Page 53 of Down the Aisle
Her head snapped back in an instant, and her sadness and worry cut through her tears like a knife into my heart. "Please don't be mad at me. I wanted to tell you. I did, and I'd planned to do it the morning after I moved in… But I couldn't bring myself to. I didn't want you to be disgusted with my already flawed body." Her small hands fisted the front of my shirt as if she was afraid I'd pull away from her revelation. "I didn't, and don't, want to lose you. I couldn't risk it, so I continued to hide it."
"Oh, mia piccola rosa, no, mai." A flurry of kisses to her face followed a soft shake of my head.
Picking her up in my arms with a smile, I went over to the end of the bed and sat down with her in my lap. "The only thing I'd do is praise you for being such a strong woman and for getting yourself through such an ordeal, and that is what I am doing now." While my lips remained in a proud smile, my concerned and angry eyes had a mind of their own as they fixated on her arms. "I can't even begin to imagine…"
There were so many. I tried to count them all, but I lost track after fifteen because there were so many small ones that they kept blurring together. Of course, trying to count them didn't quell my anger. If anything, it only made it worse because the more I looked at them, the more I could see the differences in the discoloration.
She was attacked on more than one occasion, and that pissed me off to an entire universe.
Who was this bastard ex of hers who'd dared to inflict such suffering onto her, and more than once!?
When I get my hands on him, he'll wish he never existed.
Kissing her forehead, I kept my lips pressed against her while I breathed in her soothing scent. "I can never be upset at you or see you any less. Besides, you've seen my body and its scars. So, who am I to judge when my body isn't perfect itself?" Chuckling, I cupped her face and wiped away her tears with my thumbs. "You will never be less than perfect to me."
A look of defeat crossed her eyes momentarily before she closed them and leaned into my touch. "I don't know how or why I let it happen so many times." Her voice cracked a little as she spoke. "He was so sorry the first time, and I was stupid enough to believe him… Once, twice, three times. He was always tired from work, a few drinks in his body, and it was my fault for not being more diligent with having dinner ready or the house proper."
Her tired body trembled against me with her pathetic laugh. "And I was so stupid to let it go on for as long as it did." Her laughter picked up in volume, and it had the same pathetic and disbelieving pitch to it. "Ten fucking years, and to think it could've been forever if it weren't for Asher."
Keeping a comforting smile plastered on my face, I let my thoughts brew in my turbulent mind. "You got out, that's all that matters. You found your strength and will, and you got out. Not everyone can say they did, nor can everyone in your situation find it in themselves to think about escape."
I knew what I wanted to tell her, but everything mixed in my mind. Thoughts about who this ex was, how I fucking missed uncovering such a fact, how much she must have endured. For fuck's sake, ten years! That's how long she was with the damn bastard, yet nothing came up in my search.
No way would something like that have gone under my radar. I was more than diligent with digging into Eliza, so a ten-year relationship would've come up. There had to be something else at work here because I refused to believe that Max and I were that careless.
Using Eliza to distract myself from my own mind, I mindlessly kissed her temples. "You took that important first step, and you are still walking to a better future. Even if it's inch by inch, it's better than nothing and much better than being stuck in an abusive relationship." I was too numb to put much thought into my words, but Eliza needed such comfort right now, even if it was a little empty.
At least something genuine filtered through my haze of rageful paranoia. "I am so proud of you for how far you've come. It truly makes me appreciate you that much more because I couldn't be prouder to call such a strong woman mine." It might not seem like much to a lot of people, but to do what she did took a lot of courage.
Leaving a bad situation was never easy, despite what people might think. Yes, the door might be right there; hell, the door could be wide open with a bag of cash sitting next to it. The notion of walking out was simple enough, and the act of it was fairly easy. Yet, a lot of people failed to consider the storm underneath the surface.
Physically, nothing could stop them. Abusers didn't have to beat their victims twenty-four-seven to keep their compliance. Just the one time to really knock them down and force them into submission was enough. There were no chains or ropes needed to tie a victim down to their abusers either.
No, everything was always mental and emotional. The diabolic manipulation of a victim's emotions and mind would eventually mold them into believing they are nothing without their abuser. Threats of harm to loved ones hanging at the forefront of a victim's mind could be enough to keep them in line as well. Then, after a while, they accept it. Whatever the abuser has done, their routine, it all becomes normal to the victim. They can't see the bad situation before them because, to them, it wasn't bad. It was why most victims often returned to their abusers or a similar person or lifestyle if they ever got free.
Stepping out of the cycle and preventing relapses took a whole different strength and willpower entirely.
I mean, fuck, ten years with the damn bastard in such a relationship. No wonder my Eliza was so guarded and afraid. I really couldn't blame her for being so hesitant with me. Whatever life she made with the scumbag became her livelihood.
Taking her face into my hands, I brought her into a deep kiss full of promise. "I'll take care of you, my sweet rose." Inhaling a breath full of her calming scent, I let my nerves settle a bit. "I'll cherish you as you should have been all those years. I'll love you so much that you'll have a whole new set of standards that noother person on this earth will ever meet." As if I'd let her try to find another person in this damn universe.
With a smug smile, I took her hand and moved it down to the front of my pants. Pressing her hand firmly against my bulge, I rolled my hips slowly into her palm. "You feel that,mia rosa?" I whispered against her lips. "You think I'd be turned on and all hard for you if I didn't find you attractive? Even after seeing your arms, I'm not in the least bit turned away." Grabbing her face, I squished it a little between my fingers as I forced her to look into my intense eyes. "So, don't you ever say you aren't pretty or that you look disgusting because of those scars, understood?"
I fucking loved how her eyes and body melted under me with submission, so much that I felt my cock twitch and strain in its confines. "Yes, sir." Her trembling voice fanned across my lips and lower jaw.
Crowding over her, I laid her down on the bed, trapping her under me. "That's my good girl. Just let me take care of you, alright? Let me show you how much I adore you and this body of yours. How crazy you drive me," I whispered sweetly with a hot breath as I kissed her face and neck. "Let me get you bare and show you exactly what this body of yours does to me." Grabbing her lingerie, I pulled at it harshly, loosening the bindings of her half-done corset. "Show you what I want to do to you."
A sharp gasp slipped from her smiling face when I yanked the piece off her in one swift movement. "God, you have no idea how many nights I've thought about getting my hands on your bare body," I spoke against her body as I adorned it with kisses. "Fuck, you feel heavenly." I groaned deeply, taking a moment to collect myself before I continued to take in every inch of her body greedily with my hands.
I adored every inch of her body with my hands and lips, not leaving any part untouched. Then, I returned to her arms, giving them special attention. Every scar got a long kiss pressed against—every single one. "I love you for everything. Perfectly flawed, so perfect for me," I whispered against her arms as I continued loving them.
"W-what are you going to do to me?" Her voice trembled with nervousness and excitement as her wary eyes looked down at me.
Crawling up her body, I looked down at her softly, with eyes full of ardent sweetness. Stroking her cheek with the back of my finger, I smiled at her for a moment. "I'm going to show you what sinful things this lovely body of yours makes me want to do." Running my finger along her jaw, I sharpened my smile lustfully. "I'm going to show you the burning desire the sight of you brings me."
Grinning like a wild animal, I jerked her body around after shooting off the bed. "Spread your legs," I commanded in a guttural voice, looking down at her shivering body with starving eyes, "and touch yourself."
Her eyes bugged out of her head as she looked up at me with a stunned mouth. "W-what?" She looked at me with such disbelief, and I wanted to chuckle a little at how adorable and clueless she looked.
