Page 84 of Clash
And I felt like I could trust him. Even though this man made me lose everything I had, I still felt rather safe with him, like my husband could never hurt me as long as I had Clash to protect me.
He moved us back out to the bedroom, covering me in a T-shirt so I was no longer naked. He put on a pair of boxer briefs, then slid on some shorts before sliding into the bed, and pulling me up against him. His chest felt so comfortable, like the perfect combination of comfort and hardness that a woman would need for a good night’s rest.
“My husband, Alex’s father, beat me. But that you already knew. It’s sad because I would take the physical punishments over the psychological ones any day of the week. Eric, that’s the bastard’s name, would spend hours berating me and cutting medown until I felt like an insignificant speck beneath his shoe. He told me I was ugly and worthless, that no man would ever want me other than him, and how lucky I was that he took pity on an ugly hag like me.”
Clash’s fists clenched, and his jaw tensed. “I’ll kill him,” he muttered under his breath, making me smile just a tad.
“When I did something wrong, usually stupid small shit, like not preparing him a four-course meal, he’d beat me into submission. Literally. If I even so much as looked or talked to another man, he’d call me a whore and then proceed to force himself violently on me, telling me he needed to erase the other man’s stench from my fat, ugly skin.” I crossed my arms over myself, those words were like venom poisoning my system. “He was a wretched human being, and I did what I could to get away from him, but now I’m on the run because of it, and all I wanted was to go to my sister. But she told me it wasn’t safe and I should just stay here.”
He didn’t seem surprised. In fact, the man schooled his face of all emotions.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s not like I can go very far when I’m working under the table and don’t have a single dime to my name.”
I felt him move out from behind me, watching as he crossed the room and opened a safe that was hidden behind a picture frame. My mouth dropped open in shock as he dropped seven grand on the bed, the same amount of money I lost over three months ago.But how? When?
“Clash?” I questioned, when he sat on the edge of the bed, meeting my dumbfounded expression.
“I tried to find you after that day to tell you I got the money back for you. When I couldn’t find you, I just locked it up and kept it here, knowing that one day I’d be able to give it to you again.”
“But I’ve been here for a few days. Why didn’t you give it to me when I first arrived?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m a selfish prick.”
“What do you mean?”
He stood up, moving across the bed until he was looming over me, looking dangerously handsome and alluring all at the same time.
“I’m a selfish prick who wanted to gain your trust. I knew if I gave you the money right away, you’d run again. I had to prove to you I was worth sticking around for. Even if it took me months to do it.”
Unsure of what to say, I just remained quiet.
“Gina, I know it sounds stupid. But I think I’m in love with you. Those feelings I have for you are only getting stronger, and I don’t want to lose you. I’m sorry I didn’t give you the money right away, but I was afraid you’d leave me forever. I was terrified that if I gave it to you before I left, that I’d return and you’d be gone again and I’d never be able to find you. I love you, Gina. It’s complicated and quick, and this instalove crap isn’t what I normally do, but I fell in love with you hard and without question with both you and your son. Please don’t hate me.”
But I couldn’t hate him. The man literally took it upon himself to get my money back. I definitely didn’t want to know how he pulled that one off, but at that point I didn’t care. He cared about me enough to risk everything just to make things right, a gesture no other man would’ve done.
Tears cascaded down my face as he caressed it. He wasn’t lying. I could see it in the way he looked at me—like I was his only hope of survival. For the last four days he’d been gone. And I had to admit, that every day he was, I missed him, wishing he was here to protect us just in case my ex showed up. He never did, but that fear was there, and the only thing that made me feelsafe was this beautifully handsome man standing before me. The one that I couldn’t shake from my mind even if I tried.
“Clash…” I whispered out in a breathless moan.
“Gina…” he murmured, matching my desperation.
And before I could rethink it, we kissed, as seventeen painful letters fell so easily from my lips, making me wonder if I had lost my fucking mind.
“I think I love you, too.”
The way his smile grew had me laughing.
In my favorite move, he pressed his forehead against mine, our heated stares burning us from the insides out, and all the bad shit that brought us to the point, vanishing from existence.
“Please don’t leave me again, Clash.”
“Never. I promise I’ll always be here to protect you and Alex, Gina. Always.”
And I believed him.
I just wish fate didn’t have a different idea.
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