out after the accident. I have some much-needed gamin’ time to get in.”
“What’s it this time?” I ask, curious.
“The Last of Us. Grim, it’s so good.” Dex starts to walk off.
“I’ll take your word for it.” I murmur, turning around to face Natalie. “You alright?”
She nods and thankfully the color has returned to her face. “Yeah, I just. I have to tell you something, something maybe I should’ve said to you a bit earlier. Sorry I didn’t, there’s just no easy way to say what I’m about to.”
“I’m a big boy, I’m sure I can handle it.” After I’ve spoken, I realize how horrible that sounded.
“You know I moved here from Scotland about a year ago, but I’m afraid I haven’t told you why. It’s not something I really hope to dive into, nor want to. My husband. He beat the shit out of me in front of the kids last year, on Christmas Day. It’s why I have the scars here,” She points below her eye on the right side of her face, and above her eyebrow. “The metal from his boot caught my skin. Didn’t even know I was bleeding until well after the ordeal. Luckily, my neighbors came to aid me and we got out.”
I ball my fist up at my sides. There are few things I can’t stomach in life, but beatin’ on women is one of those things I will shred a man apart for. “I’m glad you got out, and I’m so sorry for what I did. If I’d known I wouldn’t have acted like that.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I froze up on you. I just . . . I have girls and often forget how brothers can act toward one another.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for anything. You have no reason to be sorry, Java. Shit.” I take a step closer to her, enveloping my right hand against her face. I snake my left around her waist and pull her close to me. This woman has been through it, that’s for damn sure.
Fuck, I don’t even know if she’s okay with me pullin’ her toward me like this, but I can’t help it. I just wanna shield my arms around her, protect her from anythin’ bad in this world. Fucking hell. This is what her husband should’ve been doin’, but he’s the one who hurt her. Lord help him if we ever cross paths.
Natalie relaxes a bit and wraps her arms around my torso, leaning her head further into my chest. “Bloody hell, this feels so nice.” I’m sure she doesn’t realize she said it aloud, but I’m glad she did.
“Please tell me you’re not still married,” I mutter, not really thinkin’ about this until now.
Natalie breaks our embrace and looks at me with disgust in her eyes. “I’m not going to lie to you. The day after Christmas I will have been officially separated for a year. At that time if he consents to it, our divorce can get finalized . . . but if not, it gets a bit trickier. We have three girls on top of it, which complicates things, but he can just not respond and that’ll prove even more issues.”
“Thanks for not lyin’ to me.” I tell her, honestly grateful. I should add liars to the list of things I can’t stand.
“I wouldn’t lie about it, though I suppose the mere fact I’m married means you don’t want to reschedule our coffee date.”
I laugh, “It’s adorable you think you’re gonna get outta a coffee date with me,”
She draws her brows together, then smiles. “Wait . . . you mean it doesn’t matter?”
“Java, you’re not in his bed. You’re sure as fuck not fuckin’ him, and there’s sure as fuck no way you two are gonna reconcile. I’m not breakin’ up a family, not when he already broke it himself. I couldn’t care less.”
“Why do you have to be so . . .”
“Perfect?” I interject.
She gives me a whimsical look. “If you were perfect you wouldn’t have gotten in that accident.”
“If I never got into that accident, I don’t think we would’ve ever crossed paths. So, if a little pain means I met you, I’ll say it’s been worth it.”
Chapter Fifteen
She’s not for everyone and she knows it. People find her different and strange. She dances in the rain, she laughs when she cries, and loves through her pain. People fear the unknown and they never knew a girl like her.
~ M.S. Pastore
Natalie
I’m completely blown away by what he’s just