Page 62 of Battered Moves

Since we’re already on the topic, I decide to tell Liv about the parts of my past that I’m not particularly proud of.

“After that, I lost my way completely. While I loved the family I found with Jaxon and the twins, I didn’t see a reason to be a good boy anymore. Nobody cared. Our foster family had too many mouths to feed to really care for our mental health, and teachers didn’t give a damn about foster kids, so I slid into some not-so-good groups. I befriended some guys in our local gang because they were breakdancing, and I danced with them every day. They wanted to recruit me for their gang, but I was young and dumb and didn’t see it coming.

“When I turned fifteen, they started to pressure me into swearing in, and I got scared. I tried to avoid them, but it didn’t work. One day, they came to our home, and I told Jaxon everything. He went out with me to talk to them, but they didn’t want to hear it. They told me that they had invested resources, time, and money into my upbringing, mainly because they’d fed me and showed me how to dance. Jaxon told them we would get some money from somewhere to buy me out, but it escalated, and one of them pointed a gun at me.” Liv’s eyes widen, but she doesn’t say anything, so I continue.

“Just as they pulled the trigger, Jaxon pushed me out of the way and took the bullet for me,” I say. Liv sucks in a breath, putting her hand over her mouth.

“He needed surgery, but he recovered relatively quickly. The cops came and handled the gang problem for me because those two went to jail for the incident. I owe Jaxon my life, literally, and I’m determined to repay him for it,” I finish. We sit there in the sand, watching as the sun slowly sets and the wind picks up. I look over at Liv and find she’s already looking at me.

“Thank you for telling me all of this,” she says, and I feel a sense of relief.

There is no judging or digging, just acceptance, which is all I needed. She links her arms through mine and leans her head against my shoulder as we look out to the waves crashing on the shore.

* * *

Liv

We sit there in silence for a while and watch the onset of night with both our knees tucked into our chests, my arm hooked into his as I lean into his side. I sense that he’s lost in thought and grief, so I try to be there for him without saying much. He’s already said everything that needs to be said, and now he just needs to know that he’s not alone in his pain.

A few meters away from us, some teenagers start a bonfire and turn up their music. They’re laughing and being loud, but the sound is pleasant. It’s good to know that they’re enjoying themselves and making the most of their time. As I sit here, I can’t help but wonder what my life would have been like if I had grown up here. Would I have made friends, danced and laughed on the beach, and attended bonfire gatherings? Would I have been a surfer girl instead of a dancer?I bet I would have.

As I sit lost in my thoughts, I hear the music shift from upbeat to slow. A smile spreads across my face as I entertain the idea that perhaps my first kiss would have taken place at a bonfire just like this one, then I recognize the song playing. It’s one of my favorites, “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez.

Chase peels my arm off him with a gentle touch and rises to his feet. I look up at him, furrowing my brows in confusion.Did I upset him?He smiles and extends his hand toward me.

“May I have this dance?”he asks, and I swoon.

“Of course.”

I smile and take his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet and close to him as we start slow dancing. His left hand rests on my lower back, while his right holds mine. My head is leaning on his chest, tucked in under his chin, as we slowly sway from side to side. I feel the sand slipping beneath our feet, and with the sky growing darker, I can see the stars sparkling over the ocean. My stomach is full of butterflies, and I can hardly believe that this is how we’re ending this day after how horribly it started.

He whispers the lyrics of the song into my hair, and I look up at him. His eyes are as deep blue as the night sky behind his head. We stop dancing, and he cups my head with both hands, gazing into my eyes.

“I never thought I could fall for anyone,” he confesses. “But here I am, falling so hard in love with you, it nearly hurts.”

My breath catches in my throat.

“I love you, Liv,” he says before gently kissing me.

After a minute he pulls back, looking into my eyes, which are now watering with emotion.

“I love you too, Chase,” I whisper, and he pulls me into his chest, holding me tightly as we continue swaying to a few more slow songs.

Eventually, we gather our stuff and prepare to leave. Chase links our pinky fingers and leads me back to his bike.

“Thank you for the best birthday I’ve had in years, gorgeous,” he says.

He places my helmet on my head and plants a gentle kiss on my lips before fastening the chin strap. He then adjusts his own helmet and climbs onto the bike. He helps me up behind him, and I wrap my arms tightly around his waist as we set off back to the guys’ place, relishing the thrill of the ride once more.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Liv

I lie on the couch, enjoying the big ass TV the guys have in their living room. Chase and Jaxon are currently at the studio, even though it’s Sunday, because Chris and another employee are sick, while Ryder drove River to his study group and is hanging out there, since we have the rule that no one leaves the house alone. They invited me to join them, but I wanted to embrace my laziness today.

I can’t remember the last time I simply hung out and did nothing, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Plus, with the excellent alarm system in the house, not even Jaxon can complain about my indulgent self-care day. I needed this time alone, and they all noticed the weariness in my eyes as they left, but already, I feel so much better.

After a refreshing shower and thorough scrubbing, I’ve settled down with a bowl of popcorn, clad in sweatpants and one of Jaxon’s soft shirts. I should put on something prettier before they get home, but nah. Today is a take it or leave it kind of day.

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