Page 72 of Clean Hack
Axe was amazing with both of them. I could see the love he had for Allison and her son and it made me smile. After a while, he made a point to say he was going to take Neiryn to the park. Derrick kissed me and followed them out. I was thankful because Allison and I needed some time alone. I think that was the whole point for their exit. Smart men we had.
“I’m sorry,” I said and the tears ran down my cheeks. I wanted to be strong for her, but I couldn’t seem to hold it together any longer. “I tried so hard to find you.”
“Lulu, no,” she whispered and hugged me. “None of this is your fault. I can’t believe that you put your life on hold for me. I can never repay you. Oh, I’ve missed you so much.”
I nodded into her shoulder because I couldn’t speak.
“I tried not to think about you…” She didn’t have to finish for me to know what she was talking about. While she was held captive. While she was being tortured and abused for years. “I made a decision pretty much right away to forget everything and everyone. I think that was the only way I was able to survive all these years. It was like I was there but I wasn’t me, if that even makes any kind of sense. He…he may have broken me but there were parts of me he couldn’t take away. I wouldn’t let him. He never got to touch you or my mom, or the happy times I’d had growing up.”
I held her hand as she began to tell me some of the things that had happened over the years. I got the feeling like she hadn’t meant to say so much but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. I hurt for her. But I could also see this amazing strength inside of her that I didn’t even think that she was aware of. I knew she was dealing with a lot right now and trying to process it all. It was going to take time but I had no doubts that she’d be able to move on from it. It would always be there, I knew that much, but she wouldn’t let it stop her from living the life that she had ahead of her.
As she talked about Axe, I could see the love in her eyes. I wondered if I looked the same when I thought about Derrick. Axe seemed a bit standoffish to me, maybe even a tad on the dark side but the way she described him made him sound caring and amazing. As long as he took care of her and Neriyn and loved them, then that was all that mattered.
It was just starting to get dark when the men returned. It strangely looked like they had bonded somewhat and I didn’t know what to think about that. Axe didn’t seem like the friendly type and Derrick, well, he was a bit of a loner too. Maybe they recognized that in one another. And it wasn’t like they didn’t really know each other, having done business together, or whatever you wanted to call it, for years.
Axe extended the offer for us to stay at the clubhouse. I wasn’t sure, but I also wasn’t ready to leave Allison just yet. In the end, we took one of the empty rooms on the side area of the compound. It was where the club girls had their own space. Was I comfortable with that? Well, not really. I had a pretty good idea what had gone down in that room, hell, in that bed. But I tried my best to shake it off and assure myself that the sheets were clean.
Things were looking up. Allison and I spent a few days together before Derrick and I headed on. After that first day, Allison and I carried on like no time had passed. I guess we really were best friends. There was a deep bond there that would last a lifetime.
