Chapter 7

seven

Avery

We pull up to the pizzeria and my hearts beating a million times faster than normal. Okay that's an exaggeration but still, I just received my first kiss from the guy I have been crushing on for a month. Every time he's near, I feel a rush, my whole-body tingles and butterflies instantly hit my stomach, he makes my heart race. But I thought he was taken, so I distanced myself from him, put him in the friend zone because he's the first person since losing my parents that I've felt a connection to, and all along he was talking to his niece, his freaking three-year-old niece. I feel like an idiot.

I turn to look at him. He's holding my hand while his other holds the steering wheel. Passing lights shine through the windows, showing his strong jaw. I lean my back against the headrest, keeping my eyes on him for the ten-minute car ride. He's been so open with me this past month. I've been spending Sundays with him, and its became my favorite day of the week. I know he deserves to know my past, but I'm terrified he'll see me as dirty. But…maybe I can give him a little?

We pull up to the pizzeria, and he looks at me and I smile as he lifts our hands and kisses my palm, making me blush. He chuckles a little, then gets out the car. I go to open the door, but he beats me to it, taking hold of my hand, helping me out. He pulls me close, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, and leads me into the pizzeria, where we go to the counter to order.

"Sergi, hi," The Brunette says, flirty. He has his arm around me, yet all she sees is him. Can't say I blame her, though.

"Bell, can we get a large pie, pepperoni and cheese, with cheese filled crust, and two Cokes, please," he says curtly, and I look at him in shock, that's twice now I've heard that tone, although the guy at the café reminded me of one of the boys in a foster home, who tried to rape me. I was only seven at the time.

He looks at me and smiles as he states, "Bell here slept with Damian, then Alexandr, now they're both off the market so she's set her sights on me. I haven't touched her, but she's not deterred, and I won't have her trying to make you think otherwise." And I melt.

I hear her huff, "Technically, Alex is not taken, his fiancée left him." Sergi growls and I wrap my arm around his waist and squeeze in warning, before I turn to the girl who's glaring at me.

"Actually, he is, and he'll get her back. Now, can you please take our order."

She narrows her eyes, then rings up our order. I roll my eyes. Sergi pays, and leads me over to a table and he sits opposite me. A different person brings out our food, thankfully, and we enjoy, talking and laughing. It's perfect despite the girl behind the counter sending us glares. I can feel her gaze burning into my back, but I ignore her while Sergi tells me everything he used to get up to in high school.

I quickly cut him off, "Wait…you pulled the fire alarm because you hadn't studied for a test? Seriously?" He nods, and I burst out in laughter. "Did you get caught?" He shakes his head with a smirk, and I laugh harder. Once I calm down, I notice a sad smile on his lips. I lean over and trace them, making him smile wider. "That's better."

He chuckles lightly. "Sorry, dragotsennyy , just thinking of my mama. That was the day I found her. She had breast cancer and was in remission, but a small bleed to the brain took her from me too soon. I found her on the sofa after my ice cream date with my cousin Phoebe."

My heart breaks for him, I know how hard losing a parent is, and I tell him just that.

"Losing a parent is never easy; its breaks you like no other. But you live on for them, to make them proud." I give him a small smile. He tilts his head, his eyes knowing.

"You sound like you know, Avs."

I nod and decide to give him a little…because he's given me a lot. "My birth mom died when I was four. I was the one who found her, but didn't really know what I was looking at when I saw her. I thought she spilled paint on her neck. Now, I am fully aware that she was killed by the guy who she passed off as my father to keep him around for his drugs, which is ridiculous because that would have made the guy fourteen when I was born. She faked a DNA test showing the dealer was my father, so my actual biological father left without a trace. Then my adoptive mother died after I only had her for four years. She was amazing, and I miss her every single day." I wipe at a falling tear, and he grabs my hand, squeezing it tight. I continue, happy to let him see this part of me, even if it's only a little. "Then, when I was sixteen, I got home, and my adoptive dad was in the kitchen making mom's chili. We had an amazing dinner together, like always, with him threatening to kill a boy at school because he made me cry when I rejected him, and he decided to spread nasty rumors around school. The next thing I know, he's in my arms, dying of a heart attack, and I'm trying to do CPR. It destroyed me. He was my best friend after mom died; he saved me after my birth mom had died, so losing him…."

I shake my head then tilt it to look into Sergi's eyes. Instead of pity, I see the pain he feels for me, and I think I fall a little more for him right then and there.

"Life's not been easy, but I wanted you to know I know how it feels so you're not alone, and you can lean on me." He smiles sadly and leans over the table, giving me a gentle kiss, making me smile.

His thumb rubs my cheek as he whispers, "Thank you for giving me a little bit more of you."

I whisper back, "You're welcome."

He smiles and places another gentle kiss on my lips, then he helps me stand, and we head out toward his car. He looks at me. "Central Park?"

I smile wide; a stroll through the park with him sounds perfect to me. I nod, and he helps me into his car. Once he's seated, he grabs my hand as we pull out onto the road, heading to the park. It doesn't take long to get there, and we walk for about an hour, until it's too cold to continue. We keep our talk light, which I am grateful for; I don't want to lie to him, and if he asks more about my childhood, I may have to. I don't want him to think I'm dirty or tainted, because losing him now would send me over the ledge. He's slowly becoming my person, and that thought scares me more than anything else in the world.

A few hours later he drives me home, his knuckles are white, and I bite my bottom lip. He wasn't very happy when I told him my address. Normally, on our Sundays, he drops me back off at the coffee shop, but when I told him I walked to work this morning, he was adamant he'd drop me off. I know it's an unsafe neighborhood but at the time, beggars can't be choosers and all that. I just want to save as much as I can, and so far, I have I really good egg nest going.

Once he pulls up in front of my crappy one-bedroom apartment, I turn to thank him for the ride, but he's already getting out, and I shake my head. He opens my door and helps me out, before his arm goes around my waist, holding me tight. I look up at him and notice a tick in his jaw, and I reach up and rub it, making him look down. The hardness fades a little as he leans down and kisses my nose, making me smile wide. We continue to walk to my door, and he waits until I have my door unlocked before he puts two fingers under my chin, making me look up at him. He leans down and gently kisses my lips, and I smile into the kiss.

He wraps his arm around my waist, grips neck with his other hand, and he tilts my head back, deepening the kiss. When our tongues touch, his arm tightens, and I let out a little moan.

He pulls back a little and leans his forehead against mine, and rasps, "Lock up tight, dragotsennyy , I'll leave once I hear it, okay."

I smile at him and nod, then ask him a question I've been dying to know, "What does it mean, what you call me? I would try to say it, but I'd probably make a fool of myself."

He smirks. "Precious, because that's what you are to me."

I blush then stand on my tip toes, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. He smiles. I walk backward a little, and say, "Good night, Sergi."

He smiles. "'Night, dragotsennyy ."

I turn and walk into my small apartment, then I shut the door and lean on it, smiling.

"Lock up, Avs," I hear Sergi rumble through the wood, making me jump and blush.

I quickly lock the door, and hear him chuckle. I look through the peephole and watch him leave. I turn away from the door on a sigh, a happy sigh. I press my hand to my stomach, hoping to ease the butterflies, then tense when I feel the scars; the reasons why I've never been intimate with anyone. Why I've never even kissed anyone until Sergi. I feel myself sway a little and I have to hold on to the door.

What will Sergi think if he ever sees them? Will he be disgusted? Will he walk away?

I need to make sure he never finds out about my past, a past that needs to stay buried.