All Chapters of The Devil's Wedding Ring : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

"Val!!!" Cillian’s voice cut through the thick fog of my terror. He reached me in a heartbeat, his strong arms sweeping me off the cold marble floor as I continued to shake, my breath coming in shallow hitches. He didn't look back at the white box or the bloody silk. He carried me upstairs and laid me down on the bed, pulling the heavy duvet over my shivering form as if he could shield me from the world with layers of fabric. "Get some rest, okay? I’m right here. Just close your eyes," he whispered, his thumb stroking my temple.But how was I supposed to rest? Every time I blinked, I saw those glassy, black crow eyes. I saw the twisted neck. I saw the blood. "They want me dead, Cillian," I choked out. "They want me gone, and they’re right. I’m not supposed to be alive. I couldn't save Jaxson, and I couldn't save our child." My hands flew to my stomach, clutching the emptiness of my stomach that should've grown, Jaxson's child.He lay down behind me, pulling me back against his chest.

"You shouldn't make a noise," he reminded me, his voice a gravelly velvet against my skin. He pressed a lingering, open-mouthed kiss to the sensitive cord of my neck, sending a fresh wave of heat through my shivering frame. "Come close..."He whispered the command against my ear, his large hands sliding down to my waist with a possessive grip. He grabbed my butt, his fingers digging into the soft flesh to pull me flush against his hard body. I felt the heat of him through his clothes, a stark contrast to the chilled air of the room. He maneuvered me until one of my thighs was hooked over his hip, hitching my leg up high so he had total, unobstructed access to me."Try to hold it in and don't make a noise..." he whispered again. His breath was coming in short, ragged hitches as he looked directly into my eyes, his gray gaze dark with a hunger that felt like it could swallow me whole.His hand drifted lower just as he had earlier pulled away, his fingers ghosting over the lace of my lin

"Depression?" I repeated after her, the word landing in the quiet room with a heavy, hollow thud.Dr. Aris nodded slowly, her expression compassionate but firm. "Though you haven't said much yet, Valerie, from what I could draw out from our time today, you are suffering from clinical depression. To be more specific, you're experiencing a severe form of reactive depression born from trauma. You are like a ticking time bomb at the moment."A ticking time bomb. The description felt terrifyingly accurate. I could feel the countdown inside my chest, the silent pressure of a grief that had nowhere to go. I swallowed hard, looking away from her sharp gaze to the vast, cold library."Can I get pills? Something that will help me sleep?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "I just need the noise in my head to stop.""Why?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Doesn't your husband help with that?""Well, he always has a hard time putting me to bed," I said, a bitter smile touching my lips. "I

 How in the world did he become the man I didn't recognise, a man that I wanted to kill in an instant because right here, he was dancing so foolishly, swirling his glass with wine before he gave it to me, grinning from ear to ear. "Drink up, it will make you feel good," he said, standing right in front of me, the ridiculous Joker makeup crinkling around his eyes. I smiled, taking the wine from him. "I don't think the doctor will want that," I said, while he feigned a deep frown. "Still, we can visit the doctor's advice later. For now, let's feel good," he said, clinking his glass against mine before he took a long sip of the red wine. "Tastes good, just the type you like. Come on, help yourself." He nudged me gently, and I did take a sip, swirling the liquid on my tongue for a moment, letting the oaky warmth settle me before I nodded my head. "It's actually good," I said, breaking into a

"I'm sick and tired of your nonsense!!! Don't make me give..." He cut himself off, the air between us vibrating with the words he hadn't finished. "You're sick and tired of me?" I asked. I saw a flicker of defense in his gaze, a momentary widening of his eyes that told me he hadn't meant for it to come out that way. I knew Cillian. I knew he was just drowning in his own helplessness. He won't have meant that. "Val..." "It's fine. It's okay." I didn't wait for the apology I knew was coming. I turned and walked out on him, the bandages on my feet muffled against the floor. "Valerie, I didn't mean it that way... Val!" He followed me, his footsteps heavy and desperate, but I was faster. I reached the bedroom and swung the door shut right in his face. I pressed my back against the wood, bracing myself, expecting to feel a surge of grief or a sob in my throat. But there was nothing. Ju