And another.
Vera’s shoulders shook as the tears continued to run.
“Fuck.” I wrapped my arms around her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. You don’t have to talk about it.”
“No, I want to talk about it.” Defiance shone in her reddened eyes.
I kissed her forehead and wiped the runaway tears from her cheeks. “I’m here for you. Whatever you tell me stays within these four walls.”
“I was in a relationship with a man who hurt me badly. His name is Ace Lockheart.” Vera remained silent for a few seconds, then continued her story. “Ace had outbursts of anger, which he took out on me. First, it was emotional abuse. Then, he beat me up. The worst beating happened in a hotel room.”
I lifted Vera’s chin. Her eyes pierced me like shards of dark glass.
“That’s how the scar came to be,” she said.
“Did you get help?”
“Yes, my brother, Julian, and his girlfriend, Sapphire, saved me from the devil.”
“What happened to Ace?” My face reddened with anger, and my nostrils flared. I wanted to kill Ace.
“Julian did some damage to the guy,” Vera said. Her soft touch landed on my arm, but my heart pounded and my facial muscles twitched. “Please, don’t get too invested in me,” she pleaded, rubbing my shoulder. “I’ve seen a therapist, and my emotional scars are healing.”
I squeezed Vera’s hand and pressed my lips on hers. “I want to protect you.”
“Let’s just enjoy a good time together.”
“What do you want? Tell me, love. What do you need?”
Vera moved closer, peppering my lips with fresh kisses. “I crave to be touched.”
I nodded and crashed my mouth into hers, desperate to lose myself in her. My tongue parted her soft lips, tasting heat and want. “I crave you,” I breathed between kisses. “I need you.”
I wanted more than just her body. I wanted to know Vera. She’d let me in tonight, raw and honest about her past, and for once, it didn’t feel like I was just playing the same old game.She wasn’t like the others. We both carried scars, and maybe someday I’d share mine too. But not yet. Not tonight.
Vera
One hour later
“Thanks for the lift.” I brushed a kiss over Alistair’s cheek as we stepped into Julian’s empty apartment.
“No problem. I want you safe at home.” Alistair glanced around, eyes tracking the gleam of the countertops and the perfectly aligned books on the shelf. “Is this your place? It’s spotless. Pristine.”
“It’s my brother’s. He’s out of town for work all week, so I’m crashing here. The cleanliness? All him. I’m not the neat freak in the family.”
“Ah.” Alistair walked around, inspecting the pristine furniture, and observed the photos near the bookshelf. He craned his neck and tilted his head, eyeing one particular photo of Julian.
“So, this is your brother?” he asked. His eyebrows knitted and his cheeks tightened, twitching ever so slightly.
“Yep. Julian.”
“Fuck, look at the time,” Alistair said as he glanced at his watch. “Look, Vera. Thanks for tonight. Hey, uh?—”
“Yeah, listen, I had fun with you today, but I’m taking it slow. Not ready to dive headfirst into a full-blown relationship.”
“That makes two of us. No drama, no pressure. Stay in touch, alright?”
“Sure, why not?” I kept it breezy.
