Dying Without You

Dying Without You The Clarks of Northshire Bend Book 3 Stephanie Nicole Norris Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Note from the Author Other Books by Stephanie Nicole Norris About the Author Note from the Publisher: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead or references to locations, persons, events, or locations is purely coincidental. The characters, circumstances, and events are imaginative and not intended to reflect real events. Dying Without You The Clarks of Northshire Bend - Book Three Copyright 2023 Stephanie Nicole Norris Love is a Drug, Ink. All Rights Reserved and Proprietary. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or format without written permission from Author. Send all requests via email to [email protected]. To my beloved readers, thank you so much for taking this journey with me. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I. One Langston “Mr. Clark, now that you’ve reunited with the one who got away, can you give our viewers an idea of what you two plan to do for your honeymoon?” Fredrick’s eyes shifted to the reporter, who shoved the microphone in his face. He squinted, his gaze stern. “What is your name?” “Morgan Kelly with Fox Fifty-One.” “Ms. Kelly, when I announced my engagement, I made the mistake of offending someone I loved, cherished, and adored for thirteen years of my life. It was a lack of respect on my part, so I’d like you and your viewers to know my current fiancée is not the only woman I’ve loved.” He looked into the camera. “Cynthia Clark was my first love. My sons, Derek, Malik, Tristan, and Langston, are my second loves.” He smiled at the reporter. “So, when you ask about my current fiancée, make sure you understand that first, hmm? And to answer your question, no—we don’t plan to give you any insight into our honeymoon. But be on the lookout for an announcement about the new Radius XTR sports car coming this summer!” He winked and slid into the backseat of a black SUV. The smiling reporter turned to face the camera. “Well, you heard it, folks! That’s a change in tune from the proposal we all witnessed a few months ago. And it looks like his announcement about new models from Radius will be as much as we’re getting from billionaire Fredrick Clark.” * * * Langston’s eyes were glued to the television as he watched his father’s driver pull away from the reporters. In the reception area of Jones Therapy Center, he stood with his hands inside his suit pants pocket. A bell rang, and the receptionist reentered the room with a smile. She was tall and Italian with black mascara from an eighties movie, thickened and aged. “Mr. Jones will see you now.” He followed her down a narrow hallway adorned with various accolades and degrees hanging on the wall. They stopped before a wooden door, and the receptionist knocked softly before opening it. “Mr. Clark is here to see you,” she announced before leaving him alone in the office with Malcolm Jones LMHC. He sat in front of the desk, noticing the dim lighting and the scent of lavender in the air. Mr. Jones leaned back in his chair with his fingers interlocked and his eyes perusing Langston. He spoke softly. “How are you today, Langston?” “I’ve been better.” “What’s bothering you?” Langston cleared his throat and inhaled as his gaze drifted over the decor. Mr. Jones’ office was a combination of a garden and a library. Potted plants resembled something between a palm tree and a cactus. The greenery was spaced out, placed in each corner of the room, and a replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David stood in the middle. It was surrounded by large textbooks on psychology and philosophy. The layout was pristine, with a few knickknacks and souvenirs from his worldwide travels. The only pictures on the wall were of a family with a smiling man, a woman, and a teenaged boy. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping at night. I’ve tried everything from sedatives to meditation, but nothing seems to work. I’m hoping you can help me.” “How long have you been having this problem?” Langston inhaled a deep breath, and his eyes shifted back to the window. “A few weeks.” “Are the methods we spoke about before no longer helping?” “No.” “Is your mind shut down when you try to sleep?” “No.” “What are you thinking about?” “Everything and nothing.” “Be more specific, please.” “Sometimes I’m thinking over my day. Others, I think about….” He paused. “Is it your ex-girlfriend? Destiny? Do you think about her?” “Not so much as thinking about her as I am stuck in a constant loop of witnessing her infidelity.” “I see.” Mr. Jones leaned forward; his eyes locked onto Langston’s. “Have you tried sex?” he asked bluntly. Langston’s gaze never wavered. Instead, the two stared at each other for a long moment. And while Malcolm was waiting for an answer, Langston remembered a vivid dream he’d had the last time he was able to sleep about a woman he’d become associated with within the previous months. Lisa Sharpton. She was one-third of the popular girl group Genesis Rising. One of her bandmates, Tina Braddon-Clark, was married to Langston’s brother, Malik Anthony Clark. Her second bandmate, Chelsea Bellamy, was in a relationship with another brother—Tristan Neil Clark. The proximity to Lisa had caused him to conjure some risqué dreams that he wanted to be ashamed of—but couldn’t. “Let me console you, Langston. Whatever you’re going through, I’ll make you forget like…” Lisa snapped her fingers. “That.” A lone thick brow rose on Langston’s cinnamon-brown face,