Disclaimer: Mature Audiences Only.
"I watch your troubled eyes as you rest,
And I fall in love with every breath...
And if this is what it takes,
Then let me be the one to bear the pain."
Dominic's POV
The minute I saw Aria's reaction to my sister's comment, I knew something was wrong. Once again her eyes revealed everything to me. Nobody else can see, but I always do. I felt my chest tighten when I watched her running away. Then I felt my heart being pulled in two when Olivia hinted at something bad. Aria had a secret she hadn't yet shared with me, but I was already bearing the pain of it regardless.
I ran through the hedges of my garden in search of her. I went to the bench we were on earlier but she wasn't there. I went further into the garden and was about to turn a corner when I heard sobbing. I followed the sound and found her standing in front of the fountain in the middle of the garden. She had her back to me and I could see her body shaking as she tried crying as silently as possible. I slowly walked closer to her, afraid of startling her and causing her to run again. I needed her to stop running and let me help her.
"Rhi..." I called to her calmly, yet firmly.
She didn't say anything. She kept wiping at her eyes furiously then taking in deep breathes. I walked towards her until I was right behind her. I know she felt my presence because she wrapped her arms around herself, only for her cries to begin again. Except this time I saw her falling to the ground. I quickly wrapped my one arm around her waist and the other around her chest, as I fell to the ground with her. She was sitting curled up in between my legs, holding onto my arm as she sobbed.
"Let it all out, baby girl. I've got you. I'm not going anywhere." I whispered into her ear as I pulled her head to my chest, kissing her on top of it, then leaning my chin on her.
I could feel my heart shattering as I heard her cries. This pained me and all I wanted to do was take it all away from her. If I could, I would take every last bit of pain and suffering and endure it all just to see her smile and hear her laugh again.
It felt like we sat there for hours, yet there was nowhere else I would rather be than right here by her side. She had calmed down a bit, but honestly, I think her body was just exhausted and gave up on her. She sat there nestled in my arms and leaning against my chest.
"I left out a part when I told you about my past." She spoke softly, breaking the silence.
"I gathered. Rhi, I need you to trust me. Let me help you, please." I pleaded with her.
"I do trust you, Nicky. It's not that. I just know that this last secret will alter many things and is the be-all and end-all."
"Why don't you let me be the judge of that," I told her firmly.
"I was pregnant 5 years ago." She jumped right in and said, barely a whisper but I heard her.
"What?" My voice wavered as my mind ran away from me. 5 years ago she was with that bastard so...
She started getting anxious and pulled away from me, getting to her feet. I stood up quickly, afraid she was going to begin running again but instead she started pacing.
"I know what you're thinking and yes you are correct. It was his. I didn't know what to do when I found out, so I tried ignoring it until it wasn't possible to ignore any longer. I didn't tell him about the pregnancy. Instead, I decided to try to carry the baby to term. I considered abortion, but when I heard his heartbeat I couldn't do it."
"His?" I asked.
"Yes. It was a boy. I was around 16 weeks when I decided I needed out. To protect him, I needed out. So Oli and I put plans in place. I was working more shifts at a diner just to stay away from him so he wouldn't be able to see the little bump forming. However, he had a contact at the hospital which I didn't know about. They noticed my visits with the obstetrician. This made them look through my files and discovered the pregnancy. Of course, they told him.
There was one night I went home to get more clothes. I was gathering bits of clothing every other day until I had everything to leave. He wasn't supposed to be home that night. It was the same night that I got the scar on my back."
"The knife attack..." I trailed off remembering what she had told me the other morning.
"Yes. He confronted me about the pregnancy. He was furious. He lunged at me with the knife which made me turn my belly away, causing him to make contact with my back. I tried to run but he grabbed me and threw me, hitting my belly against the kitchen counter. I knew already then I was in danger of losing the baby. I had fallen to the floor and tried crawling away, however, he caught up to me, flipped me over and stabbed me in my lower abdomen."
My eyes widened as I listened to her recounting the events. I could feel myself tense up and my jaw clench. I needed to control my temper. Now was definitely not the time to scare her with my anger. I did, however, feel sick to my stomach.
"My saving grace was Olivia. She was waiting for me outside and thought I was taking too long. She saw the scene before her and retreated to call 911. They dispatched officers from a different precinct to the one Tony had connections in. This was heaven sent because when I was able to run, I did while he was sitting in lock-up still trying to worm his way out. By the time he did get out, I was long gone."
"The paramedics arrived soon after and transported me to the hospital along with Olivia. Oli scrubbed in and witnessed the surgery and she was the one to give me the news. She refused to allow any other doctor to do it. Yes, I lost the baby. There was no doubt about it. They had to perform a DNC while I was in surgery."
"DNC?" I questioned her.
"Dilation and curettage."
