Even Heroes Have Scars

[67] Every Time You Lie

Demi's P.O.V.

She sighed. "I think I need to go home."

I nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it, looking down at my lap as I sipped my coffee.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, but I waved her off.

"Don't be. It's okay. If this was Maddie, I'd be doing the same thing." I paused. I really wanted her to stay, even if it was just for a few more hours. She'd only been here for forty hours, and I didn't want her to leave yet. "If you can wait until later tonight to hop on a plane, we can take my private jet. I'll ask to do my meetings tomorrow over a phone call or something instead of today. I should go see my family anyway. I haven't been home in a while."

She nodded. "Okay. Thank you." She smiled and sipped from her coffee, looking out at the view of L.A.

I pushed all of my meetings and appointments to be on the phone the following day, and Ansley and I spent the rest of the day together. We made breakfast together and rested by the pool for most of the day. It was truly beautiful out, with light, wispy clouds cruising past each other in the soft blue sky. It was the first day of October, so thankfully it wasn't too hot, but it was still warm enough to splash around in the pool. We both cuddled on the hammock by the pool, her the big spoon, me the little. It was only about one in the afternoon by now, and it almost seemed like she was going to drift off to sleep. We'd been swimming all morning, and she hadn't said a word in half an hour.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" she finally asked.

I wasn't sure what she was even asking about. Was I okay with the flight back to Dallas? Was I okay with this relationship? Was I okay with us cuddling?

I nodded, "Yes," to everything. "I'm more than okay with it."

She gave a small sigh, possibly of relief. "This isn't the wrong thing?"

I rolled over on the hammock to face her, placing my hands on her waist. "You're doing everything you're supposed to do right now. This relationship is right. Going home to take care of your brother is right. This is right. We're good. This is good. Everything is good."

She smiled apprehensively. She was nervous. Anxious. Terrified. About everything. So I kissed her, because it was the only thing I knew to do in this moment, the only thing I knew could possibly help show her that this was the right thing to do. But I quickly grew self-conscious about it, so I pulled away and looked at her, concerned.

"Are you... are you having second thoughts?" I asked, my hand stroking her cheek.

She shook her head lightly. "No. I just... It's going to my head with the way Jacob reacted. But then again, he could've just been tired."

This was really getting to her. This was the right decision – her going home to see him.

"Are you happy in this relationship? Do you want this? Do you trust me?" I questioned, lowering my hands to hold hers.

Her gaze, which had dropped to my neck, rose back up to my eyes. "I'm happy. I've wanted this for so long. And I trust you more than anyone. And as someone who has trust issues, that says a lot. Sometimes I just don't trust my own judgment. That's nothing against you. That's just my own anxiety. And I'm sorry you have to deal with it."

I stroked her cheek again and kissed her, passionately, lovingly, desperately. I wanted her to feel every ounce of love I had for her, feel how much I wanted to be with her. "We're in this together. I lost you once, and I'm not letting you go again," I told her as I shifted my weight on top of her, then kissing her even harder. I felt this need to protect her, to defend her, to take her under my wing and lead her to the happiness she deserved.