Page 11 of Hollywood Fairytale

“It was hard for my dad to raise me, a little girl, on his own. He didn’t have a great job, but he did his best. If it weren’t for my grandparents giving him money for school clothes and supplies I don’t know how he would have managed. He never married or dated or anything at all that I know of. He worked hard and when he was home he spent every moment with me. I don’t know if he was waiting until I was out of high school or what for him to move on with his life, but he never did.” Hanging my head, I continued. “I was so ashamed when I found out that I was pregnant and had to tell him. That’s why when he said that I had to marry Decker, I did.

“After we got married, I hardly saw my dad. He was still working all the time and Decker had changed. I didn’t want to do anything that would set him off, and for some reason every time I saw my dad he would lose his shit for days. I think it was because he was afraid that my dad would say I didn’t have to stay married to him anymore. Especially if he found out the way Decker was treating me. Ten years ago, he was killed in a drunk driving accident.” Taking in a stunted breath, I finished. “It had been months since I’d last seen him.”

There was no holding back the tears as I thought back to all those years ago. Instead I let loose all the sadness I’d been holding in since my father’s death. Sobs wracked my body even as Luke held me tight against his strong frame. My body shook and bucked as I let out years’ worth of regret and sadness. I hiccupped out how much I missed my dad over and over again.

Standing from the couch, Luke walked us into my bedroom, closing the door before crawling on to the bed with me still in his arms. Once he had us settled, each on our sides and my face tucked safely against his shoulder, he wrapped his entire body around mine. Cocooning me in, making me feel safer than ever before.

“Fuck, Alex, I had no idea. No wonder you didn’t want to talk about them. I should have known it wasn’t something trivial when you’ve been so open with me about everything else. I’m such a dick for making you talk. All I wanted was to be able to ask your father for your hand in marriage, but I should have known something was amiss when you never spoke of him.”

One hand rubbed up and down the side of my body while he ran his fingers through my hair with the other. It wasn’t until he started to lightly murmur Swedish that I started to calm down. I had no idea what he was saying, but it was soothing. Once I finally let everything out and had thoroughly soaked Luke’s shirt with my tears, my body and mind were weary as if I’d ran a marathon instead of crying for who knew how long in Luke’s arms.

I’d folded myself into him, as if I could escape inside of him, while Luke continued to soothed me anyway he knew how, not once caring about his shirt or that he was uncomfortable.

Even though all I wanted to do was fall asleep in his arms, I sat up and looked down at his surprised face and started to pull his shirt up the strong planes of his stomach. He sat up without word, letting me take off his wet shirt. Once I’d thrown his shirt to the floor, Luke’s arms were around me once again and pulling me back down onto the bed and into the cocoon he had created earlier.

We were quiet for long moments before I decided that no matter how hard it was to talk about, I still wanted Luke to know everything.

“I haven’t talked or seen my mom since I was thirteen. Ever since I could remember, I knew that I was never a priority in her life. She has four other kids. Two with the man who abused me, and two more she had with the husband after that.”

His body tensed, and he held his breath for almost a minute before he spoke, anger laced in every word. “She married the man who abused you?”

“Not only did she marry him, but for years she denied anything ever happened. I don’t know when I realized it, but at some point, I figured out that I only visited her when it was convenient for her. She had no rights to me, but my dad let me visit her when I wanted, and if she was available.

“She sounds like a bitch who doesn’t know what she’s missing by not being in your life.”

“It is what it is. I’m used to it, but I wanted you to know in case she tries to come back into my life, if she learns about you or tries to contact you in anyway.”

Kissing the top of my head, his voice was filled with gravel when he spoke. His body still held some of the tension from earlier. “I hate that happened to you and I wish I could take it away, but we both know that I can’t. It explains why you’re such a strong, independent woman. Thank you for telling me and opening up to me.”

Tilting my head up, I kissed the bottom of his jaw.

“We should get some sleep since we have that appointment in the morning and you’ve got to be drained after tonight.”

“I am tired.” I answered with a long yawn. As my eyes drifted closed, I mumbled. “Just keep holding me.”

“Always.”

6

After working for a couple hours,I decided to stop and take advantage of the fact that Luke and I were alone for a few more hours. Luke had urged me to get the work I needed done while he went to the gym and start going over his lines for Night Shadows.

My steps faltered when I found Luke reclined on my couch with bare feet, ankles crossed in low slung grey sweatpants, and a tight white t-shirt stretched across his biceps and chest. As mouthwatering as all that was, it was the thick, black framed glasses perched upon his nose that stopped me and had me almost drooling. At any given time, Luke was hot, but with those glasses on he was scorching. If a lady could have a boner, I got one in that moment seeing Luke.

How had I not known he wore glasses?

Dear God, he needed to wear them at all times. No, then the women that threw themselves at him would be relentless. On second thought, he should only wear them in the house around me.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Luke cleared his throat. “Alex, are you okay? You’ve been standing there for a good two minutes.”

Starting toward him, my body heat increased with every step. “Never better.” Settling on the edge of the couch by his side, I couldn’t take my eyes off his glasses or stop from fingering the side of them. Not that I ever had a hard time looking at Luke.

“Do you like the glasses?” he asked cocking his head.

I was sure that he thought I’d gone crazy, but I only nodded as I leaned down and brushed my lips against his before I licked along the seam.

“Oh, you do like them.” His voice had grown husky and his blue eyes turned as dark as a storm.

“I really do. How have I never seen these?”

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