Nathan

After Alyssa and I got back, I went to the kitchen to grab a snack while she went to the bedroom. Today was a good day, I'm sure she felt the same way. I can't shake the feeling that one of my bones was about to be broken when we were parasailing. Weird.

I had finished up my sandwich before I decided to take a shower. On getting to the room, I heard the shower running meaning that Alyssa was inside. I dropped down on the bed, accidentally hitting her phone down.

It buzzed as I picked it up, bringing my attention to the messages coming in. There were a bunch coming from her uncle and because her phone was unlocked, I could see all of them.

Answer your phone you slut!

I'm going to kill you!

You're just a useless entitled brat you deserve nothing!

You should have died with your parents.

Those didn't even alarm me as much as the next did.

All the beatings I've given you will be nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you if I ever see you again, wretch.

All the beatings? I wondered. Has he been hitting her? For how long? And why did she never tell me? Why didn't she keep this a secret?

I couldn't help but get angry at this. At that very moment, I heard the bathroom door shut and turned to see Alyssa looking at me curiously.

“What's wrong?” Is she really asking me that? Has she not seen the messages?

I took a while to form my question while I turned the phone so she could see what I saw. “What does he mean by 'all the beatings'?”

The panic in her eyes was obvious, she didn't want me to see this. “It's nothing, can I have my phone back, please?”

She reached for the phone put I pulled it back. I can't believe she's trying to play this off, if what I think is true then she's been going through something very serious. Why isn't she telling me the truth?

“This isn't nothing! Has he ever hit you?” She didn't answer. “Has he?” She looked down but didn't say anything. “Was he the one that put you in the hospital that time?” She still didn't say anything. My anger was reaching an explosive level and me voice rose with it. “Answer me!”

“Yes!” She let out a shaky breath. “He was.”

I didn't know what to feel after that. Of course I was angry but I also felt sort of betrayed. From the text that wasn't the first time and she never told me. I let my anger dominate as I searched for Christopher's number on her phone.

“What are you doing?” She asked. She must've guessed and gripped my arm before I could hit the dial button. “Please don't, you don't know why this will cause, please.” I felt my resolve break seeing the tears in her eyes. “I'll tell you everything, just please don't call him.”

I took the offer. If that's what it's going to take to get her to finally tell me the truth then I won't call him, no matter how bad I wanted to.

We sat on the bed. I waited as she fiddled with her fingers nervously. I knew I had to be patient with her, if she was really abused then it'll be very hard for her to talk about.

“It started a few months before I turned fourteen,” She started with a sniffle. “they would make some comments about me and I usually ignored them, I just took what they gave me. They completely ignored my fourteenth birthday but I didn't bother, then one day I came home with a friend, a guy that coincidentally Hailey had a crush on.”

She took a breath and wiped the tears welling in her eyes. I put my arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer so her head was resting on my chest.

“She called me a whore and told her father I was bringing men to his house. That was the first day he beat me up. He didn't even let me go to the hospital after.” She hiccupped. “I was badly hurt but he said I deserved to suffer for what I did and I didn't even do anything. After that, he would beat me for every little thing even when Hailey would lie to him and he barely let me get help.

They would use knives on my skin but not make the wounds deep enough to kill me only to scar my body or Hailey would heat the knife first just to make sure it really hurt. Sometimes I wouldn't get any food or water for days as punishment or if they just didn't feel like feeding me. I would be at the brink of death and Christopher would still be whipping me with his belt and laughing as I begged him to stop.”

She was full on crying at this point. “I wasn't allowed to have friends or relate with anyone, if I did he'd beat me up so I just gave up. You have to understand why I couldn't tell you, I was being tortured and they said if I told anyone they would hurt the person even more than they would me. I'm so sorry Nathan.”

She broke down after that. I was in shock. I couldn't believe Christopher would be so cruel to actually hurt her like that. She was his brother's daughter and he was supposed to care for her. I knew she wasn't in an ideal home and he didn't really care for her but I never imagined it would be this bad. He shouldn't be walking around freely, he should be in jail for his crimes.

Come to think of it; Where was his wife when all of this was happening? Why didn't she stop him? There was clear animosity between her and Hailey so I don't expect her to come to Alyssa's defense but what about Rebecca?

I was brought out of my thoughts by Alyssa moving in my arms. She must've cried herself to sleep. She was so strong. Going through what she did in life definitely wasn't easy and she's still such a happy person with a pure heart. She's suffered a lot but she isn't going to anymore, not while I'm alive.

I was gentle as I placed her properly on the bed, tucking her in. I got on beside her, chuckling when she turned to bury her face in the crook of my neck. She was basically on top of me when she stopped moving but I didn't mind, she should be comfortable. Soon after, I was asleep.

