Page 39 of A Different Form of Oxygen
His misty eyes peer up at me, controlling every breath I make. “Gavin, I…don’t think we should see each other anymore. I didn’t want to do it here, but it’s better I tell you now then continue to drag it out any further.”
My face burns with fury, pulse beating loudly in my ears. “What do you mean? Why the hell not? Ben, what’s happening? This is coming out of nowhere. Talk to me, Angel.”
He releases a shallow breath, gripping the steering wheel with his fingers. “My ex-boyfriend found me, and it isn’t safe, okay?”
I freeze at his words. His ex-boyfriend? “Your ex-boyfriend? Is it Alex?”
His face wrinkles in disgust, “No, Alex was never my boyfriend. He was only a distraction.”
Did he think of me as a distraction too? Was I only someone to help him forget about someone else he couldn’t have? “If not Alex, then who?”
“David.”
“Who’s David?”
“Someone from my past. My friends didn’t even know about him. They only knew what I let them believe. I thought maybe if I never mentioned him again, maybe I could forget he ever existed. Maybe everything he did would go away. Casey knows now, but not Jennie.”
The realization hit me. He doesn’t want this guy back. This guy must have come back on his own. “Did this David guy hurt you?”
“He did more than that. He broke me, destroyed everything I was before we met. Made me forget who I used to be.”
“Why mention this now? Is he bothering you again? Did he do something recently?”
“He found me, Gavin. David found me. He won’t walk away easily.”
I was shaking in disbelief, wondering how Ben could carry this around for the span he did, keeping it buried inside him. Bearing it alone all this time. Hands fisting to my sides, I asked, “The scars on your body…the ones you cover with tattoos. They are from him, aren’t they?”
His eyes fall to his feet, wiping his palms on his jeans. “Yeah, David promised to take care of me, and I believed him. I fell for his lies like an idiot. I guess you aren’t the only one with a terrible ex. Only mine is more dangerous.”
I tug his face in my hands, pulling his gaze to my shaking head. “No, baby. You listen to me and listen to me now. Don’t let me ever hear you blaming yourself for that asshole’s actions. I don’t want to ever hear you talk down about yourself again. You trusted him and he broke that trust. Guys like him give the rest of us a bad name.”
He pulls his face from my grasp. “He told me he was a Dom. He promised to introduce me to the lifestyle when I showed interest. I was naïve and blinded by his false promises. I was so new to the scene; I believed his way was correct and I was chasing after some fantasy I created in my head from videos I saw.”
“That guy wasn’t a Dom. He’s a manipulating, abusive piece of shit trying to disguise himself as something he’s not.”
“I know that now. I think he’s been watching me. I got this email today and I’ve had an uneasy feeling lately.”
I pull him into my arms, inviting him to bury his face in my shoulder. “You can come home with me tonight. We can figure out the rest later. I promise I won’t let him hurt you.”
’Ben was a blubbering mess with his tears soaking my sleeve. “You don’t understand. He may hurt you too, and anyone else who gets in his way.”
“I’m not scared of someone like him. He won’t hurt me or anyone else as long as I can help it.
He shakes his head violently. “I wouldn’t underestimate a guy like David.”
“I wouldn’t underestimate a guy like me either. We can always file a report with the police.”
He shakes his head again. “No, no police. They never do anything anyway. Don’t you think I’ve tried that in the past? All it will do is anger him more and give him more of a reason to come after me.”
“You’ll stay with me, until we figure something else out. I dare the asshole to show up at my place.” My lips press softly against his forehead. “I’ve dealt with a lot of bad people in my life, I’m not scared of some coward who takes pleasure in hurting others.”
