The Intelligence Bond

Chapter Fourteen|| unwanted guest

{Aurora's POV}

I sat staring out the window of Jackson's office. It all seemed unreal.

"Aurora, you've been staring out that window for an hour... talk to me." Jackson said laying down his papers. I looked to him and sighed closing my eyes.

"My whole life... has been a lie." I said nearly wanting to cry but I held it in.

My chin was lifted up and my eyes opened to see Jackson taking the seat next to me on the couch.

"You're still you. Your mother is still your mother, nothing will change that." He replied and I shook my head.

"She lied to me! About everything! I... I always wonder why my father hated me, and now I know! I wasn't even his kid." I stressed.

"Don't think like that..." I looked at him as if he'd gone insane.

"How can I not?! I have a brother, then I have a father I haven't even met and he obviously didn't want to meet me." Jackson didn't reply but instead wrapped an arm around my shoulder pulling me to his side.

"It's his loss." He said and I looked down at my hands. Small scars danced across my skin. My body held so many stories and not one was a good one. The time he beat me all became clear. He hated me from the beginning.

"My father came at me with a two by four." I said pointing to the long scar across my palm, "I tried to stop it as he swung." I added clenching my hands together.

Turns out I have two piece of shit fathers... well had.

"If I could take those memories away... I would." He said and I looked up giving him a small smile.

"I wouldn't want you to... Those memories are what made me who I am today. It's why I don't take shit from anyone. It's why I could care less about half the things that go on around me."

"You're one hell of a girl, that's for sure." Jackson said and I let out a small laugh. "Indeed I am." A thought came into my mind and I glanced up at Jackson curiously.

"What?" he asked with a small chuckle.

"You said you would take the memories away... not the scars." I said and he shrugged.

"I think you're just as beautiful with them." He leaned up and I watched as he unbuttoned his button up and took his flannel off through it to the side and a white shirt sat underneath. He took that one off and turned to where his back was to me.

Scars were all across it. I slowly brought my hand up tracing them watching as his body tensed at my touch.

"What happened?" I asked confused.

"Remember how I told you when I got the title I didn't take anything seriously?" I nodded, "Well, my real father—before he left— tried beating me into taking things seriously. It never worked. It just made me hate him more. Then of course he left and that was that. I had so much anger that I would meet up with some guys and we'd make bets on fights." My jaw dropped as I continued to run my hands on the never ending marks.

"You would fight people for... money?" I asked and he let out a small chuckle.

"It wasn't for the money it was for your ego basically, but I got roughed up quite a bit."

"Did you at least win?" I asked and he turned his head a little to the side so I could see his face and smirked. "Every time." He winked causing me to let out a small laugh.

"If you don't mind me asking, are these...?" We locked eyes and he nodded, "Whip lashes. They will sting like hell for days." He replied turning his head and pulled his white undershirt back on.