Page 129 of The Thug And His Doll

"That means a lot to me, Lia."

“Will you take a bath with me?” she asks after a beat, taking my hand in hers.

I nod, my throat thick with love. “What about Toby?”

“He’ll sleep for a while yet. Please, Drix, I just want to wash away the memories of last night. I want to start over.”

“Okay.”

Stepping into the ensuite, I gently close the door and reach for the taps, turning on the water. As it fills I help Lia to undress, her winces of pain cutting me deep. When she's naked before me and I see the extent of the damage Martin has done, it takes everything in me not to drop to my knees and weep. With trembling hands, my fingers trail over the deep purple bruises blooming across her chest.

“Look at what he did to you,” I whisper, my head dropping as I try and fail to steady my voice.

“Don’t do that, don’t let him get inside your head. These will heal. I will heal,” she replies, as I remove my own clothes until we're both naked.

“You’re so strong, Lia. God, so fucking brave.”

“I am now,” she replies as I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around her, my legs no longer able to hold me upright. Her fingers stroke through my hair as I press gentle kisses against her bruises, wanting so desperately to take the pain away.

“Can I say something?” she asks after a moment, looking down at me as I look up at her.

“Of course,” I reply, climbing to my feet and resting on the edge of the tub.

“Yesterday, I was ready to leave. I’d packed my bags, Drix. I was so afraid of the violence you’d committed that I couldn’t see past what scared me the most, to the man you truly are.”

“I don’t blame you for wanting to leave. I understand. If you still want to go…” My voice trails off as I contemplate the thought of her walking away.

“I’m not leaving, Drix. I’m not going anywhere. Please, just let me finish.”

I heave out a breath, forcing myself to look at her, to be brave in the face of her honesty. “Go on.”

“Then Daisy came to me. She told me about what happened to her as a child, how her parents mistreated her, how much she’d been through at the hands of their cruelty, how broken she was.”

“She told you?”

“Yes. She told me that with your love, care and patience she became happy again. You looked after her even when you were suffering from your own trauma." She pauses then, dragging in a deep breath. "I know what happened the night your father killed your mother, Drix."

“Fuck,” I whisper, the pain of that memory like a battering ram against my chest. “I tried to bring her back. I tried to help her, Lia.”

“I know,” she replies, brushing her fingers over my cheek, tears welling in her eyes. “But you were just a child. You couldn’t have done anything. I want you to know that none of it was your fault. That experience shaped you, and your need to protect the people you love, Drix. I see that now. I was wrong to even consider for a moment that you could hurt me like Martin had. That came from a place of fear, and from my own experiences, and I’m sorry for letting that cloud my judgement.”

“You never have to apologise to me, Lia.”

“Daisy explained what happened after Jonathon humiliated her,” she continues, pressing on as I reach for her, my hands resting against her hips. “That she tried to commit suicide, that you saved her life, and stayed with her at the hospital until she recovered.”

I shudder at the memory. “I almost lost her, Lia.”

“But your quick thinking saved her, Drix, and your love helped to heal her once again.”

“Anyone would’ve done the same,” I reply.

“Not everyone, Drix. We both know there are many cruel people in the world.”

“I guess,” I concede.

“She told me that you tried to get Jonathon to apologise, that he mocked Daisy, laughed at her pain, and that is why you lost it. I can understand why, Drix. Again, you were protecting her from the pain, from someone deeply cruel, and you continued to protect her taking on the debt and becoming an enforcer for the families. Doing something like that comes from a place of love, and a deep sense of empathy. I see that now. I see you,” she whispers.

“Lia…” I can't finish my sentence, overwhelmed with gratitude, with love.

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