Page 55 of Spider

“I won’t tell a soul,” I promise.

He breathes out a sigh of relief. “Thanks.” He pauses. “Look, I know I’m in no position to be asking for favours, but is there any chance of you forgiving Spider?” he asks.

I sigh. “I may need a little more time,” I admit.

Nash nods. “I get it.” He pulls me in for one last hug. “You need me, any day, any time, I’m there. You are not on your own anymore,” he says softly.

I swallow back my tears and nod, stepping back. “Go on, before I cry some more.” I sniff, smiling.

Nash smirks. “I will try and come over tomorrow. Be gentle with Spider.” He winks playfully before closing the door behind him.

I stay outside with the blanket wrapped around my shoulders, not quite sure when I should go in. I don’t know what to say to Luca. I’m not sure how I feel or what to do with those feelings.

“I’ve ordered in some pizza if you’re hungry,” Luca says from behind me.

I jump and spin around. I had been completely lost in my own thoughts and I didn’t hear the door open.

I nod and walk past him as he holds the door for me. Taking a seat on the couch, I look at the coffee table. There are a couple of pizza boxes, along with a can of soda for me and a beer for him. The open fire warms the air with its roaring flames.

He sits down next to me and begins to lift the lids on the pizza boxes. “I wasn’t sure what you would want so I got a vegetable one and a meat one,” he says, gesturing to the boxes. I grab a napkin and reach for a slice of the meat one before I sit back on the couch and tuck my feet up. He grabs the remote and puts the TV on.

It feels awkward, and I don’t know what to say to him. We sit in silence eating the pizza, both of us pretending to watch what is on the TV.

“He used to take me to watch baseball games,” he says suddenly, breaking the silence. I look at him confused. “My step father, he would spoil me. I’d have all the latest things; video games, you name it, I had it. It started just after my 8thbirthday. He took me fishing, just me and him. Male bonding time he called it,” he states, staring at a spot on the carpet. “At first, he would just get me to touch him, then other some other stuff. The gifts soon stopped, and he replaced it with beatings. He would beat me, and he would beat my mom. He manipulated us in thebeginning, tricked us. I didn’t suffer the abuse for as long or as brutal as Acid. My stepfather found booze and he would drink morning, noon, and fucking night. When he wasn’t beating my mom, he was beathing me. I stabbed him. I slammed an axe into his arm as he was beating my mom. She was pregnant with my baby brother.” He sighs. “She lost the baby, and he lost his arm,” he says. “I wanted to kill him. I wanted to hunt him down and slit his fucking throat for what he had done to me and to my mom,” he grits out. Tears fill my eyes. “Your brother and I, we kept those secrets, even from each other, until one night when we thought we would freeze to death. We sat huddled together, confessing our horrors. The next day, we met Ghost, and our lives changed for the better.” He turns to look at me. “I never meant to keep it from you. It’s something I thought we would take to our graves. We had lived through our nightmares, and neither of us wanted to talk or relive those moments again.” He pauses and reaches up, wiping away a lone tear that’s fallen down my cheek, caressing his thumb along my cheek. “When you turned up that day, I was sure you were a fake. I watched the house burn to the ground, and I knew there was no way it could be you. You woke those feelings from back then and it brought back a lot for me. Man, you fucked with my head and my heart from day one.” He smiles. “When I found out you were really you, I drowned in guilt. I didn’t want to face you. I didn’t want like you, but you didn’t make it fucking easy. No matter how much I tried to push you away, to get you out of my head, there you were. I don’t deserve you. For what I’ve done, I will never fucking deserve you,” he states, his voice cracking with emotion. He pauses, watching me for a long moment before he drops his hand from my face and stands. “I think I’m just going to get to bed. I’ve made the spare room up for you.” He sighs. “Good night,” he says as he begins to walk up the stairs to bed.

I sit there alone in his living room, processing everything he said. As I lean back, I think over everything, a million thoughts running through mind. Physically and emotionally drained, I curl up until I can no longer keep my eyes open.

The TV wakes me up some time in the middle of the night. I rub my eyes and sit up, noticing that a blanket has been placed on me. Looking around, I notice the table is clear of pizza boxes and instead a glass of water is there. I get up from the couch and make my way upstairs. I stand outside of Luca’s bedroom door for a moment before I quietly open it. I walk in and look at him sleeping, feeling my heart swell at the sight. I smile. He is what makes me happy. Neither of us can change the past, but I want my future to be happy, and I can only see that happening with Luca in it.

“Luca,” I call. I place my hand on his and give him a gentle shove. “Luca,” I call again.

He opens his eyes, squinting. “What is it? You okay?” he asks, sitting up.

“Ask me,” I blurt out.

He frowns, looking at me. “Ask you what?” he asks, confused.

“Ask me if I love you enough to forgive you,” I answer.

He doesn’t say anything for what feels like forever. After a moment, he gets out of bed and stands there, staring at me, assessing me. “Do you love me enough to forgive me?” he asks.

I close the distance between us, stopping just in front of him. He looks down at me, waiting for my answer. “I love you enough that there is no longer anything to forgive,” I say softly.

His eyes stare deeply into mine. “I will never be worthy of your love, but I will spend every minute of every fucking day trying to be the man you deserve,” he states.

“You are worthy, and you are more than I will ever deserve,” I whisper across his lips.

He bends down and picks me up. I immediately wrap my legs around his waist.

“I’m about to show you exactly what you deserve right now. In my bed, with my mouth, my fingers, and my cock,” he threatens.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

SPIDER

Layingher down on my bed, the way her blonde hair fans out across the sheet makes her look like a fucking angel. I lift my shirt over my head and kick my boots off before I drop my jeans to the floor and stand before her completely naked. Her blue eyes alight at the sight of my waiting hard cock.

“Stand up,” I order. She stands before me and reaches out, lightly dancing her hands across my skin. “Hands above your head.” A smile plays on her lips she lifts her hands up in the air. I quickly grab the hem of her dress and lift it over her head, throwing it on the floor. She has no underwear on, just her beautiful body bared before me. “Lay down on the bed and bend your knees,” I demand. She does as she’s told, but as she bends her knees, she keeps her legs closed. I shake my head. “No, open your legs. Let me see all of you.” She opens her legs, revealing herself to me. “Stay like that and don’t move,” I order as I kneel down on the floor, moving my head between her legs. “I am about to fuck you with my mouth, my tongue, and fingers. When you come, I want you to scream out my name,” I instruct, looking up at her from between her legs. She nods, her cheeks already flushed. I smile as I swipe my tongue over her clit. Her hips buck and a gasp escapes her. I place the palm of my hand onher lower stomach, keeping her still. “Easy sweetheart,” I warn as I take her clit in my mouth.

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