Falling

34 | Coffee Ice Cream

"Amelia please say something." He whispered. His brows furrowed in confusion and body tense.

I dropped the phone to my lap and clenched my fists as Dante stood from beside me. I let my eyes follow his body as he moved in front of me. My breaths were shaky and I knew I had to talk to him but god was my mind on sensory overload.

He slowly sunk to his knees in front of me, his green eyes searching mine as he placed his hands on my cheeks in a gentle caress.

"Amelia. I'm assuming a lot of things right now and everything that comes to mind is fucking breaking me. Please say something." He said quickly. His eyes frantically searching my face. Taking a breath I cast my eyes to the space between my legs and Dante's chest as he knelt in front of me.

"I was a foster kid." I started, my eyes instantly watering. I felt his hands move so they rested on my clenched fists that rested in my lap. "I don't know how much you dug up about me, but you clearly know I changed my name."

I slowly met his eyes and he watched me carefully. He then slowly stood from his position in front of me to sit beside me again, all while taking my hand in his. As he sat with our hands interlocked I watched him for a moment. He looked stressed and as his jaw clenched I knew he was.

"All I know is that you changed your name. My people concluded it was to run from government care. I have no idea why Amelia." He whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the ground.

I knew I'd have to tell him eventually. About Matt, about my childhood. Our whole.. relationship started over my past, it was only right to talk about it. I've come to terms with a lot lately. One big thing being that as of now, it's time I start confronting what scares me rather than running away.

"Matt used to be my foster parent." I said softly. The tears slid down my face not being able to stop the emotions I felt with retelling this story. Dante's head shot up to mine and his jaw laid clenched. He looked so angry, so on edge.

"The first few weeks with Matt's family was completely normal. Aside from a few things that were off, I considered it to be a new forever home. But I was wrong." I smiled through the tears. Laughing to myself at how naive I was. How innocent and broken.

"I'll kill him." Came Dante's gruff voice from beside me. He was practically shaking, so I reached my hands out to him and grasped them on my own.

"It started one night after school. He brought me to the bathroom for a bath." I cast my eyes away from him. "I was so young. I had no idea what was happening. He stripped me down and placed me in the warm water, but he never left. He sat there, never leaving just taking pictures." The tears flowed consistently now.

"A-" Dante choked out and wrapped his large arms around my body, bringing my face to his chest.

"It happened a few more times after that. He did it to every kid in the house Dante." I took a few deep breaths trying to control my breathing. His large hand rubbed my back and his free one wrapped around my neck pulling me in further.

"I had no fucking idea Amelia. NO idea. I'm such a fucking asshole for ever using anything to do with your past against you." He spit out, anger seeping from his words. I just clenched his shirt.

"Mari. The woman who wrote the article for us. Her family took me in and hid me for years until I was 18. I changed my name and promised myself I'd leave them behind and everything I once knew in order to protect them." I whispered into his chest. His arms still wrapped around me.

We sat there for a moment. The two of us just soaking in the comfort of each other's arms.

My heart had been racing the moment I read Mari's text and never once stopped. I couldn't believe that the man who haunted me for years was caught. And he was going to pay for what he did.