The Tattooed Maniac's Virgin (Sinful Delights Book One)

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

I dropped the bag and run. He stumbled backwards slightly but his arms wrapped around me. I wrapped my legs around his hips and my arms around his neck. He was alive. The possibility of him being hurt made me let go and push out of his arms. I pressed my hands against his chest and felt for bandages beneath the shirt.

"I'm fine," he said softly, placing his hands over mine.

I looked up at him through blurry eyes. "I thought you... the explosions-"

"Drive with me?"

I nodded. Stephen gripped my hand and led me to the truck. He opened the door and helped me inside. I glanced at the house to see Patrick leaning in the doorway. He smirked and then gave me a wave before closing the door. Stephen drove us to the hill that over looked the city. He grabbed a blanket and then led me to the spot where we had our last picnic. I stood aside as he threw open the blanket. Stephen took a seat before looking up at me. He patted the spot next to him.

"The accident happened a few days again. We kept it silent until we could make sure all the girls were fine. If it had came out when the girls were rescued then it would've made things worse."

"I saw it on the news and I thought you-" I swallowed. "I thought I lost you."

Stephen gave me a small smile and then reached for me. He pulled my onto his lap. Strong arms wrapped around me waist to keep me pressed against his chest. His lips brushed my forehead.

"I'm sorry baby. I thought I'd make it back before they showed anything on the news." He moved the hair from my face. "I was carrying someone outside when it happened. I wasn't hurt, but I stayed to help. It was a fucking mess. We managed to get all the girls out before it collapsed."

"Is everyone okay?"

"Traumatized but fine. They kept them drugs."

I dropped my head onto his shoulder. My fingers traced over his chest and arms. He was really here and he was fine. Not a scratch on him.

"Patrick told me," I whispered. "He told me what Michael did."

I sat up to look directly at him. His hand on my hips gently stroked my skin. It was comforting and it gave me the courage I needed.

"I've always cared what he thought of me. I thought that if I did what he wanted that he'd love me. I'm done with that Stephen. I want to be happy. You make me happy. I know that you've been through shit because of me and-"

His lips covered mine. My hands slid into his hair as my lips parted. Stephen pulled back and cupped my cheek. His green eyes trailed over my face.

"I fucking love you so much Alia. Walking away from you was the worst thing I did. I shouldn't have listened to him, but what he said made sense. You needed time to heal."

"You kept in touch with Patrick."

"Yes," Stephen smiled. "He wasn't suppose to tell you that."

"Why?"

"It makes me seem like some kind of stalker." His smile faded. "Will you marry me Alia Dune?"

"That's not a very romantic proposal."

"I don't have a romantic bone in my body baby," he muttered.
"You made my first time romantic." I smiled at him, but it faded after a few seconds. "There are still some things I need to work out. I have scars Stephen. I'm afraid that you won't want me when you see them."

"l'll still want you when we're old and grey and can barely walk. It's not about what's outside but in here." He pressed his hand against my chest right over my beating heart. "Your beauty is just a bonus."

I blinked back tears and gave him a small smile. "It will take some time before I'll be okay enough to have sex again."

"If you marry me then we'll have all the time we need to work through whatever is thrown our way."

"Is that your way of trying to convince me?"
"That depends, is it working?"

"Yes." I hugged him. "I will marry you."

***

Stephen and I got married three weeks later in court with Patrick and Nathan as our witness. Afterward we went out for dinner to celebrate. We spent our wedding night playing some board games. We decided to spend our honeymoon at the beach house. It held some pretty good memories. It was there that we got to know each other all over again. Stephen told me what he did after leaving.

I filled him in on all the shit that had happened after I was discharged. It was hell for both of us. Stephen signed the house over to Nathan after we decided to buy a new one. The town held too many memories. After months of searching we found a hose close to the beach. It was about an hour's walk from the beach.

The house was something fit for a family. It had had four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The backyard was huge with a pool that had safety netting. All we needed to do was childproof it and buy our own furniture. Stephen made sure to constantly touch me; just small brushes whenever he walked past me. I didn't flinch away from his touch like I would others.

As time passed I realized that the thought of having sex didn't scare me as much as it use to. There were still those memories of being forced, but it was replaced by those of Stephen and I together. I planned everything. Stephen had made my first time special, so it was my turn to make our wedding night special. Even if it was a little late. Stephen had to work so it was the perfect time to set everything up. I decorated the room in battery operated candles, and used rose pedals and sticky notes to lead in towards the bedroom. The look on his face was worth it.

Stephen had seen me naked numerous times before, but it still made me nervous. It was our first time together after so many years. It was kind of funny because he seemed just as nervous as I was. It was only weeks later that I heard about Kate. I've always wondered what had happened to her, but I didn't ask.
Not until I got a letter from Kate's mother. She found a few things of mine that I needed to collect. Stephen clued me in that Kate was arrested for her part in my kidnapping. She was also found guilty or child abuse.

Who would've thought that my own best friend would be found mentally unstable.

I've lost touch with everyone after the kidnapping. Neither Delilah nor Dane tried to contact me. I made a few new friends after we moved, including an old one. Emily worked at the local supermarket. She had married and also had a daughter. We become good friends. Life couldn't have been better. I survived hell. And now I had the man of my dreams.
We had everything we needed so it was time to start building our family.