it," He gave a slow nod, "They'll relocate too and we'll travel back and forth when needed."

"You say it, like it's no big deal." My eyes widened incredulously.

"It IS no big deal," He shrugged, "I want to be where you and Declan are. They get that."

"Declan would love to have you around all the time." I swallowed hard. It was part of the reason I signed.

The other part was because, if it went to court, it would destroy my beautiful daughter. She would never be left alone by the press.

"And what about you?" He asked me, his eyes not moving from mine, as he watched me, searching for an answer.

My heart leapt into my throat. Those eyes...

I had to remember that this was a contractual agreement, not a love affair.

I took a step back and swallowed my heart back down.

"My feelings don't matter," I broke his stare and went over to the menu drawer, "I'm going to order pizza. You want anything?"

"I thought you weren't hungry." He smiled impishly.

"When I'm home alone, and DC goes off to Bailey's, I have a ritual. You can either join me or leave."

"I'll pay." He pulled the menu out of my hand, with a grin.

Asher

Her ritual included ordering pizza with onions, green peppers, mushrooms and pepperoni, racing into the shower, smoking a bowl and popping in The Princess Bride, before the delivery guy arrived. It seemed to be some sort of timed race for her.

Toward the end of the movie, the entire large pizza was gone, although I had only eaten half.

She was sprawled out on her stomach, on the chaise to her sectional, her head resting on her hands as she intently watched the movie, completely enthralled.

This movie had always been one my personal favorites.

I had moved to the floor, next to her. She just seemed so consumed by the movie, that it made watching it so much more enjoyable.

"I can't believe that you actually like this shit." I teased.

I watched her, as a slow smile grew on her face, like a kid on Christmas morning.

"It's the best movie ever made." Her voice was soft and full of peace.

I sighed happily. Her wistful way of speaking was the sound that I had missed most, over the years.

"This shit doesn't happen in real life." I rolled my eyes.

"That's the whole point, Ash. It's a fairytale that the boy's grandfather is reading him." She said softly, "They have a FAIRYTALE romance. All of the characters do, not just the couple in love."

"The guy comes back from the dead, Bree." I shook my head and began to mock the movie, "That's inconceivable!"

"He was only, "Mostly dead." Just watch." She nudged me with her shoulder, "Shhht! It's almost over."

We watched the last few moments of the movie in silence.

It wasn't until she turned to me, sniffling, that I realized she was crying over the movie.

"See," She smiled tearfully, "It's more than just Westley and Buttercup. It's about loyalty, love and companionship. It's about the romance of adventure and love and acceptance of mankind."

Bree and I were level. Eye to eye. Her tear stained, cloudy gray eyes meeting mine.

THIS... This is why I'd needed Bree... She always had this beauty in her heart. A beauty that shined from the inside outward.

I reached a hand up, to brush the tears away and when she blushed, my heart raced in the way it had for only her.

This was Bree...

My sweet, innocent, beautiful shining star...

In the next, uncontrolled instant, my hand was at the back of her head, pulling her lips to mine.

It began as a soft and gentle kiss, as I tried to keep my composure, but that was short lived when she didn't resist me.

She tasted sweet, seductive and smooth... There were no other words to describe her taste, but pure.... Simply pure...

She tasted like I needed more... So much more....