𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 22

WEEK LATER
KALI

Instead of sleeping separately, we were now sleeping together in his room.

Uncomfortable at first since the only time I'd ever be in bed with another man was when Nathaniel wanted to have sex and that was it.

"Good morning babe" he mumbled against my shoulder while hugging me, I'm not used to this but I sort of like it.

"Morning.."

"Still not used to it?" He asked while turning me to face him.

"It's just-it takes some getting used to."

He nodded and kissed my forehead, "I get it, just tell me if you're uncomfortable and we can go back to sleeping in different rooms."

He's been really understanding of me, I said I'd listen to my heart from now on when it comes to him. So that's what I need to do-my heart is telling me that everything will be fine with him.

"I'm fine, but can I be honest?"

"Go ahead, I'm all ears."

"Nathaniel only wanted me in bed just for sex and would chase me out of the room after, when you said we would sleep together that's what I thought you'd do to me too."

He brushed his thumb over my cheek, "that'll never happen, he's just an insolent being who didn't deserve you. You're more than your body, you always will be."

....

"Do you mean that?"

He nodded, "I mean it with my body and soul."

KIERAN

I kill Nathaniel today, bury his body or dump in a river? Decisions.

There's a lot of rooted trauma Kali has, part of it was because of me and the other is Nathaniel. I feel guilty even though she's allowed me a chance with her, she thinks her body is all she's worth and I can see it in her eyes when she talks about her body.

Suddenly she hugged me, normally I make the first move but she did this time.

"Please don't hurt me again, don't hurt me like Nathaniel has." She said.

I hugged her back, I wouldn't dare hurt her at all.

"I won't, I won't be like myself in the past or Nathaniel."

"Promise me that." She raised her head from my neck and looked at me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

I held the back of her head and made her rest her head on my shoulder, "I promise, god I promise to never treat you horribly."

She cried, I rubbed her back and kissed her cheek. "I don't like being hurt.."

"You won't be hurt again, I'll do everything to prevent that."

She doesn't show her emotions much, but when she does it's upsetting to see how much she keeps to herself, so when she lets it out it's everything she has bottled up and the face she makes hurts.

♤
LATER
KALI

Kieran told me not to go into work today, I didn't understand why till now he's standing in front of me holding two dresses up.

"You kept me from work to look at dresses?" I asked.

"It's an important event tonight for me, and I need you to match with me."

He was holding a black maxi dress, and held a yellow maxi dress. The black was more coverage while the yellow exposed the entire back and side a bit.

"If it's an important night, you decide what I wear then."

"Your body, not mine."

"I'll be fine with whatever you pick for me, I know you're the type to show off."