“Thank you for letting us crash here.” Her voice isn’t how it is normally; it’s a tad deeper, her words more pronounced. Her eyes avoid mine purposely and they should, if it’s her. Her gaze darts around the apartment, taking everything in.
“You have a nice place,” she says, clearing her throat.
“Do you have any sisters?” I ask her and she looks taken aback.
“Uhm...yeah, actually. Two,” she says nervously.
“What’s their names?” I ask her, hearing the desperation in my voice.
“I’m sorry but is there a reason that you’re asking?” Her voice breaks as she rubs the back of her neck. My eyes go to her fingernails. They’re short and a light pink. Alana always wore her nails long and pointed. They would rip my back to shreds every night. I swallow the lump in my throat. “You look like someone I used to know,” I tell her, my eyes completely focused on hers, and they twinkle at me.
“I’ve gotten that a lot today,” she says with a quiet sigh.
“What are your sisters’ names? Do you have a twin?” I ask her, standing up from my seat and walking towards her. I notice her consciously taking steps away from me.
“No…Is there a reason you keep asking me this?” she says bewildered, and I realize if this really isn’t Alana I’m freaking this innocent girl out. I take a deep breath and try not to explode. Around Alana that’s never been easy, but I don’t really know if it’s her yet. Everything in me is telling me this is her but…there’s something off and my senses being impaired isn’t helping.
“Can I show you something?” I ask her, and she barely nods. I get out my phone and pull up the picture I kept saved of us. The only one I didn’t delete after I tried to erase her from my memory, after she left me with a fucking Dear John letter telling me to let her go, like I could just forget the person I expected to wake up to every day for the rest of my life, pretend she never existed. I look at the picture one more time and back at the girl standing in front of me. The resemblance isn’t beyond striking—it’s exact. I hold out the phone to her. She looks at me curiously before taking it and when her eyes find the picture her breath hitches. She looks at me, confusion filling her face.
“How did you get this?” her voice disappears beneath her breath. My heart is fighting its way out of my chest. I don’t know what to think. Her eyes reveal fear, confusion, and panic…things I’ve never seen in her before.
“I took it. I’m a photographer.” My voice is shaking like an earthquake. It’s a stupid thing to say. It’s a selfie photo of us, something a first-grader could have taken…but I consider it one of the greatest works I’ve ever done.
I’m nervous, or more afraid, because I’m starting to think this might not be her. The woman I hoped she was. Her hands are trembling, no—her whole body is. I reach out to steady her and she jumps back from me as if I have the plague. My phone crashes to the floor.
“I’m so sorry,” she apologizes as we both scramble to get it. Her dark hair is covering her face. Her cheeks have changed tint, a blush of color traveling down her face to her neck. I fight the images of my lips being there, trailing down her stomach and breast. I pick up the phone and stand, running my hand over my face.
“I should go. I can’t stay here,” she says shakily, taking small steps away from me. I reach for her arm and she doesn’t snatch it away but looks at me, as if I’m a math problem, difficult and complex, her eyes full of fear and vulnerability.
“I—don’t know what to say.” Her voice is just above a whisper, and my chest is tight, and I fight stinging water in my eyes waiting for her confession, for her to admit all of this is a lie. That she left me.
“I lied to you earlier,” she says, her head falling to the ground. My face hardens. Anger starting to swirl within me.
“Not lied, wrong word. But…truthfully, I just found out about my family today. That’s why I’m here actually…” She trails off, cupping the back of her neck.
“I-I grew up in foster care.” I stop breathing.
“I don’t remember anything about my family.” She motions to Blue. “Blue found out some things that led me to Chicago. My brother lives here…I hope he’s my brother, at least.” She’s talking so fast her words crash together.
“I guess it’s possible that I have a twin sister.” She shrugs, confusion all over her face. My heart sinks. I nod. It would make sense. She looks like Alana, but there’s something so different about her. I swallow hard and step back from her.
“Small world huh?” It’s all I can muster and it comes out clipped and hard. She puts a hand on her hip.
“I have no idea why the girl in that picture with you looks like me.” Her head is bobbing from side to side, her breathing going faster and faster. My phone rings. I hit ignore.
“You…was she, your…girlfriend?” Her words are cautious. I pull out my phone and read the text from Devin.
You found her?!
That’s all the confirmation I need. My jaw tightens. My eyes meet hers and I see them widen in fear.
She should definitely be scared.
“She’s my wife.” My voice lowers.
You see, Alana, I don’t know what twisted fucking game you’re playing but your name’s not Megan. It’s Alana. And this game you’re playing is over. You mentally broke me, my heart, and everything in between. And now I’m going to break you…
The sequel to HER Mine is out now and available to be purchased here.
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Until next time, xoxoxo.
Portia.
Also by Portia Moore
If I Break Series
#1Before Him
#2 If I Break
#3Before I Break
#4Almost Broken
#5 Beautifully Broken
#6 Shattered Pieces
Time Duet
#1 What Happens After
#2 The Trouble With Before
Her Series
Her
Mine
Them
Us
Stand Alones
He Lived Next Door *A Clean Romance
Collided Series
Collided Book 1
Crushed Book 2
Committed Book 3
Claimed
Claimed Book 1