Page 15 of Property Of Chrissy

Oh, so now he’s back to calling me Chrissy instead of Christina. I should ask him what his club name is and start calling him by it. Because he’s definitely not the Sean I once knew. Or thought I knew.

Fine. If he wants to know, I’ll share. But then he needs to leave so I can finally get swallowed up by the hurricane of emotion that’s been brewing inside me since he walked back into my life.

“Did you ever ask yourself how I could have possibly been so involved with someone else when I was with you during every second of my free time? When I wasn’t with you or at school, I was on the phone with you. Confessing my love to you over and over again. So, to answer your question, I got involved with you because I was in love with you. There was no him.”

He looks shocked by what I just conveyed. But even more shocking is the fact that this is all news to him. All this time, he didn’t even question the lie. He didn’t even question my actions that night.

“Then what the fuck happened? You need to explain it to me, baby girl, because I know what I saw with my own two eyes.”

“What you saw was me playing a part so my dad could win over the man he wanted to steal money from. I had to play the doting fiancée or else I’d be punished. It was a scheme he’d pulled a few times. It’s amazing what people are willing to give up in order to have a young little virginal wife promised to them. It’s sick actually. And my father preyed on that sickness to build his empire.”

“What the fuck?”

Yeah. Exactly. The only thing I can be thankful for is that my father was adamant there was to be no physical consummation of the relationship until the wedding night. Therefore, I never had to actually do anything other than tease the men with my words and listen to all the dirty things they wanted to do with me once our vows were said. But my dad threatened he’d change his stance on the matter, if I didn’t keep my mouth shut or cooperate. And Deputy Fink was always there to warn me I’d be sent to jail if I crossed my father.

There were moments, before Sean, I actually thought it would be a way out of hell. That prison would be better than living under my dad’s roof.

Sean reaches for me, but I shrug away from him. He has his answer. Now he needs to go.

“Chrissy, why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped you. Why didn’t you give me a signal that night?”

I wanted to more than anything. But Deputy Fink was waiting in the parking lot. One wrong move and my dad would make the call.

“Because my dad threatened he’d have you sent away to prison if I didn’t behave or if I ever saw you again. The officer was there to reiterate what would happen. He was parked in the parking lot that night, waiting for me to slip up. I risked textingyou and calling because I couldn’t stand you not knowing the truth. I wanted you to know how sorry I was and how much I loved you even if we couldn’t be together. Father told me he was going to give you the same warning. That’s why I believed you moved away so fast. I paid a taxi driver to deliver a letter to your trailer for me, but it came right back. He said you were gone. And according to your neighbors and the places where you worked, they all said you weren’t coming back.”

“Holy fuck.” He looks like he’s just seen a ghost or is going to be sick. I’d offer for him to sit down, because it looks like he needs to, but I want him to leave.

“So, you did it all to protect me?”

Of course that’s why I did it. I was so in love with Sean, I never would have played along anymore with my dad’s schemes, and I think my dad knew that. He knew I was a flight risk, waiting to be swept away by the man I loved. So, the monster made it to where I wouldn’t be able to refuse. He made it to where I’d be locked in his clutches for as long as he needed me— until he finally forced me to marry one of the men and let me be their burden.

“Fuck, babe. I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you. Not the other way around. Had I known, I would’ve taken you away from that man the first day I met you. Why the fuck did you keep the truth from me? Why didn’t you tell me what he made you do? All you ever shared was that he was strict and would ground you if you were late or didn’t live up to his expectations. You never told me he threatened you. Dammit, baby. Didn’t you trust me?”

I take a slow, steadying breath. My nerves a shaking mess. “Because all my life people only wanted to be a part of my world because of who my father was, Sean. Or they didn’t want to have anything to do with me because of the man he is. They either wanted something from him or were afraid of him. I didn’t want who my father was to alter your opinion about me. I knew youwould never use me to get to him because you were too good of a man. But I feared that as soon as you found out exactly who he was and how cruel he is, you’d want out. You’d fought your way out of hell. I knew you wouldn’t want to be thrown right back into the inferno. I didn’t want to lose you.” But in the end, I did anyway.

He reaches for me. And this time, with the foot of the bed pressing against my calves, I have nowhere to go.

“I would have risked anything to protect you, angel. I would’ve taken him down and destroyed his entire world. Nothing would have stood in my way of keeping you safe. And that dirty fucking cop would have found himself staring down the barrel of his own gun. They’re both going to pay for their crimes, babe. I’m going to make damn sure they suffer for what they did to you.”

I know he means every word. He’d destroy those horrid men and rid me of my nightmare. But I still don’t understand why he didn’t trust me.

“Why, Sean? Why was it so easy for you to believe the lie and not even question the truth?”

He grips my cheeks. His throat bobbing as the pain creases his brow. “Baby, no one in my life wanted me. Not one fucking person who shared my DNA could even stand to be around me. They tossed me onto the next family member like I was trash just so no one had to face the consequences of CPS knocking on their door for child abandonment.”

My stomach knots as I think about what Sean had told me about his past. How he’d been the unwanted accident. Handed over to his grandparents, who handed him over to his uncle, then aunt, and on and on until he was sixteen. Then he couch surfed at friends’ houses until he was old enough to get a full time job. After that, he lived in his boss’s basement on a cot, saving his money until he could buy his trailer. He’d fought hardfor everything he had and was still fighting to make something of himself. Sean was never going to let anyone take him down. And neither was I. Which is why I obeyed my father.

“When I saw you that night, I really couldn’t think past the pain, babe. It was easy for me to believe what I was seeing. That you’d want a better life. That you’d want a man without scars. You were used to living in a mansion, and all I was offering was a dirty tin box. It seemed like the proof was staring me in the face.” He takes a deep breath, letting it out slow, like the truth is knocking the wind out of him. “It all made sense in my mind. You not wanting me to meet your dad or your sister. Never wanting to be seen on your side of town. All the sneaking around. In that moment, it was like the picture was coming together. And I was so hurt, I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing the words in writing or hearing the final blow on the phone, so I rejected the messages. Then I blocked you out so I’d never have to face the pain again.”

His forehead presses to mine, his eyes squeezing shut. The weight of it all is crushing him. I can see the pain. I can see the guilt. I can feel his body trembling.

“Baby, I’m so fucking sorry. I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I’m sorry I left you to fend for yourself with those wolves.”

The tears fall faster down my cheeks. I wish we could go back in time. I wish I’d told him the truth about my dad. I wish I’d begged him to run away with me that night. I wish…

“Please, angel. Give me another chance. Tell me we can pick up where we left off. Tell me we can take back what your father stole from us.”

And there goes my beating heart, pumping back to life. I’d wished for this moment upon every star, and the dream is unfolding right in front of me. I place my hands on his chest, steadying my shaking body, feeling his heart pounding hard which makes mine pound harder. No matter what transpired.No matter how much time has passed. There’s always been one truth. “I’ve always been yours, Sean.” And I’ll never love anyone else.

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