Free Madness or Love (Be With Me Book 1) by Selina Bodur Page B

grin spread over his face. Her simple words had brought
peace into his sour soul. It wasn’t too late. Free from the fear, his mind
worked in full speed. He might have just one shot, one chance to change their
fate, one moment in time to take a leap. He felt the weight lifting off his
chest by the sudden realization and acceptance of his feelings. Ian knew what
to do and dialed a number.

Chapter Nine
     
    Victoria’s phone lay silent on the dining table next
to her bowl of veggie soup. A tasteless meal on that gray day that was almost
gone. The night and its shadows were stepping in, drowning the last of the
light piece by piece. The scenery was a true representation of her soul and
troubled mind. The only bright spot in the dim room was the thought of him.
Even the fear creeping in her couldn’t kill the powerful energy created by the
sound of his name. Ian. She sighed. The phone remained silent.
    Since their fight, she had been mad, hurt, and
resentful; then the numbness took over, and she had been sitting for hours
staring blankly at the wall, holding a cold cup of tea. Regret had been the
next emotion settling in her heart. She wanted to go back and erase the words,
but she couldn’t. His silence didn’t help at all to ease her doubtful soul. Was
she wrong to snap at him? Had he really no right to mess with her love life? She
could almost feel their friendship falling into pieces. The burned bridge
between them was her fault; she was sure. She had broken the fragile line
between friendship and love. She had allowed herself, for just one night, to
believe in a future where they could be together. Now she was paying for that
bold, rash move. She never thought she might lose him, and the truth was she
missed her friend. Ian had become, imperceptibly, a part of her, a living,
beating part of her heart. Losing him, letting him go, meant letting a piece of
her soul die, allowing a part of her being to sink into eternal darkness. She
needed him in her life. If that meant sacrificing her love for him, she was
ready to do it. Victoria could live with a broken heart, but she couldn’t
survive with a shattered soul. Determination filled her body, and for the first
time in days, she was sure in her chosen path. Love might be impossible, but
their friendship would survive. She decided to give Ian some time, let the
fight and the moment she’d almost kissed him fade away. Time to forget. She
would forget, too, at least for a while. She would spend the next day, her
birthday, with her sister, and stop moping. She would start living again.
    The doorbell rang over and over with an eerie sound
that filled the silent apartment. The buzz carried an urgency and impatience.
Victoria wondered who might be visiting at this hour because no one, except her
sister, knew she was off for a few days. Curiously, with a bit of uneasiness,
she cracked open the door. The sight made her freeze. Six-foot-tall male
perfection wearing jeans and a plain black T-shirt, cabin-sized suitcase in
hand, was casually leaning on the railing and smiling at her. Mesmerized by the
blue of his eyes, she stood there speechless, unable to move or think. Taking a
deep breath, Victoria finally found her voice, and her lips uttered a single word.
    “Ian.”
    She could only stare at him as time stopped, and neither
of them moved. His eyes burned through her, and then his gaze shifted slightly,
lingering for a second on her soft lips. Very slowly, he focused back and
pierced her green eyes.
    His smile broadened. “Hey.”
    The sound of his voice reverberated through her body.
She took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. Hundreds of questions wanted
to pop out of her mouth simultaneously.
    “Hey back,” was all she managed. Victoria stood there,
blocking the entrance to the flat. Subconsciously, she didn’t want to let him
into her soul again.
    “May I come in?” he asked calmly, but he couldn’t hide
the hint of anxiety in his voice.
    His question snapped her