We fall apart as it gets dark

I'm in your arms in Central Park

There's nothing you could do or say

I can't escape the way,

I love you

I knew I was awake but I hadn't opened my eyes yet. I could feel hot air on my face. Like someone breathing. My head was paining like a hammer was hitting me constantly on my head. My body was comfortable and warm.

This blanket is so comfy. I could stay in this forever.

I felt a movement under me. My back felt heavy and tight.

Why is the blanket moving?

This smells good. My nose feels happy.

Why does my bed smell like Liam? Why does my body feel heated up?

I opened my eyes. My vision met a tan body. I looked up and covered my mouth before I could wake him up. I was sleeping on him. Right on him. His thick eyelashes sparkle under the sunlight. His jet black hair was messy against his forehead. I had to fight the urge to touch his hair. Even sleeping he looked perfect.

I felt him move more and hugged me tighter. I loved the feeling. I couldn't help myself but gaze at him. His beauty stunned me. I tried to get up from his hold but he was stronger. Obviously, the strength explains from his muscles and abs.

Why does my leg feel naked?

I can literally feel a soft fabric against my leg. I touched my legs and they were naked.

What happened to my clothes? Did we had sex? Oh god, I had sex with him.

I was panicking.

I had to get up and get out. I tried to move but couldn't. I looked around thinking of a way out. I tried to unwrap his arms from around me but in doing so, I was met with a pair of ocean eyes. So blue. I stopped.

He stared at me and could see a smile creep on his lips. My heart pounding like crazy as he stared at me. I felt his fingers move my hair from my face to behind my ear. His warm hand rested on the side of my neck. And his other hand on my waist. He then wrapped around his arm my waist. Making me feel closer to him.

Our lips almost inches apart as he stared me in my eyes. My cheeks heated up as he continued to stare. A shiver escaped my mouth as I felt his cold fingers in my hoodie.

My hoodie? I don't have a hoodie.

Just as I was about to speak I groaned in terrible pain. Like a sledgehammer was being pounded on the back of my head. I swear I felt like he chuckled from his chest as it vibrated.

He looked at me and said, "I guess this was the first time you got drunk."

"Drunk?"

"For a person who got drunk for the first time, you surely know how to drink."

"What happened last night?"

"I think you know."

His smile grew wider. Showing me his smile lines that I never knew he had. I unconsciously smiled looking at him. He looked handsome. No, beautiful. He was beautiful.

He interrupted my thoughts as he spoke: "I would love to stay like this more but I think I speak for both of us that it's better you get off me." I stared at him as he paused for a second and again said: "Like right now." My eyes widened. I should've gotten up hours ago. I got up as fast as I could and ran from there. I ran into my room as fast as I could and locked the door behind me.

I held my head walking to my bed in pain. I looked at the full length in front of me.

What the hell am I wearing? Am I wearing his hoodie?

I am!

I unzipped the hoodie and I was wearing lingerie under it.

A LINGERIE?!

Little by little the memories came to me. I tried to seduce him. I can't even look at myself right now. I felt myself smile when I thought about how we slept last night. I touched my lips with my fingers as I remembered the kiss.

No Emily you can't. This is Liam you're talking about Liam Knight. You're like a charity to him. He's good to you because of what you've been through. And if he didn't know he would've continued to treat you the same as he used to.

I shook my head like I was shaking my thoughts away and took a warm shower because my body ached.

I got out of the shower and looked at my new phone that Liam gave me a week ago. I absolutely loved it to be honest. It was an iPhone Xsmax. It was rose gold. And it had a simple blue matte case. I was shocked that he remembered that I like the color blue.

I looked at the timing on my phone and it was 10:00 am on a Saturday. It was the weekend.

I changed my clothes as fast as I could and went downstairs. He was nowhere. I got hungry so I decide to make some breakfast.

I should thank him for last night and apologize too. I think breakfast might do the trick.

Whenever Curtis was mad at me I used to make him breakfast to apologize. I made oven hash browns, pancakes, eggs, and fried turkey bacon. I didn't have time to make a lot of stuff. I even toasted some bread slices.

After I made everything, I set them on the kitchen island.

The house reeked of alcohol. I went around the island and saw there was a bottle shattered into pieces. I did remember what happened there. And then I was reminded again that I kissed Liam last night. I kissed him. My heart pounded. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment that I called him pretty too.

I cleaned the glass on the floor.

As I threw them in the garbage can, I saw him coming down the stairs. He was wearing grey sweatpants with a black full sleeve t-shirt. He had his black-framed glasses on. I've never seen him wear them often. But when he does, he looks really good in them.

When he saw all the food prepared he asked: "What is going on?" I walked to him. Fiddling with my fingers. Without looking him right in the eye I replied"I made breakfast. It's an apology and a thank you." A smile spread across his face as he asked: "For what?" He knew it but he wanted me to say it. "Thank you for handling my behavior last night and sorry for the trouble."

"Welcome and apology accepted."

I smiled at him as he spoke those words. He asked"Why don't we have breakfast outside? The weather is nice." I nodded my head.

There was a small round table outside in the garden. I slide the kitchen glass door open. When I turned around I saw plates in his hands. Taking them out, helping me. I smiled to myself.

I took some more plates and followed him out. The table had only two chairs. Liam sat on his chair while I served him his daily coffee.

The amount of caffeine that man drinks every day has me speechless.

