Page 44 of Patiently Yours
We sit for a few moments in silence, watching the scene where Bryce throws away the eggs gifted to him by Juli.
“You’re not how I expected you to be,” she says suddenly.
I arch a playful brow at her, rubbing my thumb over hers. “What? Mumbling and moody?”
Her laughter is bright, sparkling. I want to be the cause of it,always.
“Exactly. I mean, Ciro told me you weren’t like that with them, but I wasn’t expecting to see your real side so soon.”
“There’s no reason to hold back,” I say candidly. “I’ve held off on relationships because I believed I would find a scent match. Some would say that was just hopeful thinking, but I knew my match was out there. I don’t have to pretend with you, and I wouldn’t want to anyway.”
I see the wheels turning in her mind from my words. Stacia is a beautiful person, but I see the same darkness there that plagues me. We hold the same demons, whether or not we speak about them.
“Why do you hold back? With others?” She diverts.
I shrug, trying to supply some casualness while thinking of things long in the past. Still, in the spirit of being honest, I answer.
“I don’t necessarily trust others.”
“Oh.” She sits with that. “I think I’m the opposite. I think I’m too trusting.”
I feel a smile tugging at my lips. “Then we can balance each other out a bit. Teach each other something.” That leaves her smiling too. Then she moves, boldly wrapping my arm around her before settling her head on my chest. I relax in her embrace, letting our bodies meld into the covers comfortably.
“Did you have a rough upbringing?” Her quiet question is almost inaudible against my shirt.
I awkwardly rub my head with my free hand. Talking about my family is not my favorite pastime, but for her I’d sit through any discomfort.
“My mom left when I was a baby, so it was just my dad and brother. They were really close and had a lot in common, so I always felt like the odd man out. Real manly men, you know?Bordering ontoxic.” I swallow hard. “I was a sensitive kid, never really understood the notion of holding in your emotions or pretending everything was okay. Not until my father forced it into me.”
Stacia grasped my shirt gently. “What did he do?”
“You don’t need to know the details, baby. It’s over, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
She looks up and meets my eyes, a sheen of emotion in them. “It does matter. Everything that was done to you deserves to be spoken. Have you told anyone about it?” I hold her gaze and shake my head. “Then tell me. Let me hold some of the burden for you.”
I can’t describe the emotions her words stir up in me. There’s adoration for her compassion. Hope for our relationship to blossom further. And more than anything, there’s another feeling. One that’s way too early to already be present, but it’s there. Burying itself in the hole of my chest that my blood had left behind.
“You are too good for me,” I whisper. Before she can protest, I continue. “It was mainly verbal at first. Emotional. He’d call me names whenever I was anything less than happy or fake. I don’t have anynicememories of him anymore. They’re all tainted by the bad.”
“And it got worse?”
“He’d only use his fists if I fought back. And he’d let my brother do whatever he wanted. I slept with my door locked most nights, especially if they were drinking and wanted to start something.” These memories sit in a back corner of my mind, stuck behind a locked door. “That’s why I’m a bit…stoicwith others. Unless I fully know and trust someone, I’d rather not be myself. Just in case.”
The emotion on her face is devastating. “I’m so sorry, Uriah.” She places her hand on my cheek. I lean further into her touch, the comfort grounding me. “Do you still speak to them?”
“Not at all.” I smile again. “I got a job at a music store my freshman year of high school, worked really hard until graduation. I took as many shifts as I could so I could be out of the house. Then, I was offered a scholarship to play hockey here at Bensen. I left and never looked back.”
My boss at my old high school job gave me a lifeline. He not only gave me an escape, but he introduced me to music. Ever since, there’s been a passion for it. A way I could channel the emotions I wasn’t allowed to feel at home. He was like my real father. I was determined to do something with my life after he helped save it.
She gives me a sad smile. “A true happy ending.”
“That really started after meeting my pack.”And now after meetingyou.
The beast inside of me is a freaking sap.
“I was going to ask! You don’t seem like the type for fraternities. Why did you join Alpha Xi?”
“I was looking for brotherhood.” I try not to let my voice crack. “The universe answered my prayers with that one. I couldn’t have found better pack mates.”