I looked at her blankly like she was speaking a completely different language. This made her giggle ever so slightly and that alone was music to my ears.
"It's a procedure performed to clean out the uterus and clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion. Basically, it cleans out the remains of the pregnancy."
I nodded understanding what she was saying.
"Oli was the one that told me the extent of the damage." She spoke, her voice beginning to crack.
I tried taking a step towards her to comfort her but she placed her hand up and took a step back shaking her head.
"He managed to slash my uterus and fallopian tubes. The surgeon tried to save my uterus and managed to save about 85% of it. Usually, they would remove the uterus with an injury this extensive however Oli begged her not to. I was left with scarring in the uterus and only one productive ovary. I was advised that it is unlikely that I will ever be able to bear a child, Dom."
I stared at her as I watched her tears begin falling again. I was silent. What do you say to someone that was denied the ability to be a mother? Especially someone who would be a fucking amazing one. She looked at me but I remained silent. She sighed and started walking away. That was when I snapped out of it. I didn't want her to actually believe she was too damaged to love.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me. She tried fighting me by pushing me away but I simple tightened my hold on her. She realized she couldn't get away so she started hitting my chest trying to inflict some sort of pain. I took it all as I continued to hold onto her. I wanted her to see that I was not going to let her go anymore. Or ever again.
She eventually stopped and instead held onto my shirt and cried into my chest. I could feel the dampness on my shirt from her tears as I held her in my arms.
"Let me help you, Rhi. Let me bear the pain with you. Let me be there beside you." I told her resolutely.
"Let me love you," I whispered into her ear.
She pulled back and snapped her head up to look in my eyes. She sniffed and wiped her tears.
"What did you just say?" She looked at me trying to process what she just heard.
"Let me love you Rhi," I said louder this time. "Because I never truly stopped."
"No! You can't!" She exclaimed, walking backward away from me.
"Look at me!!" She yelled.
"Look at me, Dominic! I am damaged! I am disparaged! I am dirty! A man degraded me completely! He destroyed me and any possibility of another man loving me! You cannot love me!" She was hysterical now.
"You can't..." She trailed off.
"You just can't." She whispered.
"I can and I will. I do." I said firmly without hesitation.
She tried searching my eyes for any sort of doubt or equivocation. But there was none. Her face then relaxed as she realized I meant every word I said. She began shaking her head at me, but I was having none of it. Now, I was adamant. I walked over to her, closing the space between us, and cupped her face in my hands as I forced her to look into my eyes.
"Yes," I said nodding my head.
I then leaned into her slowly, testing to see if she would push me away. Our lips brushed against each other. I looked into her eyes as I noticed another tear fall down from them. My thumbs wiped them away as I closed the gap and kissed her gently. The kiss was soft, sweet and tender. She responded to it which made me deepen it. I licked her bottom lip with my tongue as I felt her lips part slightly. My tongue made its way inside her mouth and danced around hers. I felt her hands on my back, pulling me closer to her. I guided my hands passed her cheeks and into her hair. The kiss went from sweet and tender to passionate and sensual. Her hands were now tugging at my shirt which made me realize we were still in the middle of the garden.
I pulled back and looked into her eyes, searching for something. Anything that told me she felt the same.
"Do you really want me? Do you really love me... like this?" She questioned me once again unable to believe it.
"Without a shadow of a doubt," I said immediately.
She bit her bottom lip and I couldn't hold it in anymore. I grabbed her hand and began walking briskly with her out of the garden.
"Where are we going?" She asked me in between our steps. I paused and brought her into my embrace.
"You asked me a week ago to prove it to you. I have been doing just that, but now I am going to remove any form of doubt left. Now, I am going to show it to you."
I watched as a blush crept up on her cheeks and at that moment she couldn't look any more beautiful, even if she tried. I smirked and continued our way out of the garden. When we got to the entrance of the garden I peeked out to see an empty patio. We moved along into the foyer. Once again I came to silence and emptiness. I picked up the pace up the stairs, finally making it to my room. I closed the door and locked it behind us.
Never letting go of her hand, I now pulled her back into me as I crashed my lips into hers. I was going to show her exactly how I felt. I was going to take my time with her. Relish and bask in every piece of beauty that is her. I guide her to the bed and sit down on the side of the bed, bringing her to stand in between my legs. My hands rested on the back of her thighs, just below her ass. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I watched as she bit her lower lip and began lifting her dress with her fingers by scrunching it up little by little. My hands followed the dress' movements as it traveled up her thighs until they stopped by her panties. I hooked my thumbs into them and slowly pulled them off her. They moved down her legs as she slipped them off once they reached the floor.
