Page 4 of Unfulfilled Promises
“I don’t mean to overstep my bounds,” he began, then there was a long pause before he continued. “I’m going to be frank, if that’s okay.” I nodded, so he explained. “I’ve seen a lot of fucked-up things in my life, and most of them have to do with the Syndicate and the sickness they inflicted on people, but if I’m guessing correctly, your time . . . away wasn’t sunshine anddaises.” I shook my head, and he nodded his understanding. “If you were affected even remotely by that kind of madness, then you deserve your privacy.”
If he only knew how affected I truly was, he wouldn’t be sitting here with me, treating me like I’m anything other than a monster.
“I appreciate you saying that, but what I endured wasn’t half as bad as what some of them have,” I reasoned, lifting my chin toward the house, speaking of the ladies in my family who’ve come out stronger from their ordeals while I was still struggling with mine.
“Don’t do that. Don’t lessen your experience or compare what you lived through with anyone else. Life and pain aren’t a competition, and what they experienced can’t compare to what you experienced, because it happened to them and not you. What you lived through, however hard it was, is your pain and it is valid.”
I felt tears building again, but not for the usual reason. I felt seen for the first time in my life and I didn’t know how to handle the emotion. For years, I’d felt guilty for my trauma, and I’d tried to not be any more of a burden on my family than I already had been.
Hearing Seth say that what I felt was valid, even though my shrink had said the same thing a hundred times, made me feel normal for a moment.
“Can I ask you something without it seeming like I’m prying?” he inquired with little hesitation.
“Sure,” I replied as I picked up the flask from the table and opened it to take another sip. The warmth from the liquor was keeping the vibration from my nerves down, and I didn’t want him worrying about me like everyone else did. I was having a nice conversation and didn’t want it to end.
“Have you ever been kissed?”
I was taken aback by the question, and I put the flask back down and turned my attention to Seth. He was handsome in a way a girl like me didn’t deserve. His dark hair was shaggy on the top and shorter on the sides, and with his neatly trimmed beard paired with soulful green eyes, I knew he was out of my league.
Smiling across at him, I stood from my chair. “Good night, Seth.”
Without another word, I walked around the table and began my trek back to the house. I wasn’t but a few feet from the small patio when I felt a hand on my elbow. Turning to look over my shoulder, I saw Seth peering down on me with an almost feral smile.
“You didn’t answer my question, Regan.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, Seth,” I returned, and he began to laugh.
“You’re a fireball. I like that.”
Without warning, he placed his soft hands on my cheeks and leaned over, placing his lips against mine. I could taste the liquor on his tongue as we parted our lips and increased the intensity of our kiss. My hands were clenched at my sides so I wouldn’t wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me.
Just as suddenly as he kissed me, he stepped back and smiled at me. “Until next time, beautiful.”
Turning on his heels, he walked away from me with a swagger in his step as I was left standing alone in the dark yard, my fingers covering my lips in shock. No one’s so much as flirted with me in years, so him kissing me so thoroughly was surprising, exciting, and a little scary.
But I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, and that seemed to ease my anxiety.
I couldn’t tell anyone inside about the kiss, and I knew if I walked in now, they would see the flustered expression on my face and worry. Without giving it a second thought, I walkedalong the back patio to the door leading to my room. Using my thumb on the digital keypad, I waited for the door to unlock before going inside.
Once safely in my room, I sent a quick text to Rhys and James, letting them know I was going to sleep before I collapsed onto the bed.
Seth wasn’t my first kiss, far from it, but he was the first person who didn’t treat me as damaged. I knew it was probably the liquor that made him do it, so I didn’t expect anything else to come of it, but I was glad it happened.
I felt something inside for the first time since I was taken from my apartment and dragged into a nightmare of some else’s creation, and I vowed that I was going to move past those two years in hell.
Even if it meant telling everyone my secrets and watching them run away.
Chapter 2
Regan
New Years Day
Iwoke up early and quietly made my way into the kitchen to start breakfast for everyone. After making myself a cup of coffee, I started gathering the ingredients for my surprise breakfast. Pulling the dough from the fridge, I placed it on the counter to come to temperature while I began working on the fresh fruit. I happily washed, cut, and arranged the assortment of fruits on a tray before covering it and sliding it to the side.
Next, I started baking trays of sausage and bacon while rolling out the dough. It felt good keeping my hands busy, but the quiet house and early hour gave me too much time to think. Throughout the night, I kept waking up, feeling like someone was watching me, and twice, I slid my gun from under my pillow and carefully walked to the glass door leading outside to see if anyone was there, only to continuously find myself alone and paranoid.
With sleep becoming more and more impossible, I climbed out of bed under the cover of darkness and got cleaned up in the bathroom before making my way to the kitchen. As I poured myself a second cup of coffee, I leaned back against the counter and looked out into the back yard, watching the sun begin to rise in the sky.
