Chapter 57 (Beauty''s Breath) (Zero)


    “What is a monkey with wings, hmmm.” Jo''s voice is the first one I hear as I make it to the stable.


    Beauty''sughter is the next, and my skin prickles at the sound. My body is in tuned to hers. When I


    am not with her, I crave the time when I can be.


    Jo is sitting on a stack of hay eating Knights secret stash of ice-cream, while Beauty sits on a stack of


    empty beer crates in front of her eating a peppermint ice-cream.


    “Definitely flings,” Jo says as sheughs.


    I watch them for a few seconds, but as my woman being who she is, it doesn''t take her long before


    noticing my presence.


    “OOOH, looks like someone just caught us,” Beauty smiles at Jo, and fuck it, she steals my fucking life


    for these moments when her dimple shows.


    I haven''t noticed it before.


    Since we''ve left Ka all those weeks ago I have learned a lot about Beauty. Small things that I haven''t


    paid any attention to.


    They just add to the intricate puzzle of her. Every day I fall deeper, even with knowing all that I know of


    her.


    I should let her go, but should and would will never have the same meaning.


    Like wanting to protect her, and save my brother at the same time. Either choice, I still lose.


    “Uncle Zee,” Jo squeals when she sees me. And my eyes dash again to Beauty like it has done a few


    too many times before. I can''t believe she is mine. MINE


    She is a beauty. The ckest of beauty''s, not by skin, as that is pale, but in souls. Akin to an evil


    goddess that has only known a dark way, an evil path and finally like all great leaders learns that even


    in the darkness there is a glimmer of light.


    “Your momma is going to go bat-shit crazy if you don''t clean yourself up before she gets back, better


    get movin’ there kid. Tomorrow I''m gonna help you with that tackle, so best make sure you momma


    says you can y, yeah.” I tell Jo, whose eyes widen by my words.


    Kid knows I’m right.


    She jumps down from the stack of hay and runs past me, but not before I ruffle her curly hair,


    chuckling.


    Kid is fucking something.


    I shoot a quick text to After and Knight to watch Jo get inside since I know the two are outside smoking


    a joint.


    “My ass is gonna be huge if I keep this up,” Beauty says as she takes a big bite of ice-cream.


    “Since when are you worried about your ass, it looks great to me.” I''m surprised she even cares about


    shit like that.


    I read the message from After quick, just to make sure she can see Jo.


    Slipping my phone in my pocket I lean my shoulder on the wooden wall right by the entrance as I cross


    my ankles.


    Beauty rolls her eyes and jumps off the hay, “Since I started eating more than one meal a day.”


    Pushing myself off the wall, I close the small space between us, “Your ass is fine. Come on, let''s get


    out of here for a few hours.”


    I ce my handsfortably on her hips, pulling her flush against me.


    “We need to unpack...” She informs me for the umpteenth time since we''ve arrived.


    I ce my fingers on her lips, “Beauty, this is your home now, we can leave our clothes in a bag for one


    night. Yeah.”


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    “Yeah.”


    I kiss the top of her forehead. My lips linger on her skin that has tasted the harshness of life but still


    when I touch her, feels like I am caressing a spark of heaven.


    She closes her eyes, her body still, calling to mine in this barn, where only the stars and god can see.


    We havee a long way.


    “Do you remember when we first met?”


    “Yes, you weren''t mine then.”


    I smile at that, my lips leaving her forehead, “Beauty I was yours from that very moment I walked in that


    alley and saw the hooded girl with a gun in her hand, our souls touched.”


    She grips my arms, her eyes remain downcast, her voice gruff yet soft at the same time when she


    utters my name in a low warning, “Zero.”


    “What Beauty,” I say it as a dare, a question and an answer.


    “We were doomed from the moment you pulled that gun from my hands.”


    I lift my head and stare at her as her ck eyes find mine.


    “Is that what you think?”


    Her breathing is heavy and I know she is feeling the ache of a loving heart just like me.


    “My hearts been burning for you Beauty since before I even knew you existed, and it''s still burning. I''m


    still waiting for you. I know you told me that you fell a long time ago baby. You guarded, and I


    understand THAT. But you, Amariya are everything I need to breathe. I am the one falling hoping that if


    there is something there for me IN those shards, it will join me.”


    She opens her mouth, and takes a deep inhale, as I let out a huff.