Page 38 of Curvy Desire's Second Shot

“Maybe,” I admitted, offering him a small smile. “Just... thinking.”

“About Jared?” he asked, his voice softer now.

I nodded, hesitating for a moment before setting my mug down on the table. “There’s more to it than what I told you.”

Hudson straightened slightly, his focus narrowing on me. “I’m listening.”

I drew in a deep breath,the memories clawing their way to the surface. “You know he was controlling. That he made me feel small, like I wasn’t enough. But it wasn’t just about me.”

Hudson’s brow furrowed, his hands resting on his knees. “What do you mean?”

“He wanted control overeverything,” I said, my voice trembling. “Not just me. My friends, my family, my life. He wanted to isolate me, to make sure there was no one left for me to turn to but him.”

“Naomi...” Hudson’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t interrupt.

“He didn’t come out and say it at first,” I continued. “It was subtle. He’d make comments about my friends—how they didn’t really care about me, how they were using me. Then he’d start to question why I spent time with them at all. ‘You don’t need them,’ he’d say. ‘You have me.’”

The bitterness in my voice surprised even me, but Hudson didn’t flinch. He just watched me, his expression steady and patient.

“It was the same with my family,” I said, my throat tightening. “He’d point out every flaw, every mistake, making it seem like they didn’t have my best interests at heart. And after a while... I started to believe him.”

Hudson’s fists clenched, and I could see the restraint it took for him not to interrupt. “What about me?” he asked, his voice low.

“You were different,” I said, my voice softening. “You were the one person he couldn’t twist. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t convince me to see you the way he wanted me to.”

“Did he try?” Hudson’s voice was sharp now, edged with something raw.

I nodded. “He hated you, Hudson. He hated how much I trusted you, how much I relied on you. He’d say things, try to plant seeds of doubt, but it never worked.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his voice tight with emotion.

“Because I was scared,” I admitted. “Scared of what he’d do if I pushed back too hard. Scared of dragging you into it. I didn’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

“You wouldn’t have dragged me into anything,” he said, his voice firm. “I would’ve been there for you, Naomi. You know that, right?”

Tears stung my eyes, and I nodded. “I know. But back then... I didn’t feel like I could let you in. Jared had me so twisted up, so isolated, that I felt like I had to handle it alone.”

I swallowed hard, the next part of the story sitting like a stone in my chest. “The night I left Cedar Hill... it wasn’t just because of Jared. It was because of what he did after I tried to break things off.”

Hudson’s eyes darkened, his fists clenching again. “What did he do?”

“He showed up at my apartment,” I said, my voice trembling. “He wasn’t violent, but he wouldn’t leave. He kept saying that we belonged together, that I couldn’t just walk away from him. He made threats—not against me, but against himself. He said if I left, he wouldn’t be able to go on.”

The memory made my stomach twist, and I pressed my hands against my thighs to steady myself. “I didn’t know what to do. I felt trapped, like no matter what I said, it would make things worse. So I called a friend—one of the few people I still had left—and they helped me pack a bag. I left that night.”

Hudson leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked at me. “You were protecting yourself,” he said, his voice steady. “You did what you had to do to survive.”

“I know,” I said, tears spilling over now. “But I left without saying goodbye to you. And that’s the part I regret most.”

Hudson movedto sit beside me, his hand resting on my knee. His touch was warm, grounding, and it steadied the storm inside me.

“You did what you had to do,” he said, his voice firm. “And I don’t blame you for that. I just wish I could’ve been there for you.”

“You were always there for me,” I said, my voice trembling. “Even when I didn’t let you in, you were the one thing I held on to.”

His gaze softened, and he reached up, brushing a tear from my cheek. “You’ve always had a way of making me feel like I’m enough.”

The honesty in his voice made my chest ache, and I looked up at him, my breath catching. “That’s because you are,” I said softly.

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