Lovers By Force

Chapter 63

The door closes. Tom approaches me, his body towering over mine. I felt like a lamb in his presence, he the wolf.

"D-don't hurt me." I say, I could feel my body tensing up. Tom looks at me, his eyes shocked and then heavy with sadness.

"Luna..I-I think it's time to tell you the truth."

"So now you're going to justify why you killed my mother? Please enlighten me Tom." I say, hot tears running down my face.

"Luna I didn't kill your mother... not on purpose..Luna, my mother and your mother were best friends." Tom says his eyes boring into mine with deep sadness.

"W-what do you mean?" I reply.

"Your mother was the kindest of all, a heart so pure, warm...like you; but after my mother left, she helped me, took the place of mom when me and bill didn't have one. I don't have many memories of my mother, but your mother..she protected me from the wrath of my father... she would take care of Bill and I when nobody else would. She gave me some semblance of a normal childhood. I believe your father, Alfred, loved her in his own destructive way but he would abuse her, hurt her and leave her with bruises. Your mother was unhappy with him... I once witnessed this happen to your mother and I took action against him. I used my fists and fought your dad and his men. I lost and he gave me my scars as a reminder."

I stood there shocked, what? My father did what? "Tom..." I say, my eyes saddening. He looks at me, keeping in his tears.

"Back home, my father was enraged. It was a 'humiliation' for our family. He hurt me, and he would have killed me if your mom didn't come and stop him. But... I'm sorry, it's all my fault... your mothers....dead because of me, I never meant to hurt her..."

"Tom what are you saying?"

"She sacrificed her life to save mine. Just like you sacrificed yourself for me. She threw herself in front of me, to protect me, and, in my fathers rage, he killed her. That's the day I ended his life. It was self-defense. I thought I could save her, but she didn't survive. In her last words, she... She asked me to protect you. I made a promise to your mom that day that I'll take care of you. I never wanted to be a mafia boss. I wanted to be free just like you, but I've become one to protect you. Your father spread the rumors about me: the cold-blooded soulless son who murdered his dad. I became feared and ruthless, so that I knew that one day I'll be able to keep my promise."

"You did all of that for me....For her." I say, my mind went back to that night, the photo albums. He was recording everything, every encounter.

"I watched over you for years to protect you. At first, it was just out of duty and then..Then, I fell in love with you from the moment we first met.
I've tried to deny it, but I couldn't. I'm in love with you, Luna." Tom looks at me, his eyes filled with pain, as if he's afraid to lose me.

"I'll protect you, Luna. I never had someone to lose until I met you. You're my weakness and the only person worth fighting for, I made a vow that day that we lost our child that I would do everything in my power to never let it happen again. I can't promise that I can give you everything you want, but I can promise that I will always be here for you, right beside you, no matter what you're going through.

I'll be your strength when you can't stand, I'll be the one to dry your tears, I'll be the light in your darkest hour and I'll be your breath when you can't breathe. I need you to know; you are my happiness, my life, my world, my future.

I need you to know that I've never been more honest than I'm being right now. I've completely lost myself in you. I've honestly never felt this way before, I've never spoken like this to anyone, I've never wanted something so badly and I've never missed someone so much. It makes me wonder if I've ever loved before you. You are amazing, not just because of who you are, but also for what you make me want to be. Only you could do this to me." He says, his hands holding my own.