Broken Pieces

Chapter sixty-five

Strangely, Dex's words about me coming to his domain and that his rules applied here didn't frighten me. Surprisingly, they made me feel more comfortable because I knew he would listen to me. So, I sat, but across him, leaving two seats on either side of us.

“How have you been?” Dex cocked a brow at my question and my lips twitched, his did too.

“The same way you left me.”

“I didn't leave you the owner of a resort.”

His mouth tightened a little. “No, you left me a broken teenager.”

That sobered the mood but I forged on. “Saying sorry would be stupid and an apology coming too late.”

Dex shrugged like he was acquiescing to my point. That simple gesture made my lips curve. “However, the truth about that night would do us more good, wouldn't it?”

Dex's eyes sharpened as I hit the nail on the head. I saw in his eyes what I already knew. The lack of knowing what really happened that day still niggled at him. “I'm sorry for how I treated you and for hurting you.”

Dex's eyes lowered from mine for a few seconds then he raised them again and I saw he had dropped some of his guards but what I saw in his eyes hurt me. The scars I caused had healed a little but it still hurt and haunted him till now.

“I was scared.”

“I know. I knew.” Dex sighed. “I saw the fear in your eyes, Erica, but you also didn't trust me with the truth. It was against your beliefs as you never liked trusting.”

My eyes widened with surprise as I heard that from someone else again. Dex chuckled dryly at my astonishment. “You might have changed but the Erica I knew hated trusting people. Always had.  Even in the smallest things. It never really affected us but in that moment it did. After I helped you, you asked to be immediately taken home before anyone noticed and then you begged me to tell no one that it had been a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It would have been okay if you didn't break up with me just because I began asking for more details.”

Remorse struck a deep chord within me and I looked away from him for a few moments to gather inner strength. “I've been told that a lot of times recently and it affected another thing recently.” He looked curious but I ignored him. “I've always felt sorry for what I did but that time, I wanted to leave town as soon as possible. That meant cutting all ties with it and never looking back. I wanted out and a relationship with you meant I'd still be connected to this place though I guess also knowing you'd always want to know more about that day made me want to leave you more.”

Dex didn't look like he accepted my twisted indirect apology/ explanation for my actions those years ago but he was listening — if his intense gaze was anything to go by. I gave him a small smile before continuing. “However, I think somewhere inside of me, I wanted you to know even if no one did. I think this because I could have hidden my shame in my room alone but I came to you.”

That admission shook me a little because — though I had always wondered why I went to him and recently it came to me that maybe, just maybe, my untrusting mind had still wanted someone to know — I was still a little surprised by it.

“I now understand why you didn't want me in your life then. I always did except I was worried about you. I had this feeling that there was more to those bruises and I just wanted to make sure you were okay because I didn't love you less even after you broke up with me but when you replied my letter,” he paused and I held my breath. “I had to because you broke me anew then.”

I felt tears brim in my eyes as I looked at the torment in his eyes that showed I had really done a number on him. My ‘I'm sorry,’ came out weak but heartfelt.