Page 91 of Bleeding Hearts

“Thank you for loving me and allowing me to love you, Demi.” I brush her hair behind her ear, cradling her cheek in my hand. “I need you to promise me something though,” I add.

“Anything,” she says without hesitation.

“I need you to promise that you won’t go see either of your parents without me. Even if your mom never physically hurt you, even if she’s being hurt herself, if she’s still loyal to your dad, you can’t put it past her to trap you.”

I know it may be overstepping for me to ask her to not see her mom without me, but under the circumstances, I think it’s called for. I never want Demi to feel like she can’t do something because of me. But in this situation, I need to know that she’s safe.

I understand her holding out hope for her mom. While I hate her mom for not protecting her daughter from her husband’s abuse and then inflicting even more onto her by blaming her further, I can’t say I know what it’s like to walk in her shoes.

She married her husband before Demi was born and she’s been with him for years since she left. There’s no telling what she’s put up with.

Or the type of manipulation he’s put her through, the fear he’s instilled in her. At the end of the day, she suffered at his hands too. The only one to truly blame is Alexander Rhodes.

Even so, if Demi’s mom is still with him even after Demi has offered her help, then she hasn’t been able to step out from his manipulation yet. He still has his claws in her, and in knowing that, there’s no telling what she’ll do for him.

The last thing I want is Demi getting put in the middle of that.

“I know, and I’m not planning on answering her calls, let alone seeing her anytime soon, but I don’t think she’d do that, Ash.” She sighs.

“I really hope she wouldn't, but I need to know you’re safe, Dem,” I say. “If you want to see her, I’ll be there by your side and support you the entire time. Just don’t go alone. Let me be there, okay?”

“Okay.” She nods. “I promise.”

“Thank you.” I smile at her. “I love you.” I lean down, kissing her again.

“I love you too,” she whispers against my lips before kissing me back.

I deepen the kiss, pulling her into me and holding her tight. The kiss is slow, sensual. It’s full of all the love each of us feels toward the other. It’s full of promises of what’s to come.

Time passes and we stay that way, kissing each other, embracing each other, nothing more, nothing less.

With that kiss, we crush all the walls between us and build a stronger wall surrounding us. In that moment, it feels like the two of us together are stronger than ever. It feels like nothing can break us.

Too bad that won’t ever stop people from trying.

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

Demi

The past two weeks have been some of the best weeks of my life. Actually, the past month has been, ever since Asher and I became more than friends.

The past two weeks though, since I opened up to him about my parents, have been better than anything.

It feels like since there are finally no secrets between us, our connection has only become stronger.

I’ve never experienced love like this. We spend practically every second we can together, and yet my heart still aches when I’m not with him.

When I’m not with Asher, I’ve been continuing my job hunt, sadly with absolutely no luck, or spending time with Gordon Meowsy.

The one good thing about being jobless, besides not working a shitty job that I hate, is that I have more time to practice my cooking. I’ve been taking online classes and trying countless new recipes, which Asher loves to taste test.

Asher has been spending most nights at my apartment and I jokingly call him my new roommate, although part of me kind of wants to make it official. The two of us spend most nights together anyway. It doesn’t make sense to be paying for two separate rents.

Also, I just want to live with him. But we haven’t had that conversation yet.

He left my apartment early this morning for work and I quickly fell back asleep after he left. I eventually got up and went out job hunting for about two and a half hours before giving up and coming back home.

I’ve been spending the rest of the day curled up on the couch with Gordon Meowsy watching reality TV because what else would I be watching while waiting for Asher to finish work?

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