Three's A Crowd. (Now Published On Amazon)

Chapter Thirty Five.

3 months later...

Skye

Anticipation coursed through me as I stood in a secluded spot at one corner of the vast gallery known as Roskos.

Jasper's art surrounded me from all directions, his photographs proudly on display, showcasing his talent to the max. Both colourful and black and white pictures adorned the stark white gallery walls. Patrons stood milling about admiring the art and talking amongst themselves. The elite Italians of Milan.

It was a Thursday night, balmy and dark outside, cool and brightly lit in the gallery. I ached to leave and let the darkness out there envelope me once more, afraid of being spotted by either Jasper or Cole. I hadn't seen them but I knew they must be around and that knowledge filled me with a deep yearning and dread at the same time.

In the first few weeks since I had left, Cole had tried to get in touch with me in a dozen different ways to apologise for hurting me and for not being more understanding of what I had been suffering but I hadn't responded even though it hurt like hell to ignore him. It needed to be done. The three of us could never be happy together. Jasper had been there first and they had been doing perfectly fine without me for years. They would get there again. It would just take time.

The unusual thing was, neither of them had been active on their social media over the past three months. The only updates had been on Jasper's Instagram regarding the approaching gallery exhibition which had been postponed from its original date by a couple of months.

It was for the best. They were clearly moving on and allowing me to do the same.

I turned a corner slowly, my eyes searching for any signs of them so that I could duck back quickly in the shadows. My lips parted as I saw the photograph right in front of me. In monochromatic colours.

I smiled. It was me. Tangled up between white cotton sheets while lying on my stomach, my hair in disarray and my bottom covered while the rest of my naked back was brought to life under Jasper's skilled photography. My profile was half in shadows and half exposed but nobody could identify it was me. At the risk of sounding vain, I had to admit the piece was beautiful.

Sensual and lovingly captured.

"I love you, Jasper," I whispered and then...I felt it. That prickling awareness that only came from being watched intently. And it only happened to me whenever his eyes were on me.

I tried to ignore it. I tried to simply turn around and leave but the pull was too strong.

With my breath catching, I glanced down the passage and saw him. I saw them both. Cole was talking to one of the guests animatedly as they studied a photograph and he looked so well and handsome. Happy.

Jasper...oh God, Jasper.

My eyes widened in horror as I took in the wheelchair and his figure seated in it as though the man was carved from stone. So still. So cold.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't process it. No. What...? Why was he-? What the fuck happened and why didn't they at least let me know? I hadn't spoken to Cole but I had read every one of his messages like someone hell bent on inflicting torture upon herself.

"Jasper," I gasped and my feet moved towards him of their own accord. With each hurried step, I felt his stare boring into me. As though he was drinking me in. As though he believed I would disappear if he blinked.

When I reached him, I knelt automatically and took his large, cool hands in my own, gripping them tight. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks and my throat felt so constricted. Shit. Not the crying again. I needed to say something. Ask him what happened. Why couldn't I speak?