Page 53 of Breakout
I let out a curse under my breath.
See. Fucking it all up.
“Hey, man. Chill. I already figured it out. The others are suspicious but don’t know shit. Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thanks. It’s actually a relief someone knowing,” I admit.
“I bet. You’ve been hiding it a long time.”
I’m hiding more than he knows, but at least I can say he figured it out that we were sleeping together. Peyton can’t blame me for that.
After a few moments of silence, he leans forward, resting his head in his hands as he looks over at me.
“Listen, the girl is skittish as hell. She has past trauma she never worked through. She’s opening up more now, though. Coming out of her shell. That’s thanks to you. Don’t give up hope. She will come around. You just have to be patient.”
“I better pray for it then because it’s killing me.”
He snorts. “You can’t pray for patience, man.”
“What? Why not?”
He stands, patting my knee. “Because if you pray for patience, God won’t give it to you freely. He will instead put situations in your life that will help you learn to grow more patient as time goes on. Seems to me you have enough going on. Don’t add to it.”
Then he turns, leaving the room as I hear the footsteps on the stairs.
“Morning, Peyton,” I hear him say, passing her on the steps.
“Morning,” she mumbles. Then she steps into the room, her eyes searching for me.
“Kellan and Cora are gone. Brett is either still in bed or gone. Grace and Clay haven’t gotten up,” I inform her, standing to head to the kitchen.
“Beck, please stop. I’m sorry.” I hear her hurry to catch up to me.
My heart hurts hearing her apologize. She’s done nothing wrong.
Turning abruptly, I catch her as she falls into my arms. She lets out a squeak as she hits my chest.
Looking down at her, I brush her hair from her face.
She has past trauma she’s never worked through.
She has more than Wyatt even knows, but how can I help her work through it?
Love her.
I can only love her through it all.
“Don’t apologize to me,” I whisper, cupping her cheek.
“I upset you, and I always do that. I’m always…”
I press my lips to hers, stealing the words from her. Then I continue to kiss her over and over until she is looking up at me slightly dazed.
“You are perfect. I wasn’t upset at you, babe. Never you,” I tell her, kissing her again.
“Beck…” she whispers, her forehead falling to mine.
“What?” I ask.
