Page 16 of Volatile

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Chapter Five

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After a few more sessionswith Lily, they hit a turning point. Ivy had remained true to her word—showing patience, scheduling sessions through texts, staying in the car when she dropped off and picked up. She didn’t create any opportunities to criticize, and that allowed him to do his job, which was the main thing he’d wanted from the beginning. If she thought he was an incompetent therapist based on their dealings at Stolly’s, she didn’t convey it. She continued to make the appointments, and he continued to counsel Lily.

Fortunately. Because if he’d stopped meeting with her, they wouldn’t have had this breakthrough.

Lily stood near the window gazing out, her long hair pulled back off her face. She’d been especially restless this session, wandering around the office, not keeping still for more than a few minutes at a time. He didn’t mind in the least. Whatever made her comfortable. Each visit had improved their communication, facilitating more trust. Despite her fidgety behavior, she was at ease with him.

“I met him nearly a year ago at the coffeehouse near campus.” Lily traced her fingers over the window frame. “After running into each other several times at the counter, we struck up a conversation. He was so kind and attentive. It didn’t matter what I had to say; he always took an interest in it. It was the opposite of what I was used to from guys my age.”

“Was he also older than you were used to?” he asked, and she glanced at him briefly before turning back to the glass. It was starting to rain, a light spring shower that wouldn’t last long.

“Yes.”

Jon didn’t ask how much older; it didn’t seem relevant at the moment. “Please continue.”

“Before I knew it, we were talking every free minute we could. I had never felt so comfortable with anyone before. He wanted to know everything about me, what made me tick. And not in a creepy way. I sensed that he genuinely cared.”

She looked at him and smiled. “I think I fell in love with him before he ever touched me.” Her face flushed. “But when he did....”

He felt her embarrassment, so he got up and poured himself a cup of coffee to take some attention away from her.

When his back was turned, she began speaking again. “He introduced me to this club downtown where he’s both a member and a bartender. I’d never heard of it before, and it was unlike anything I even knew existed. I was so nervous at first, but that feeling was soon replaced with a kind of euphoria. I don’t know how else to describe it. But it felt like part of me was home.”

Jon went back and took his seat, and Lily faced him. “Does that sound crazy to you?”

“Not at all.”

“Do you know what kind of club I’m talking about?”

Jon raised the cup to his lips. Hot and strong, the only way he drank it. “Yes, I believe so.” He even suspected the exact club, but he wouldn’t ask for confirmation, nor would he question her for the man’s name.

“And do you think anything’s abnormal about what I’m telling you so far?”

“Not in the least.”

All her muscles appeared to sink into the floor. “Thanks. I had the feeling you’d understand.” He nodded, appreciating how far they’d come since that first session. “I miss the club, but way more than that, I miss him. My heart and soul ache every day I don’t see him. Sounds dramatic, right? But it’s how I feel.” She curved her lips slightly, a sad little smile. “In a way, Ivy’s right. I am protecting him but not for the reason she thinks. It’s not because I’m scared or in denial. I don’t want him to end up getting in trouble for something he didn’t do.”

She left her spot by the window and flopped down on the loveseat, picking up a pillow to crush against her chest. “In case you haven’t noticed, my sister can be just a tad outspoken when she gets something set in her head.”

Jon chuckled. Yes, he’d noticed all right. Ivy was an out-of-control wildfire when challenged.

“Tell me about the bruises. From Ivy’s perspective, that was the starting point.”

“Yes.” She sighed. “Up until then, I was pretty much free to live my life the way I wanted. I was happy, a fact she seems to disregard now. According to her, I was brainwashed or something.” She touched her neck. “One night we did something different, to bring our relationship to a higher level. He’d had experience with it, but it was completely new to me, just like everything else we’d done before.”

She lay back, still hugging the pillow. “He called it breath play. And I was okay with trying it because I trusted him with my life. I still do. But that night... it all happened so fast. I started off feeling so at peace, so connected to him, and then all of a sudden, bam! I got woozy. I tried to get some words out but couldn’t even speak. Joshua immediately stopped, but it took some time for me to recover. I don’t understand—I barely felt any pressure, but yet I was bruised and swollen and....”

“That must have been frightening for you.”

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