She started running her fingers over the stem of her wine glass, a nervous habit he picked up on since they’d eaten dinner. “I haven’t gone out with someone in over two years, not since I left home… not since my ex, Lance, cheated on me.”
He was shocked some asshole would have been dumb enough to fuck things up with someone like Mary.
“And for a long time I didn’t see myself as anything special because of that betrayal, because of who he cheated on me with.”
Alex didn’t say anything, just let her continue at her own pace, although he felt like ripping her ex-boyfriend’s balls off.
“He was at a party when I found him in bed with one of my good friends.”
She leaned back, putting more space between them, and he let her. She needed her space, he understood that, knew she probably felt raw right now.
“My friend, or who I’d thought had been, didn’t even act guilty. She stared at me shamelessly. Lance apologized for it and acted like he was in the wrong, but I knew it was only because he was caught. He didn’t see it as a betrayal. I could see that truth in his eyes.” She exhaled and looked at him for the first time since she started telling him the story. “I haven’t told anyone about that in so long. I refused to allow myself to even think about it.” She shrugged and kept running a finger over her wine glass. “I just blocked it out. I didn’t know how to process the shame. I’d never been hurt like that before, not even when I felt detached from my family. It was a different kind of hurt.”
He wanted to touch her, hold her, make her see he was here and he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.
“Everyone knew what he was doing at that party with her, and that I was there as well. No one stopped me from going into that room and just telling me. But you know what, I’m glad I found out for myself, because it really showed me what kind of people they were, and how I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself. They weren’t really my friends, and I’m glad it ended the way it did, to be honest.”
“And then I went and said heinous shit to you at the club.”
She glanced at him and smiled, shaking her head in the process. “I know why you did what you did. I know you didn’t want to hurt me even though your words were like acid. I know, Alex.” She whispered the last part.
“I’m sorry, Mary. God, baby, I’m so fucking sorry.”
She glanced around the restaurant as if she didn’t want to look at him after what she’d confided. “So now you know the real me, Alex.”
He hated the dark tone in her voice.
The waiter came by to check on them, breaking up the melancholy that filled the space. “So, have I scared you off yet?” She finally asked.
“Mary,” he said her name, his voice thick because of how he felt for her. “What I feel for you is this fire in my blood, this yearning I’ve never experienced before.” He knitted his brows and glanced down at the table. “It consumes me.” He looked back at her. “I’m in too deep now where you’re concerned.” He heard her breath catch but she didn’t look away from him. “So no… You can never scare me off because I’m in this for the long run. I’m not letting you go.”
For a moment a plethora of emotion passed across her face, but it was gone as quickly as it had become visible.
“Tell me more,” he urged gently.
She gave him the prettiest fucking smile that went right through his heart. Fuck, what he felt would have been classified as pussy-whipped by his friends. But he’d call it something deeper. Yeah, really fucking deep.
“I’m adopted, and growing up with Margo was a hell in itself.”
“Margo?”
“My sister. The one getting married next weekend. She’s two years older than me, and even though I was adopted as an infant and we grew up together, I never felt that sisterly love from her. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t see me as family, not like that anyway. I never felt like she did.”
He’d never wanted to hit a girl, but shit, this Margo sounded like a real bitch. He’d just have to beat the shit out of Mary’s ex twice over.
“I don’t mean to dump so much information on you, or make you look at me any differently.” Her cheeks were that gorgeous shade of pink again. “Because I like the way you look at me, Alex. I like that you stare at me like I’m the only girl you’ve really seen—”
“That’s because you are the only girl I’ve ever really seen,” he said before she could finish. “You’re the only person I’ve ever wanted to look at me the same way, like you really know me.” He reached out and took her hand again, smoothing his thumb over the back of it, staring into those pretty blue eyes of hers. “When it comes to you, there is no other for me.”