Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ALEX

"Is mummy okay? She never sleeps without kissinggoodnight." Rayen pouts as | put him to bed.

"But you said you hate the kisses." | run my hand through his curls.

"I do. But | want her to keep doing it. Don't tell her that | said that." He says, makingchuckle.

"You got it, big guy. Your secret is safe with me."

He smiles, and then his smile falls, "But is mummy okay?"

I nod.

"She is. She's just tired." | explain, and he nods in understanding.

| kiss him goodnight and turn the lights off before walking back to our room.

My wife is asleep with her chest going up and down slowly in soft breaths.

After the torture session, Dad called in the police to take her away, and mum has promised to get her the worst

punishment with no hope of ever being free. I, on the other hand, pulled sstrings so she won't have such a

joyous tin prison.

It will be like hell on earth.

I'm glad Athena has found closure and has finally sorted the pain she has been holding onto for years.

She is one of the strongest women I've ever seen.

| sit at the edge of the bed, watching her sleep, and then | gently brush a strand of hair away from her cheek.

She looks peaceful now, but | know the war she just fought and won was anything but.

She cried the entire ride back hand cried while | helped give her a bath until she slept.

| study her face like it holds the answers to the world. The sface that held tears minutes ago. The same

hands that shook while clutching that scalpel. The seyes that looked down at her aunt with every ounce of

pain and fury she'd bottled up for years.

But she still didn't break.

God, I've never been so proud of her.

She faced the devil in flesh and didn't cower. She didn't hide or run. She demanded the truth. She stared

betrayal in the face, stared childhood scars

straight in the eye, and dragged them into the light.

She could've lost herself in revenge, but she didn't.

She still has a heart. A soul and a fire that refuses to go out, no matter how many times the world tries to

smother it.

I will turn this world upside down just to keep her safe. | will do anything for her. Anything at all.

This woman went from being a stranger | made a deal with to the mother of my son and the keeper of my heart.

She hasat her mercy to command as she wishes, and | have no regrets or intentions of taking that power

back.

I lie down beside her, careful not to wake her.

My arm wraps around her waist, and | press my forehead against her temple, breathing her in. She smells like

lavender shampoo.

My wife.

My warrior.

My home.

"You have no idea how proud | am of you," | whisper, my voice low against her skin.

"You faced the worst. You faced the truth no one should ever have to carry, and you still chose to survive. You

still chose to stay faithful to who you are."

A lump forms in my throat, the kind | can't swallow down.

"I know it hurt. I know it broke something inside you. But you didn't let it win."

| pull her tighter into me.

“If | could take every scar you've ever carried, every moment you were

abandoned byinclusive, every nightmare, | would. In a heartbeat."

I look at her hand resting on the sheets, her wedding ring glinting under the soft lamplight.

"| don't care how strong you are

because already know you're the strongest person I've ever met But you never have to fight alone again. Not

while I'm breathing." s

My lips brush her forehead.

"I'll protect you. With everything | have. With my name. My power. My body. My fucking life, Athena."

She stirs a little, shifting closer, her hand curling slightly into my chest. Like even

in sleep, she knows who's holding her.

I'm about to close my eyes when my phone vibrates on the table.

It's my private line and only family callsusing that number so | sigh as | turn over hating that | have to

release Athena so | can pick up without disturbing her. s

I check the ID and it's Sloane.

| sit up instantly, the tension crawling up my spine like cold fingers.

Something's wrong.

| swipe to answer as | walk out of the room,

"Sloane? Why are you calling this late?"

Her voice comes through broken and frantic,

"Alex..."

She's sobbing, panicked and sounding Incoherent.

"Sloane, slow down. Breathe. Tellwhat's wrong."

More sobs, a soft hiccup and another sob. Then her voice cracks.

"He killed her."

My heart stalls in my chest.

"What? Who killed who?"

"He..he killed her. He killed her, Alex."

She's wailing now and I'm already grabbing my keys and rushing out.

"Sloane, calm down. Talk to me. Who did who kill?"

She doesn't answer at first. Just that horrible, raw sound of a soul unraveling.

Then she whispers it.

"Dad"

| freeze.

"Dad as in Eli King?"

"No. Of course not. My sperm donor James."

"Who, Sloane?"

"lan's mum... she's gone. There was so much blood. lan looks confused and about to go insane. He doesn't know

who did it but do because because he toldhe would. Oh God!" s

Fuck!

"I'm coming. Don't move. Don't touch anything. And don't say anything until | get

there. Do you understand?"

"But he will-"

"Do you fucking hear me?"

She sniffs.

"Yes. | do."

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