Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 102136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Like you, Isaiah, Josiah saved me. He took me from a life of servitude and constant pain into a life so rich with happiness, I still barely believe it is real.” I made sure to hold Flame’s gaze. “He loves so purely, so deeply, and so true. And I know he loved you in the same way.” I squeezed Asher’s hand. “In the same way he loves all his brothers.” I smiled, though my lips were trembling. “Flame will cherish his child in the same way. He will never hurt her or him, just as he never hurt you.” I closed my eyes. “The purest souls may not be granted a long life.” I recalled scripture from my days in The Order. “The righteous perish, and yet no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”
The warm breeze wrapped itself around us like a mother’s embrace. “You were spared from evil, Isaiah. You were spared from a man who would seek to do you harm. In death, you received protection… you were granted peace. You left this world cradled in the arms of the person who loved you most.” My voice lost strength as I added, “I can think of no better way to pass.” Taking a deep breath, trying to hold on for just a few moments longer, I said, “Goodbye Isaiah Cade. We love you. You will always be in our hearts. Watch over us from Heaven. One day, when it is our time, we shall see you again.”
Bringing Asher and Flame’s hands to my eyes, I cried. I cried for the innocent baby who never lived. I cried for the brothers beside me who had yet to find peace. “We shall all see you again, we shall see your mama and Asher’s mama… and we shall all love in peace.”
Please… I found myself praying, hands still clasped in Asher’s and Flame’s. Help them both heal. Help Flame to be free from the burden that bleeds joy from his soul. Enable Asher to understand that he is wanted and loved. Please bestow peace on my Cade boys. Allow them to feel love… allow them to finally feel free.
Chapter Twelve
Flame
I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t fucking stand it! Maddie… my Maddie was crying. Asher was fucking crying. I felt water on my cheeks. Was I fuckin crying too? My chest felt like it was caving in, claws fucking pulling in my gut, trying to tear it apart. Maddie’s words started circling my head. You were spared from evil, Isaiah. You were spared from a man who would seek to do you harm. In death, you received protection… you were granted peace. You left this world cradled in the arms of the person who loved you most… You never said goodbye to the big brother who always tried to keep you safe. Who held you, comforted you and loved you, up until your last breath, passing from this cruel world into one of peace and light and love… A big brother who believed he had hurt you in some way, a big brother who punished himself for it, every day. This, when all he did was try—try to love you for who you were and to pray you would never leave him…
Maddie said I didn’t harm him. Maddie said that God took Isaiah away from me, because Poppa would keep on hurting him. Isaiah was taken away from me to be with mama. So that she could love him. So that Poppa wouldn’t abuse him, like he had me and Asher. I looked to Asher. He was still crying. His head was fucking bent to hide the fact that he was crying. Because Poppa hurt him too. Poppa hurt Asher… like he hurt me. Like he would’ve hurt Isaiah when he got older. My heart beat too fast. I pulled my hand back from Maddie.
“Flame?”
My feet had to move. I had to move. I paced. I looked out over the river. Isaiah had been out in there. I pushed my hands into my eyes. Isaiah had been crying before he’d died. His crying hurt my ears. He didn’t stop. He never stopped crying because he was in pain. Maddie’s words came back to me. You were spared from a man who would seek to do you harm. In death, you received protection… you were granted peace…
Poppa said that I’d killed Isaiah, that my flames had killed him. My demons had taken him from me. Maddie said something different—God took Isaiah so Poppa couldn’t do to Isaiah what had been done to me. Poppa left us alone. He left us both in the cellar. We were hungry, we were thirsty, but Poppa never came back. Isaiah’s breathing changed, but I couldn’t touch him. I told Isaiah I couldn’t touch him. I can’t touch you… I’ll hurt you…