Page 43 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

“Oh, it’s absolutely beautiful,” I say, my eyes fixed on her. She turns, and our eyes meet. She smiles shyly and plops down on the floor opposite the long white table surrounded by white stools. This particular spot in our home is reserved for special occasions, as it offers a unique outdoor experience that can't be replicated at the dining table. I can't help but feel a sense of warmth spread through me as I realize how much she's missed me, and I quickly make my way over to her, settling down beside her with a sense of ease and contentment.

“Do you know why you keep having these nightmares?”

As I sit beside Fiona, my breath catches in my throat. Part of me wants to keep my troubles to myself, but another part of me yearns to share everything with her. Her gaze is still fixed on the sky, and I follow it, staring at the half-moon hanging overhead. Its soft glow stands out against the backdrop of the night sky, the tiny stars scattered around it like diamonds in the sky. It's a beautiful sight, and for a moment, I find myself lost in its beauty. Fiona's words echo in my mind, and I can't help but agree with her - it is beautiful.

“It’s a long horrible story. I don’t think you want to hear it.”

She turns sharply.

“No. I do. I told you, I’m every bit interested in listening.”

“Why are you so interested?”

No one has ever shown a genuine interest in me before. They were always after something - my money, my car, or the prestige that comes with being associated with me. It's no wonder that I've never had any close friends. The people who don't need my money are equally exhausting, spending their time and money on women who don't truly love them or trying to one-up each other with flashy cars and expensive watches. It all seems so childish to me. But here, with Fiona, it's different. She's interested in me for me, not what I can give her.

“I don’t know. You’re kinda difficult to understand. Hearing your stories helps put things in perspective, I guess.”

“You’re interested in understanding me?”

“Would it hurt to get to know the father of my child better?”

A smile tugs at my cheeks, and a tingling sensation runs all over my skin. My throat grows thick.

“Something happened in high school. I’m still trying to heal from it.”

I push my back up and rest my head on the wall. She doesn’t take her gaze off me.

“I went to an all-male boarding school. I was just a sophomore when everything changed for me. At first, it was going well. I was pretty cool with the seniors; many of them flocked around me because my dad was well-known. One of them seemed to care a lot about me, and we became really close, even though he was an eleventh grader. I had no idea I had enemies. It was really weird. I was a confident kid, and I guess some people were intimidated. So this senior, who was my friend, invites me to a party the other seniors are having.”

I make air quotes around ‘party.’

“I had no idea it was an ambush. They planned for it all along and this one senior I completely trusted lured me into the trap. They beat me up, and then forced me to…to—”

I blink back the painful tears and swallow. Fiona doesn’t say anything. She likely senses this is difficult for me. I’ve never shared this story with anyone except my therapist. How am I telling her this so easily?

“They forced me to do all kinds of things. It was sexual abuse. When I woke up, I was at the clinic, and this…this senior who was my friend was seated beside me. He told the nurse he found me passed out outside.”

I clench my jaws, avoiding her gaze. The feeling of dread, shame, and disgust washes over me afresh, like it was yesterday, not twenty-three years ago.

“That’s when I started having these nightmares.”

Fiona is quiet, and her eyes are wide. Something glows on her cheeks. Is she crying?

“It’s been a long time and honestly, I think I’ve grown past it.”

“Why didn’t you tell the authorities about the incident? Those cruel kids should’ve been severely punished and expelled.”

I shake my head.

“You don’t understand. When I opened my eyes, the senior who I trusted told me they would hurt me if I ever told a soul. It wasn’t hard to get me to shut up honestly. I was just a kid. They could harm me if they wanted to. I just wanted to forget about everything.”

Silence lingers between us for a long time, but Fiona’s gaze stays on me. She shuffles closer, rests her head on my shoulders, and rubs my arms.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I can’t imagine how scared and hurt you were.”

I place my chin on her hair, running my hands through them. Finally, I lift her face with my finger on her jaw. She looks up at me, and my heart quickens. I inch closer slowly until the distance between our lips is nonexistent. I inhale when my lips touch hers, closing my eyes to savor the taste of her lips. She places her hands on my chest, running her hands over them. I’m enraptured as electricity sparks my skin, causing goose pimples to form. She moans when I bite her lip and slowly push my tongue into her mouth like I know my way around. My heart pounds in my chest when she plucks at my left nipple. My body is set on fire. The slow kisses become heavy and hungry. Every part of me is thirsty for her. I run my hands over her body, filling my senses with her tenderness. Her scent assails my nostrils, and I shut my eyes, inhaling the smell of flowers and spices.

Chapter 15

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