Chapter 36: Scars

27.5K 765 114
                                    


Sarah's POV
We were having lunch when Kiara took her knife and cut the air between me and Keith. Keith sent her a questioning look.
"Nothing, just slicing the sexual tension between you two," she said, snickering. I turned scarlet. There was no sexual tension but there was tension between us since breakfast.

Keith started bickering with Kiara. It was cute. Then John got involved and asked them to quit acting childishly.
After lunch, everyone retired to their rooms. Including me and him.

I kept shooting sideway glances at him. He seemed troubled. I knew I would have thrown all his effort underground, the way I shouted at him this morning. I couldn't blame myself. It wasn't fair that he slept with some other girl and I was looked at like I did something terrible just dancing.

My stupid heart won the battle with my brain again. I looked at him, " Hey."
His head shot up. He looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Explain why you did that." I said to him.

" Sarah, I know you hate me for what I did but I had to do something to stop feeling how I felt."
"How did you feel?" I asked him crossing my arms across my chest.
" I didn't like the way you looked at him, I didn't like the way he danced with you and I didn't like the way you laughed when you were with him."
I looked really confused.
"You were happy with him. I know I gave you no reason to be happy when you were with me but I still couldn't help feeling so upset and frustrated so I started drinking too much champagne at the ball and I didn't remember what I did after."
" I realised I had brought her home with me after I woke up receiving your text. It was a pure drunken mistake. "

He reached out to my face and brushed the tear that had fallen down my cheeks. I didn't realise I was crying. I turned red in embarrassment.

"Hey, come here." He said pulling me close to him. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me.

"I'm sorry. I really am. For everything." He whispered quietly in my ear.
I looked up at him and placed my head on his chest again.

"I need time to get over the past, how you abused me and all." I said pulling away from him.

He hung his head low in shame. When he looked up, tears were welling in his eyes. I cupped his face with my hands but he removed my hands and moved away.
He brushed his hands across his eyes. I have never seen him cry.
"Sarah, I want you to close your eyes." He instructed me.

I didn't know why but I did as he said.
"Open your eyes."
I did and he was shirtless. Gulp! He had an eight pack and his pants were hanging on his waist revealing his 'v'. My breath hitched. It was all perfect except for the faint lines against his fair skin on his chest and some on his abdomen right next to the small dragon tattoo he had on the right side of his waist. You had to look closely to see his scars. That's why I didn't see them when I first saw him shirtless at his house when I went to talk to him. And also because I was trying to keep my eyes locked with his so that I didn't get distracted. Now that I think about it, I remember seeing a few lines against his chest but I got distracted by that bitch wearing his shirt.

I traced my finger against one of his scars on his chest. He closed his eyes and his breath became uneven. Was he affected by my touch?
"How did you get these?" I asked him as he sat next to me on the bed.

He hesitated slightly if he should tell me.
"If it is personal , then you don't have to tell me Keith." " Who did this to you?" I asked him.

" I did this to myself Sarah." He chuckled softly.

Wait! What?!? Was he out of his mind?
"Why would you do something like this to yourself?" "Was it because you lost her?" I asked with sympathy in my voice.

"Each and every time I hit you or hurt you, I would go into my study and I would take my pocket knife and punish myself." He explained.
"I didn't plan on doing it but the first time I hit a girl it was you and I felt terrible. I felt like I committed a crime I needed to be punished for. You were too scared to go tell on me so I had to get rid of my guilt. Each cut for each time I hit you. Every time I look at myself I can see what kind of monster I was to you."

Tears were running down my face. He hurt himself because he hurt me. He came closer and brushed my tears away with his thumbs.
"Don't cry, Sarah. I don't want to make you cry anymore." He said gently. He cupped my chin and raised my face in level with his. He tilted his head slightly and I closed my eyes waiting for his lips to meet mine. His warm breath hovered over my lips making them part slightly. His perfectly sculpted lips gently brushed mine... KNOCK KNOCK

We sprang apart from each other. My lips were on fire for just a simple brush against his lips. Keith left a string of curses under his breath.

I chuckled softly, feeling sorry for the person behind that door.
Keith opened it and there stood Kiara in her bathing suit.

Keith looked furious. I placed my hand gently on his arm so that he doesn't end up murdering his younger sister. He ran his left hand through his hair in frustration.

"What's up, Kiara?" I asked her.
"Mum and Dad are asleep. So I got bored. I was wondering if you guys were up for a swim." She asked enthusiastically.

"Sure!" I replied excitedly much to Keith's surprise.
"You guys go ahead. I'll be there."
Keith gave me a questioning look, I just beckoned him to go out and he did.

I took out my bikini from my bag and laid it out on the bed. It was a black plain one, nothing special. I slipped into it and wrapped a shawl across my waist. I felt eyes on me. The other guests and some of the staff. I hated it. I rushed over to the pool area. Keith was already in the water wearing only his shorts, splashing water at Kiara. I took of the clip that held my hair and shook it loose. It cascaded down close to my chest. Keith was looking at me now, Kiara had swam the other way. It was just me and him now. I took off the shawl across my waist. I it dropped to the floor. His grey eyes roamed all over my body. His hand shot up to push his wet hair back. He looked damn hot. Wait! We won't be together for long. Just this vacation. Did it really matter now?

He walked over to me, water dripping from his body. My eyes raked over his abs and stopped on the scars. I simply couldn't hate him anymore. His arm slipped around my waist and he pulled me closer to him. I crashed against his brick like body. My breath hitched as his lips hovered over mine and suddenly he pulled me closer and fell sideways. It was too late. I screamed,"Keith!!" As I fell into the pool with him. That jerk...
I splashed water all over him.

Author's note: hey guys!!!! See! I update on Fridays!!!! FMHH is ranked on the romance hot list... and 4K votes.... THAT IS AMAZING... I'M SOOOOO HAPPY. Thank you all for your love and support for this book. And what do you think about Keith now? Should Sarah forgive him completely? What do you think of the kiss? Kiara has the worst timing ever. What do you think about her??? Don't forget to vote, comment and recommend. 

Finding My Husband's HeartWhere stories live. Discover now