“How do we break the cycle?”

“My happiness was tied to him in strands of transparent steel cables, nothing could break those ties except for Callum himself and I trusted him so implicitly.”

“It’s like I’ve known you my entire life,”“I think, in some ways, we have. Only you could know what I’ve been through; the humiliation, the judgments, the unwanted pity and none of it at your doing. We may not have known each other our whole lives but we’ve definitely lived them in parallel.”

“It was the fact that she was in every piece, in every corner, on every shelf. She was everywhere, reminding me how much in love with her I was.”

“Anything can hurt you, Harper. Even things you're supposed to be able to count on can hurt you.""These things you speak of, do they include how we're supposed to rely on mothers and fathers never to die or leave us alone?""Exactly, but that's life, Harper. Nothing is guaranteed.""You're right.""But I can promise you that I would never intentionally hurt you and, although a promise is not a guarantee, it is still a promise and you can ask anyone I know, I'm good on my word.""I don't know why but I believe you.”

“It's funny how this total stranger could relate to me better than anyone else I'd ever met. It was as if I'd known her my entire life.”

“What is it about you?” he asked me.I gulped. “What do you mean?” I whispered, closing my eyes and swallowing again, my breaths becoming labored.He lifted his hand and dragged the backs of his fingers across my jaw so lightly I barely felt them, but they made me feel dizzy all the same. “How can you be this extraordinary, January MacLouchlainn?” He leaned closer, a look of pure frustration and anger lit his eyes and pressed his lips. “And why couldn’t I have met you before I realised I didn’t want anyone… ever?”