Everlasting Bonds - COMPLETE

Chapter 13

Joe liked to say that he could tell what extra toppings a person needed just by looking at them. When I first came here I thought he was crazy. The man proved me wrong and I've been coming back ever since.

I grabbed a booth in the back and took a seat so I could face the door. I didn't have to wait long before I saw Lark's lithe frame slowly walk past the front window and then step inside.

She looked effortless.

F*ck she's beautiful.

Before I could dwell on my thoughts, Lark spotted me and her whole face lit up. I stood up to go meet her and picked her up in a big hug. Just like yesterday, she felt amazing in my arms. The way her curves molded to the front of my body felt as right as heaven and as sinful as hell.

"Ready for lunch?", I gave her a cocky grin and nudged her towards the counter.

"Starving. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning so this place better be as good as you said." 

Lark's teasing tone made me laugh and I was struck by how natural it felt to be with her again.

"Just trust me. Joe here is a sandwich miracle worker." I turned my head back to Joe and ordered my usual. A jumbo Texan. I turned back to Lark and saw her squinting up at the menu.

"Can I have a Twisted Turkey please and a bag of salt and vinegar chips?" Her order brought a smile to my face. We always used to tease her about liking salt and vinegar chips. The guys and I thought they were disgusting.

I must have been lost in thought because before I realized it, Lark had already paid. Joe was handing her back her card when my mind returned to the present.

"You didn't have to pay Lark," I told her playfully. I had no issues with women paying. I just felt bad that I was the one who invited her here and then didn't pay for her meal.

"Don't even worry about it. Just get the next one." Just like that, she put me at ease. I lead her back to the booth I had been sitting at when she walked in.

Shrugging her backpack off, she slid in across from me and gave me a wistful smile.

"What are you think about?", the question was out before I even realized I was speaking.

"I was thinking about how normal this feels. Meeting you for lunch. Having a group chat with you all. It just feels right. I think... I think the past nine years I didn't understand how much of myself was left behind when I was taken." Her voice was sad and the look in her eyes was full of a pain I didn't understand.

I would have given everything I had to wipe that pain from her mind permanently.

"Lark, look I know you don't want to talk about what happened, but maybe you should. You can trust us. We want to be there for you. I don't understand why you won't let us try." I tried not to sound too pushy. As much as I wanted to know, I would hate for my words to send her running.

She didn't answer me right away. Instead, she just looked at me. If it was anyone else, I would have felt uncomfortable. Her gaze didn't feel intrusive though. It only felt curious.

"I know. I know you all deserve the truth. It's not that I can't trust you. It's just that I- I don't talk about it. I can't talk about it. Maybe in time, but for now I just need you to let this go." The sincerity and terror in her voice hit me like a knockout punch.

I wanted to push for more but instead just nodded my head. I wasn't letting this go permanently but it was only our second day of being reunited. I'd rather get to know her again.

"So, tell me about Liz. The last time I saw you girls were barely on your radar," Lark questioned.

Her words cause me to freeze for a moment. I completely forgot about Liz. After they left the apartment yesterday afternoon, I hadn't even thought of her. For some reason, I didn't want to talk about Liz with her, but I did anyway.

"Ahh yeah. Umm Liz came to one of my matches a year ago and I saw her in the crowd after the fight finished. I thought she was cute I guess so I went over to talk to her. We started dating a couple of weeks later." My eyes looked anywhere except at her.

Damn, why was this so uncomfortable?

Lark nodded her head absentmindedly. Her eyes were slightly crinkled and she looked unsure of what to say.

"So, it's serious than? You've been with her for a year," she asked me softly.

Before I could answer Joe came out with our order and slid the trays onto our table. Grateful for the distraction, I took the opportunity to change the subject.

I asked her about her classes and about how she was liking New York. The subject change worked and the slight awkwardness that had hovered over our conversation disappeared.

Sitting in my favorite restaurant and eating my favorite sandwich with Lark was easily going to be the highlight of my day. Most likely my whole week too.