Jaded.

Tormented by his past.

Permanently changed… but he was the man I loved now, the man who was always my protector. Now he was even more so. And although life was hard for him now, with me, he was at peace.

We were each other’s peace.

“Read to me,” Luka murmured, completely relaxed in my arms. Smiling, I reached out for our favorite old book that was worn and aged through years of overuse. I had never thrown it away.

Maybe I always knew I would need it again someday.

“You ready, lyubov moya?” I asked.

“Mmm…” he murmured in reply. “Read to me.” He reached up and held my free hand in his.

I smiled.

I was so unbelievably happy as we laid here in our new bed in our new home, our new brownstone, three doors down from his parents’ home.

“They were always meant to be together, one boy and one girl, two hearts split into two, sent to far-off lands on their own. For God wanted to see if true love could be tested. He wanted to see if two halves of one soul could find each other again, even against the odds. Years would pass. They would both be hurt. They would both be sad, but one day, when they least expected it, they would stumble into each other’s paths. The question is: would they recognize each other’s soul? And would they find their way back to love…?”

Looking down at Luka, his eyes closing as he traced his finger over my belly, a small contented smile on his lips, I knew he was praying I was pregnant.

I was too.

“You recognized mine,” he murmured sleepily, slowly opening his eyes. I stopped reading and lowered the book. “You recognized my soul when I was lost.”

Tears building, I replied, “I did, baby.”

“And you brought me back to you,” he finished and pressed a kiss to my stomach.

I shook my head. “Now that’s where you’re wrong.”

Luka raised his head, tilted it to the side, and pursed his lips in confusion. My heart flipped at the action, and, releasing his hand, I stroked my thumb along his stubbled cheeks. Taking his hand again, I pressed it against my heart.

“I couldn’t bring you back because you never ever left. Not in here.” I patted my chest where my heart was.

Luka smiled and laid his head back down. Closing his eyes, he picked up my hand and placed it back in his hair, nudging me to stroke him again.

My heart melted as my fingers began to move back and forth through the silky blond strands. I picked up the book and started where I left off…

“Their love story began on the day she was born…”

The End