My hands ached to feel her skin beneath my fingers again. Before I could do what I wanted to she was tugging at my shirt, making me pull it off over my head. I then went under her dress and cupped her bare ass pulling her towards my chest. She gently went to straddle my lap by placing one leg over at a time. I near about lost control when I felt her sit on me, feeling her exposed core on my very aroused and covered crotch. I pushed myself back onto the bed with her still on my lap. All this time, not once breaking the eye contact we have been holding.
She ran her hand down my chest to by abs as I savored her fingers moving across my body. She lowered herself and kissed my neck, making my erection twitch in my pants. She then grabbed my wrists and pulled me to sit up and meet her lips.
My hands squeezed her waist tightly and I kissed her passionately. They ran up her thighs, lifting her dress; over her hips, along her midsection and the side of her bra until finally I slipped it off and chucked it onto the floor. I immediately made way with the clasp of her bra, chucking that as well. Something about having her completely naked on me while my lower half is still covered was a pleasurable torture.
I kissed along her jawline, down her neck and sucked the spot placing my mark on her. This woman was mine. I then traveled down to her perfect breasts. I took her left nipple in my mouth and sucked, licked and gently bit it while I kneaded the other one. She let a soft moan escape her mouth while she pulled on my hair, kissing the side of my head causing me to pull her even closer. I pulled back, grabbed her and flipped her over so I had better access to take off my pants and underwear.
Once that was off, I kissed her up her leg to the inside of her thigh as I crawled over her. I made it to her core and licked her delicate, wet folds lapping up all the juices that had already released from our mere touch. She arched her back and moaned louder. I then kissed her stomach, this time noticing the scar from the stabs. I kissed the scar and made sure I met her eyes as I did so. I wanted her to know I loved every part of her, including these parts.
I laid down between her legs as they spread wider to give me better access. I placed gentle kisses on her collar bone as I felt my aroused member meet her wet sex. I pushed into her slowly, feeling every inch of inside her as she felt every bit of me. She closed her eyes and pushed her head back as I held onto her.
Once I was fully inside I paused, making her open her eyes and look at me.
"I love you, Rhi. And I mean it." I said softly to her.
"I love you too, Nicky. I never stopped." She replied to me in that velvet-like voice of hers that melts me every time.
I begin to move slowly inside of her. I thrust deep into her every time, each with intention and meaning.
"Look at me," I instruct her.
She does as I say and opens her eyes meeting mine. I hold eye contact and watch her color darken with each thrust. I watch as the love we just declared pools around in her soul and I bask in that feeling. This is the most intimate moment I have ever had in my life. It has awoken so many new erotic sensations within me that just the thought of it could make me explode.
Aria reaches up and holds onto my shoulders, pulling herself up to meet my lips. I deepen the kiss which becomes rougher and more urgent. The tug and bite she gives my lower lip sends me into overdrive. I grab her wrists and forced her back down onto the mattress as I lean on them.
I come down to her ear and nibbled on her ear lobe gently.
"You are the only one for me Rhi," I whispered into it.
With that, I begin thrusting faster but still deeply and sensually as I let go of her wrists and interlock our fingers on the bed. I can feel her clenching around my member and she tightens her fingers around my hand indicating she is close. I want to watch her as she releases. I want to see the pleasure I give her.
"Look at me."
Again she does as I say. I thrust into her three more times and watch as her eyes begin to close and she tries to pull her hand from mine, losing control of herself. I let go of her hand and grab both her wrists, holding them above her head with one hand as my other goes to her nub gently massaging it, causing her to completely let go and reach the peak of her orgasm.
"Look at me, baby girl! I want to watch every bit of your arousal!" I command her.
She opens her eyes and holds my gaze so intently as her orgasm runs through her. She moans and eventually screams my name as I release with her, both our bodies shudder and I keep thrusting to have the orgasm run as long as I can. This time I'm the one that breaks eye contact as the feeling overwhelms me completely and I drop my head on her chest while I finish off.
"Wow." I hear her underneath her heavy breathing
"Wow is right baby girl. Fuck me." I exclaim as I try catching my breath.
"I just did." She retorts with a smirk and chuckle. I give her an amused look.
"You think you're funny, hey?"
"I think so." She shrugs her shoulders as her hands rest on my biceps.
"No baby girl, I did not just fuck you." She furrowed her brows at me in confusion. I leaned down to her ear and whispered into it.
"I just made love to you." I pulled back to see her expression and her cheeks go three shades of red.
"God, you're sexy when you blush." I grin at her as she tries to cover her cheeks with the palms of her hands.
"Oh no, you don't, baby girl. I want to admire every single bit of you tonight." I growl at her, removing her hands and once again holding them above her head as I lean into her, kissing her deeply. I heard her moan and felt myself getting aroused again. What does this woman do to me? I haven't even pulled out of her yet and here I am getting ready to have more of her. I can never get enough of her.
Next chapters we will be hitting dangers, more secrets, and betrayals.
See you then.
Much Love
Angie
xxx