Page 77 of Beneath the Scars
Gia bites the inside of her cheek before blurting out hertheory. “I think Victoria was pregnant, and I’m pretty sure it was Edward’s.”
The whole room goes silent.
“I’m going to need you to elaborate,” Lottie demands.
“Right, okay.” Gia blows out a breath. “Throughout the entire journal, she mentions Colin by name and how fond she is of him, but when I read the entries about Edward, there was a huge difference. She seems like she was very much in love with him. Toward the end of the journal, Victoria mentions becoming ill out of nowhere. She talks about needing to hide it to keep everyone from worrying. I think she knew she was pregnant, but that was a huge no-no back then. Then Colin got assaulted, and in her final entry, she states—” Gia picks up a page. “‘Safety has become paramount. We cannot continue as we were. Our hope lies in a future where we shall be liberated from persecution. Determination will set us free.’”
“They really did run away,” Ginny says with reverence.
“I think all three of them ran away together.”
Carson raises an eyebrow. “Liketogethertogether?”
Gia shrugs. “I’m not sure. Nothing really indicated that she loved Colin the same way she loved Edward. And going back over Colin’s letters with a different light, I don’t think he loved Victoria as anything more than a friend either.”
“What if he was gay?” Ryan asks.
“It would explain why he was assaulted,” Carson says. “And potentially why it wasn’t safe for them to live there. They were likely worried Colin would be attacked again.”
Lottie jumps in. “And Victoria and Edward’s relationship would’ve never been accepted. Even if there was a baby.”
“So what do we do now?” Ginny asks.
I give the obvious answer. “We try to find out where they went.”
Chapter 41
Addie
“You smell fucking incredible.”
Michael’s whispered words against my neck send goosebumps racing across my skin. How am I still this affected by him? We’ve been dating for almost six months, and I’m more obsessed with him now than I was when we first started seeing each other.
The low beats pumping through the speakers of the club are likely playing a part, but Michael is just that potent.
In our shadowed corner, it’s almost as if we’ve found a private space to watch the rest of the members find their pleasures for the evening. I’m still getting comfortable with showing off at the club. This is only my second time, but there’s something comforting about knowing every single person around us is here for the same reason. We want acceptance for our non-conforming sexual preferences, and in this space, we’re welcomed instead of shamed.
Michael’s hands roam over my stomach and hips as he kisses the side of my neck. I instinctively grind my ass against his thick erection. With his back against the wall and mineagainst his chest, I feel safe to tease and torment him despite being in a crowded room.
Over the past several weeks, we’ve started working on him recognizing my touch. We started slowly, focusing mainly on his chest and shoulders. I’d run my hands across his pecs and stomach instead of leaving them in one place with the understanding that I wouldn’t touch anywhere else. As he got used to that, we added more areas to our list, as well as touching him outside the bedroom. I likely won’t ever be able to touch him without some form of warning first, which doesn’t bother me. I’m just grateful I’m able to touch him at all.
Michael’s hands roam down my ribcage to the outside of my thighs. His fingers slip under the hem of my dress, and once he’s touching skin, he starts sliding his fingers back up. The full skirt provides enough material to not expose me despite Michael’s hands reaching my ass.
I smirk when he freezes.
“You’re not wearing any panties.”
“Nope.”
Michael drops his forehead to my shoulder with a groan. “I’ve created a monster.”
A laugh shakes my shoulders. “And you couldn’t be prouder.”
“Damn right.” He takes advantage of my bare body, moving his hands to my center. I widen my stance to give him a little more space while I look around the room. A few people have looked over at us, but most look away again when they realize there’s nothing to see. It’s exactly what I wanted from my first public display. I wanted people to be around without being the center of attention.
Michael came up with the plan for wearing a dress. I love the way he takes care of the details so I don’t have to. It makes me feel like I’m the center of his world, and the only thing that matters is my pleasure.
Michael brushes teasing strokes through my slit. Gentle touches against my clit are followed by quick swipes across my entrance. It’s not enough to make me come, but I have no doubt that this stimulation would get me there in time.