I sat on the other chair and we began eating. I took a slice of pancake and one hash brown. I slowly took a bite and began eating. There was still so much food left. He looked me like I was crazy. He asked, "That's all you gonna eat?" My eyes widened as I said, "Yeah, why?" He shook his head and said"You should eat more than that. Please." I took some eggs and a piece of bacon. He looked at me and smiled.

He smiled.

Every time I looked at him he ate like a little boy. Enjoying his breakfast as a little kid does.

I was still on my first plate. And he was already finished. He looked at my plate and then at me. He asked, "You're not finished?"

"I-I don't feel hungry."

I've been noticing her for the past three days. She has an appetite equal to a mouse.

She barely eats. The last meal she had was at their house. But she only ate little. That amount couldn't even satisfy a 7-year-old child.

I felt anger against myself. Why couldn't I notice that sooner? Why couldn't I notice it all the day I married her? I was clearly blind with so much anger that I couldn't notice that she needed saving? What kind of a human being am I?

What kind of a hus... Does she still consider me as her husband? Or as a monster?

The things you've done to me Jules Hugh, I'll never forgive it and I'll never make you forget it.

I got lost in my thoughts that I didn't even saw her standing up and taking away the dirty plates. I saw her pop the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned the island and then the table we were sitting on. I just watched her. She worked like she was used to it. I wanted to take her out. Just us. I really wanted that.

I asked"Would you like to go out? For a walk?" I've never been so nervous to ask a girl out. She looked at me and gave me a small smile. Her smile makes me relax every time. She nodded.

I waited for her, not long. Just 5 minutes maybe.

She came down and she was wearing a maroon, full sleeve shirt. Dark black leggings and black and white converse. Her hair down in her natural waves.

I asked, "Wanna take a stroll in Central Park?" She smiled and nodded.

Our walk there was silent.

We reached the opposite of Central Park. Waiting in a crowd of people. Clearly, she didn't like it because she kept looking around. We waited till the light turned green. I was about to walk and stopped at my tracks, looking back at her. Her face held a worry.

Crowds of people past by us. I held out my hand and she looked at me confused. Really confused. She looked like she was having an internal war with herself to grab my hand or not. I bent down and grabbed her small hand and pulled her with me. We crossed the road together. I really liked the feeling of her hands. I smiled to myself as I could feel her hand tightened around my fingers.

Once we were in Central Park, I couldn't let her hand go. I wanted to hold it for a little longer. And she didn't mind me.

We walked in comfortable silence in the park. Kids were running around and playing. Old couples walking around with their canes. I looked at her and she looked at me. Her big brown eyes make me smile. And I couldn't stop from my lips twitching into one. She smiled small back at me.

I asked, "You wanna play 20 questions?" She asked, "What's that?"

"It's when I ask you a question and you ask me one. We both have to answer. It's like playing a game to get to know each other."

She bit her lips in nervousness and nodded. I also added, "If there's a question you don't wanna answer you can pass it, okay?" She sighed out relief and nodded again. There was only one question in my mind. About the marks on her wrist, I saw last night.

I said, "You start first."

After a pause, she asked, "What's your favorite color?"

I smiled at myself and answered"Brown." Just like her eyes.

I asked"favorite food?"

"Burgers" and she lightly giggled.

She asked"Favorite movie?"

L: "All Marvel..... favorite cartoon?"

E: "Mulan...... Favorite food?"

L: "Nothing in particular... Favorite memory?"

She stopped and I stopped with her. I whispered, "I'm sorry." I asked the wrong question. She gave me a sad smile and said: "I do have one but it's hard to talk about it."

"I'm really sorry. We can pass that question."

"Thank you."

I again asked, "food that you don't like?"

She scoffed and said" olives."

"How can you not like olives? How do you eat pizza then?"

She laughed and said, "I'm allergic to olives." She paused and asked"Favorite person?"

"My gran."

I couldn't play the game anymore. My head won't let me ask other questions.

I sat on the wood bench and pulled her lightly to sit to my right. I said, "I'm gonna ask you a serious question now." Her body tensed up. I still had her left hand in mine. I looked at her and she stared at me. Scared.

I slightly pulled her sleeve so her forearm was in full view. There were other bruises too. I traced my fingers in those three cuts and asked: "Did you ever hurt yourself?" She opened her mouth to say but I cut her off"I won't let you pass this question." She slightly nods her head. Her brown eyes glazed in tears. She bit her bottom lip to hold in her cry. I sighed and said"I'm not gonna ask you why. But I'm gonna ask you when was it?" She let out a whisper that I barely heard"A-a year ago."

I saw a tear slip on her cheek. My heart broke when I heard she did that. It really broke. I put my hand on her cheek and she leaned into my touch. Her eyes never leaving mine. I was close to her and I said in a low voice" Promise me whatever happens, you won't do it ever again." Another tear fell on my palm below my thumb. She said, "I promise." I smiled a sad smile and kissed her forehead. I looked into her eyes again and said"You promised me, Em. Don't ever break it."

I pulled back and got up. I held out my hand for her to hold. She wiped her tears and held mine to get up. I looked down at her and asked"Shall we go for lunch? I'm hungry."

She looked down and looked back up at me. Her eyes still glazed and said"Okay."

I never had so much fun. We went to a Chinese restaurant nearby. She was still hesitant in talking to me but it was progressing. We talked little.

I loved spending time with her. She made me smile at all her words.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Did you like this chapter?

Did ya?

Did ya?

Then why aren't you voting, honey?

Vote for me darling! Please!

Comment

And follow me

Bye!

Love, Hope

♥️♥️

(Edited)