I can hardly believemy eyes.Skin that would otherwise benaturallysmoothand uniformbeneath her navel isarainbow of mottled shades of pink and brown flesh.Years of scarringin various stages of healing.The most alarming are thethree patches of bright pink stillin the process of peeling.
Agonyis a serrated blade deep in my gut.
My strong, beautiful girl hascarried so much shame thatshe’sbeen hurting herself.Punishing herself for something that was never her fault.
I close the distance between us anddrop to myknees,my eyes fixed on theevidence of her pain.I gingerly take hold of her hips.“You did this here?”Under my watch.I feel horrible knowing she was suffering while I was oblivious.
“There was no way for you to know.”
“I was supposed to be protecting you. If I’d been more understanding and less of an ass…”
“I still would have struggled.” She cups my face in herloving hands. “I’m damaged, D, and that happened long before you entered the picture.”
Iclosemy eyes again, wishing I could do it all over. But I realize I’m making the same mistakes of the past by making this about me. Focusing on my failings is selfish. It’s time to put others first.
I lean in and press a tender but ardent kiss on one of the healed scars.
An apology.
A promise.
“I’m so sorry, firefly.” I peer up to see her chin quivering.
“You’re not disgusted by me?” Her whispered words gut me.
She thought her admission might ruin my desire for her. The truth is far from it. Knowing the extent of her struggles only intensifiesmy respect for her. I am in awe of Terina.Her perseverance. Her compassion. She is a treasure, andthe man whocan’tsee that is either blind or a fool.
I want her to understand how I feel. I need to show her how committed I am toher.
I stand, keeping our bodies close, and my eyes locked on hers. “I’m in awe of you, sweet girl. And I want you to know none of it was ever your fault.Craig got into drugs and gambling.That’s what killed him. You’reright, he was murdered, but itwasn’tfor the reasonsyou’rethinking. He owed a prominentbookiehundreds of thousands of dollars.That was the reason for the quarters. It was a message to other degenerates to pay their debts.It was never about you.”
Her evergreen eyes search mine. “It wasn’t … it wasn’t blackmail?” she asks on a shuddered breath. “But Kristi said?—”
“I don’t care what she saidor why.” I place my handsbyher ears tocapture her gaze again. “I’mtelling you the truth. His death had nothing to do with you.”
Iwon’tdwell on that viper of a mother-in-law in front ofRina, but I damn well am going to get answers from thewoman as soon as I have a chance.
Rina gaspsas though shewereclose to drowning and taking her first gulp oflifesaving air.
“It wasn’t me.”
I turn my headfrom left to rightin answer. “No, itwasn’t. And even if it had been an enemy of the familycoming after you that had ended his life,it’sstill not your fault. I said thatfrom the very beginning, and I stand by it.”
“Why did Renzo keep the truth from me?”
“He thought he was protecting you by not smearing Craig’s name. He had no idea Kristi had let you believe the attack was part of some bullshit blackmail story.”
A tear trickles down her cheek.
I bend and kiss the salty trail, noting the way her body lists toward me at the touch.Itmakes my cock stir in my pants.When I pull back, herheated gaze drops to my lips.
“You’re not on your period, then?”My words areas coarseas a gravel road.
She starts to turn her head, then stills and gives me her voice instead. “No, D.”
My nostrils flare on a heady inhale.
“And the sweat doesn’t bother you?”
