Page 30 of Trace's Passion
He held Emery’s hand the entire way there and would kiss it every once in a while.
She would grin and lean her head over to put on his shoulder.
He loved it. Needed more of it.
When he pulled into the edge of the clearing he found, he let go of Emery’s hand and instructed her to close her eyes.
Which she did. Then he walked around and unbuckled her seatbelt and lifted her from the car in a bridal hold.
She let out a small yelp, but grabbed onto his neck, “Don’t drop me.”
He snorted, “I would never drop you Sunshine. Keep your eyes closed.”
He juggled her for a minute while he got the blanket from the back of the car, and put it in her lap and the bag of food.
He carried her through the trees and to the spot where he came when life got to be too much. The spot that had become his sanctuary.
It was a stunning clearing, on the edge of a small stream that cut through the woods all around and fireflies danced through the bushes.
The crickets sang their song in the night and when he told her to open her eyes, she obliged him and she gasped in awe.
“Trace! It’s beautiful!” She said, the awe still evident in her voice.
He chuckled warmly, “I love it here. I found this spot just days after I moved here with Brek. And it’s been my solace and comfort when life became too much or I needed a break from it all.”
He spread the blanket on the ground and pulled her into his arms.
She lay back against his chest and he nuzzled into her hair.
“I didn’t know you struggled. Will you tell me why?”
He gave a small sigh,”This is a big reason I didn’t want to go to a restaurant. Why I wanted some privacy with you because what I am about to tell you isn’t easy for me to say and it won’t be easy to hear.”
She looked up at him in confusion and he let out a small breath and told her of his past, of his life of hell and her gasps and tears moved him to continue even when it was hard to hear her torment over his life.
She turned in his arms when he finished with his tale, tears on her cheeks and glistening in her eyes.
She cupped his face in her hands, “Oh Trace. I am so sorry that happened to you. For all of it. That must have been so hard.”
He tried to shrug it off, and she shook her head, her blonde hair flying. “Don’t do that. You went through more hurt and pain than most people can endure, and you are still here, still fighting. I am in awe of your strength.”
He felt his face warm and he dropped his eyes, “I only did what I had to do Em. I had to keep going. To believe, deep in my soul that I was going to find my sister and that is what kept me going. When I met Brek I didn’t know that he would change my life. His parents love me like they do him, and then we found Sienna. It was pretty much the best news I'd ever received. Our lives have changed for the better.”
Emery raised an eyebrow, “How?”
He leaned forward and kissed her, then explained about Sienna and her mutism and how she gained her voice back after she saw him again.
He then told her about the man stabbing Brek and slicing his abdomen open.
Her jaw dropped open, “This was just recently? When the break-ins happened? Mila said you were in the hospital for two weeks.”
He nodded, and she reached for his shirt, a question in her eyes. He nodded and leaned back on his arms, letting her unbutton his shirt.
When she made it to the still healing scar on his stomach, she let out a pained sound.
Her fingers traced it softly and made him suck in a breath, causing her to yank her hand back like he had burned her.
“Did I hurt you?”
