Page 55 of Bound by Love
Brie felt queasy. She hadn’t thought about Darius since the birth of Hope, but now the old fears associated with him came rushing back. “That asshole tormented me in elementary school. Why in the hell would he say anything about it now?”
“I don’t know, Brie.” Lea reached out to comfort her.
“He was so cruel, Lea,” Brie said with tears in her eyes. “I can’t tell you the number of times he beat me up after school. Hell, he was the reason my mom and I were homeless while my dad looked for a new job. They were determined to get me far from that place. It’s how we ended up in Nebraska.”
“I remember you telling me about being homeless for a while…”
Brie shuddered again. “I have tried to push every memory I have of him from my life, and I almost had. Why would he dredge it all up now?”
Lea squeezed Brie. “I don’t know, my friend. Maybe he wants to make amends?”
“I don’t believe that for a second.” Brie pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling shaky and out of control.
Seeing how upset she was, Lea asked her, “Do you want to cancel going to lunch?”
Brie took a deep breath and held her head up in defiance. “No. I’m not the scared little girl he tormented all those years ago, and that bastard isnotgoing to ruin my life now.”
She moved through the day, having lunch with Lea and window shopping afterward just as they had planned, but those memories of Darius kept replaying in her head. It pissed her off that he had reentered her life by simply stating that he knew her.
That night, when she had a moment alone with Sir, Brie crawled into his lap. She rested her head against his strong shoulder, needing the connection. He began stroking her hair.
“What’s wrong, babygirl?”
Brie buried her face against his chest, taking in his masculine scent as he continued to hold her. She felt safe and protected. It gave her the courage to tell him, “Darius was in the news.”
Sir stiffen beneath her. “In what capacity?”
“Lea saw a short article that had a picture of him. He mentioned knowing me growing up.”
“Nothing else?”
“I guess he’s a model and actor now.” She laid her head back on his shoulder. “My memories of him won’t stop. Every time I think about him, I get all anxious inside and feel like I need to run.”
Sir held her tighter and continued to stroke her hair. “I will have someone look into it. I find it odd that he would mention knowing you.”
Brie pulled away and frowned. “I do, too. Lea thinks he wants to make amends.”
Sir pressed her head back against him. “Whatever his motives, he has no power over you now.”
Brie nodded, wanting that to be true even though her memories said differently.
“Until we know more, I don’t want you to dwell on it. Concentrate on constructive things.”
“I will try, Sir.” As soon as those words left her lips, Brie expected a correction. “Trying” was not enough in their household.
But he didn’t. Instead, Sir continued to stroke her hair in silence. She took comfort in his quiet support and was able to fall asleep later that night, in his safe embrace.
In the middle of the night, she woke up with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. She thrashed violently trying to scramble out of the bed and ran to the bathroom.
“What’s wrong, Brie?” Sir called out to her.
Brie retched in the toilet, her whole body numb with fear.
Sir got out of bed and went to reach out to her, but Brie flinched at his touch and instinctively pushed him away.
“What’s going on, Brie?” he demanded gently, cutting through the fear that surrounded her.
Brie looked up at him, her voice trembling when she answered. “I don’t know…”
