Page 13 of Ghost
“Oh. My.God.LOOK AT THIS!” Her shout echoes off the polished tiles as she rushes in. I lean in the doorway, arms crossed, laughing as she sprawls, fully clothed, in the oversized tub and starts attempting snow angels on the smooth surface.
“Am I ever going to get you out of there?” I ask, still chuckling.
“Lord willing, and the creek don't rise!” she shouts back, snuggling into the empty tub with a satisfied sigh.
Shaking my head, I step forward and scoop her up, tossing her over my shoulder. She squeals in protest, but her laughter rings clear as I carry her back to the bedroom and toss her gently onto the king-sized bed. She bounces once, her hair a halo around her face, her expression stuck somewhere between shock and delight.
“You’re impossible,” I tease, heading to the closet and grabbing one of my shirts. When I turn back, her hands are fisted in the comforter, a trace of unease flickering across her features. This side of her—the quiet vulnerability—hits me harder than anything else. She’s always so vibrant and full of life, but right now, she seems smaller, weighed down by something I can’t see but desperately want to take from her.
I kneel in front of her, placing a hand over her heart, letting its steady rhythm guide me. “Trust me, Bunny,” I say softly, meeting her gaze. “I won’t hurt you. Ever. Now, lift your arms.”
She hesitates for a moment, then takes a deep breath and raises them slowly. I keep my movements gentle, sliding her shirt up and over her head, careful not to rush. As soon as it’s off, I slip one of mine over her instead. It’s soft, well-worn, and falls almost to her knees.
Her wide eyes lock on mine as I step back, her posture relaxing slightly. “Better?” I ask, my voice low.
She nods, a small, shy smile tugging at her lips.
I pull back the covers. “Climb in,” I say, and she does without hesitation, settling into the bed’s inviting embrace.
On the other side of the room, I strip off my shirt and jeans, leaving on my boxers for her comfort. When I slide into bed beside her, she tenses for just a moment before melting against me as I wrap an arm around her waist.
“Goodnight, Firecracker,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to the back of her head. She sighs, and I close my eyes, determined to show her she’ll always be safe here with me.
Chapter Twelve
Tizzy
I’m still stiff but trying with everything in me to relax. I hate that, after all these years, this is still my reaction, even with someone as sweet and gentle as Devon. I know with everything in me, he would never hurt me, but with my past, it's easy to get caught up in the only memories I have around any kind of intimacy. The more I lay in his arms and the more I relax, comforted by the steady beat of his heart and the safety of his embrace, the more I'm ready to move on, force myself past this hurdle that has been overtaking my life far longer than I care to admit.
These darned demons have been haunting me without me even realizing it for so many years. These little buggers are the reason I never let anyone else close. I didn't seek male company, actually I actively skirted my tail away from it. I haven't put myself in any position to even go out with another man. Yes, I might throw on the charm a little to defuse a few situations, but they never get more than one conversation with me. It was never an issue before. It's actually how I prefer it. If there were no commitments, then there were no requirements, if you know what I mean.
It didn't help that I had Lyra to think about. I know what happened to me at the hands of my stepfather. There was no way in hell I was ever going to risk it with my baby girl. Then, after she left, it was just my new normal. For so long, there didn't feel like anything was missing besides Lyra, with her being on the run. Other than that, there wasn't anything that felt missing.
That changed the day I met Devon, and maybe that's why I lifted skirts and ran out of town like my tooshie was on fire. I was scared of the new, and let me tell you, the pretty wildly intense feeling I had for him that surfaced. Still, hasn't he proven enough to me yet?
He chased me around like Uncle Jesse chased Aunt Becky, and he did it all with a smile. But each time I got the best of him, he smiled instead of responding in anger or throwing a hissy fit, and we moved to the next adventure. Not to mention, at the first sight of trouble, his go-to reaction wasn't to tuck tail and scamper back to Louisiana. No, he threw himself into the frying pan with me and called his team in case we needed them to grab the ladder and pull us out.
Then, he brought us to safety. A woman he knows is off her rocker, and all of this for nothing in return. When he first went for my clothes, those flashbacks overtook me, but he treated me with so much care I can't help but let the tear slide down my cheek.
Time for me to stop running.
“I was nine when my mama brought Paul to the house the first time.” I start quietly, my voice fading off into the darkened room. I feel Devon's arms squeeze ever so slightly to let me know he's here, but maybe the darkness is finally giving methe courage to tell my story. Something I’ve only ever told one person, my mama. I hope this time goes better than that.
“At first, I was so excited. Mama was beautiful, and we came from a small town near Blue Ridge. She was the most beautiful woman in all the world. The men of the town thought so, too. She would have men in and out at all hours of the night and day, but I was always fed, and she loved and cared for me. She might have been a little free living, and there is nothing wrong with that, but she was a darn good mama… until Paul.” I pause, squeezing my eyes shut at the memories. “At first, everything seemed perfect. Paul seemed so eager to take over the role of a father, and I was so excited to finally have something stable. I remember telling everyone at school I finally had a dad, and he was gonna be the best one ever.” I chuckle, but there’s no humor behind it. I haven't let myself think back on this in so long I can't handle all the emotions building up inside.
“About a year and a half after they were married was the first time I remember him coming into my room. He told me dads were supposed to sleep with their baby girls. To keep the bad dreams away. Lord mercy, if I only knew he was the one that would ride in with the devils like Napoleon taking over Paris.” I pause and smile when Devon snorts from behind me. I knew he would know I was joking, but I had to lighten things up a bit. It's a habit I don't know if I’ll ever be able to break.
“As you could guess, things escalated from there. Paul owned me, and there was nothing I could do about it. At first, I thought it was just what was supposed to happen. He told me it was normal, and I was even more special. Then, it was more about seeing my mom happy, and I wanted a father more than anything else in this world. I tried to tell so many times, but Paul always had a way of silencing me. I’ll save you all thegory details, but my mother had to suspect something. I was always in the hospital from Paul being a bit too rough: broken arms, concussions, gashes, you name it. I never uttered a word, though. Until I had no choice.”
Taking a deep breath, I lay it all out. “I found out I was pregnant after only having my period for six months. I tried to tell my mama, but by that time, Paul had had years to beat her into submission, just like me. She screamed at me and called me a liar when I finally broke down.”
I try to swallow the sob that's caught in my throat, but a whimper escapes my lips. Devon turns my body so that my front is now pressed to his chest, and my face is buried in his neck. He holds the back of my head as I let the grief of that day overtake me.
“Mother fucking hell.” I hear Devon mutter. “You're too good for this world. Did you get it all off your chest, Bunny, or is there more?” I take a deep breath but let him know that was it. I laid my heart out there for him to either boogie with or break.
“Alright, baby girl, this is the only thing I'm going to say. Then, I will put this whole subject to rest. Okay?”
“Okay, sugar,” I whisper, causing him to snort and shake his head.