Secrets In Silence ✓ [Secrets Book 1]

[Chapter Eight] Liam

I was glad that she finally was letting me when she opened her eyes and backed away in panic until she stumbled into the wall. she was pressing her back against it, hands against the wall behind her and her breaths coming in erratic pants. Her eyes were wide. She was so afraid.

I hated seeing her react to me like this, and I knew it wasn't me personally, it was people in general but I couldn't help but take it personally.

I knew I should stop, I knew that this was a very, very fine line, so fine you needed a microscope to see it, but  I didn't want to end it like this. I didn't want her to feel threatened or afraid of me. I wanted her to see a friend in me, and know I would never hurt her.

So I knew that this may make things worse, but I held my hands up in a surrender motion and took a step towards her.  Her breathing came out quicker and the looked more and more terrified.

"Addie, It's okay. I swear on my life that I won't hurt you. I promise you that you never have to be afraid of me." I tried to calm her down but it wasn't working. I was glad it wasn't making things worse either.

"I told you I wouldn't do anything you didn't want me to do. that you have to just shake your head and I'll stop. But please don't have things end this way. I don't want to leave with you afraid of me." 

I took one more step and held a hand out to her, I wasn't going to go any closer, I was going to give her the choice to come to me. "Come here Addie, I promise you that you will always be safe with me. I will never lay a harmful hand to you. I would rather die than hurt you."

I was raised to never harm a woman, not that it was ever a problem because I would never want to. And I sure as hell would never harm anyone who has been this traumatized. She looked like a terrified kitten ready to curl up in the corner and cry.

Her breathing slowed down a bit and I saw this as a good sign.

"Please Addie. I didn't mean what I said. You are am amazing person inside and out. I'm just scared for you. I don't want you to feel like this. I want you to be happy. I care so much about you already. Please just come here and you'll see that it's okay." I didn't know what else to say. If she was going to come to me, it's her decision. i can't force it.

She removed her hands from the wall but her breathing didn't slow and she took a step towards me. I didn't move, just remained where I was with my hands out at my sides now, extended towards her. with each tiny step her breathing increased but she kept going and I remained still.

She got to about a foot in front of me and stopped. I gave her a small smile and nodded. "I promise I won't hurt you. Let me help you. I'm not asking you to tell me everything, or anything at all. All I want is for you to let me in, in any way you want or can."

She looked at me for about ten seconds before scaring me half to death when she jumped on me. I was completely surprised that I almost didn't catch her. but her arms were wrapped securely around my neck and her legs around my waste. She was not only touching me but trusting me not to drop her, not to hurt her.

I don't know how it went from a fight to this in an hour, or why she was even trusting someone she barley even knew, but I knew that I wasn't complaining and that I was honored and happy that she was.

This was a huge step forward and I was proud of her, and I hoped that this would continue into tomorrow.

I took a few steps back and sat down on the bed. Her knees were on each side of my legs and she had her head buried in my shoulder with her arms still around me. mine were wrapped around her tiny and too thin body. one step at a time though.

She sat like that on me until I felt before I heard her breaths even out. Her grip loosened on me as she drifted off to sleep. She was exhausted and as I was going to move so I could lay her down in bed Aunt Lalan came in and froze.