********

It was a bit after midnight when my eyes opened. I was about to fall asleep again when I realised Alyssa wasn't in bed anymore. I couldn't stop the anxiety that crept into me as I got up to look for her. Where would she be at this time?

A female figure got my attention as I passed the sliding glass doors that led to the beach. I padded my way to the doors and slid one open. She heard me and turned slightly so our eyes met.

“What are you doing out here, Love?” I put a hand on her shoulder as I sat next to her on the steps.

She shrugged her shoulders and hugged her knees closer to her chest. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Why aren't you mad at me? I've been lying to you for months while you've been completely honest with me. You should be furious, so why aren't you?”

I thought about it for a while. She was right, I should be angry with her for keeping all this a secret, for choosing to protect the people who hurt her most so why wasn't I?

“You're not the one I should be mad at.” I answered. “This isn't your fault, it's your uncle's so I don't blame you for not telling me.”

“You should!” She yelled suddenly, standing up. “You should be mad at me! I was the one who chose to be weak, to let them manipulate me even after I left their house. They're right y'know, I should've just died with my parents.”

The moon was reflected by the tear drop rolling down her cheek as she leaned on the railing. I hated when she put herself down like that especially when I knew she was so much more, deserved so much more.

“Alyssa,” I stood in front of her and held her hands. “you are so much more than you think. You are strong, stronger than they would ever hope to be. For you to take everything they've thrown at you and still be so wonderful means that you have a lot of strength, anyone who says you're weak is a bloodly liar.”

“Why are you being so good to me, Nathan? Why don't you just leave me?”

Tell her. My conscience urged. “Maybe, it's because I love you, Alyssa.”

I could see the widening of her eyes before disbelief set in. “No! You can't love me! You cannot be in love with someone like me! I'm ugly, disgusting and have a terrible body. I'm nothing like the women you've been with so you can't love me.”

She forced her hands out of mind as fresh tears fell out of her eyes and sobs raked through her body. I was once again angry, not only at Christopher and his family for making her believe all this, I was angry at myself for some reason.

“Besides, you said you don't do love.” She added. “I don't want your pity feelings.”

That hit me hard. I did say that to her, I regret it now. I was a different person then, she's changed me, she made me fall in love with her no matter how much I didn't want to even try. I understood why she didn't believe me but I did love her and I was going to make sure she knew that.

“These aren't pity feelings, Alyssa. I know what I said and I regret even thinking it. The truth is, I love you Alyssa. You're beautiful and I'm happy you're nothing like the women I've been with, come to think of it I had terrible taste in women before we met.” Her lips turned up at a corner. “I really do love you.”

“I love you too, Nathan.”

I can't describe how I felt when she said that but I know it was nothing like when Jodie said it to me. It was like there were fireworks in my stomach and I couldn't help but grin at her.

My attention went to the water and I had an idea. “How about a midnight swim, Love?” I suggested.

She grinned as well and nodded. Before I could say anything she had gotten up and undone the belt holding her robe close.

Wait, if I remember well when she came out of that bathroom she wasn't wearing anything under the robe. Thankfully, she had a bikini set on. What did she have in mind when she came out?

I saw the scars on her back and stomach. She had obviously been burned and cut in multiple places but honestly I wasn't disgusted. Her scars were a show of her strength. I was actually more interested in how nice her body looked in the bikini.

“Please don't look at them.” She begged.

I silently agreed and stripped down to my boxers and we walked hand-in-hand to the water. We got in slowly and soon I realised Alyssa was not a strong swimmer. I had to hold her up but her waist so she wouldn't be carried by the current.

Having her pressed up against me, looking at me so innocently was definitely a turn on. I was sure she could feel my erection straining against my boxers as we floated in the water.

I pressed my forehead to hers and her arms came around my neck. “You're perfect.”

“No, I'm not.”

“You are to me.” Before she could say anything, I dipped my head to kiss her.

She responded immediately, pushing herself to me. I wanted her and I let her know and soon enough a moan escaped her throat. She pulled away, taking deep breaths.

“Let's go inside.” I heard her say, that innocent look still in her eyes but I knew she wasn't thinking of anything innocent.

I had her long legs wrapped around my waist as I carried her into the house, heading straight for the bedroom. I dropped her on the bed unceremoniously. I returned to her lips, loving the moan she gave when I cupped her arse.

“Nathan, I've never done this before.” She told me breathily.

I rubbed her cheek with my thumb reassuringly. “I'll take care of you, Love.”

Author's Note:

Yaaaaaaaaaay! He finally knows! Who was excited to read this chapter, cus I was pretty excited to write it. They finally told each other their feelings and did 'it'!

Questions:

1. Did you like the chapter?

2. What do you think Nathan is going to do now that he knows?

3. Any suggestions?

4. Who's POV should I do next?

Don't forget to vote and comment. Special chapter coming soon.

Bye for now

-E