Darling, Thanks For Stabbing Me

Chapter 42

Aiden didn’t budge and set her down deliberately. Iris’s chest heaved with rage and suppressed emotions. She pulled back a little and slapped him hard across his face making him stunned. Her lips quivered and a tear rolled down her cheek making Aiden regret his actions.

“Weren’t you supposed to stick around me? Was I meant to be thrown away like trash?” She dabbed her finger on his chest as Aiden came forward to embrace her but she swatted his hands.

“I am tired, tired of hiding myself but not tired of staying away from you!” she seethed as she finally broke down turning away from him.

Aiden hit his head with his palm before pulling her into him and kissed her back of the head several times till her sobs died. He wanted to apologize but she walked towards the bed with him trailing behind her.

“Give me a chance to explain myself, love. Just one chance.” He asked her but she wasn’t in a mood to hear anything.

Linda and Erik heard their conversation eyeing the closed door. Finally they rushed to it and opened.

“Is everything alright Sunny?” Erik asked glaring Aiden.

“Do you need us to stay?” Linda followed but Iris dismissed them by her hand.

“I need to be alone guys.” She said politely waiting for them to leave; including Aiden.

Erik gestured him to come but he refused. Erik didn’t want to harass her with his presence and so he gripped his elbow and pulled him outside but Aiden didn’t retorted.

How could he? He was in daze. She felt low, she thought he considered her as garbage but he didn’t. Should he be angry that she failed to understand him but how? He made her feel this way, it was him who failed to protect her and feel loved. Definitely, he was the cause of her pain and there wasn’t any chance to blame someone else for his mistakes.

When she heard the retreating footsteps and the door close, she slummed on the bed feeling broke. Her stomach ached but she ignored it because the pain in her heart was much worse. The memories of that night were fresh and she cried muffling her screams in the pillow. She didn’t hear the doorknob turned and Aiden coming.

He saw her and cried inwardly but he wasn’t here to upset her anymore. He sighed and sat beside her on the bed.

The side dipped with his weight alerting her of someone’s presence. The manly scent familiar and she wiped her tears not wanting to show him.

“Iris. I know what I did was ridiculous but I had my own reasons. Do listen and decide if you wanna throw me away or not. Whatever you’ll decide, I’d respect it but please listen for once.” He said and watched her stay still for few minutes.

She shuffled and sat straight on her bed facing opposite side. Aiden’s heart pierced with her harsh behavior.

“Remember Iris when we went to Austin?” He asked but she didn’t respond anything.

“Someone and according to me, Evelyn clicked those pics wherein you fell unconscious on that dance partner of yours. The pictures were taken from an angle that showed intimacy and not only that they had forged some pictures. Your face was used on nude women’s pictures even with the… (Ahem…) Most unacceptable intimacy ones.”

He felt uneasy. Thinking about her being with someone that wasn’t him, felt taboo for him. Iris stared at him in confusion but seeing his reddened face, she knew what he meant.

Pics wherein she was shown involved with some other guys having s*x? That was ridiculous.

“Derek threatened that they would post it online if I didn’t do what he wanted.” He said feeling the rage inside him.

Her eyes widened at the fact. Not because of the pictures or the dirty move but knowing that it was her brother to have threatened to make her pictures viral, no scratch that; her forged nudity viral.

Her heart felt like being scrapped. This wasn’t what she thought in those past months.

“I did what they asked to save you Iris but I know it wasn’t worth though. I had been there hiding where the bodyguards dumped you but fatigue took the best of me and when I woke up, I was two days late in some damned hospital. I tried my best to find you, failing every time but couldn’t. You’ve got to trust me Iris that I hadn’t stopped loving you.” He said with glistened eyes as she finally looked straight in his eyes.

“Yes Iris, it was always you before and after. I don’t want and don’t need anyone else. Even if you chose to hate me, I won’t give up on you.” Tears rolled down his face.

Just the thought of losing her scared him. Living without her had been tough and felt like hell and never ever again he wants to go through that s**t.

Iris found only sincerity in his eyes and her heart squeezed. The reality was shocking for her. She had hoped for him to be faithful in past few months but her own faith shook when he shot her. She had learned to cope with her life and emotions and now when she was stable, then this turbulence threatened the calmness in her new life.

She is scared to get hurt again; she is scared to invest her time and efforts on them who betrayed her. What should she do? Accept him like that thing never happened and take the risk or continue living her life the way she has made it.

“Please Iris, I need one chance. Let me love you; let me fix what I’ve broken. I know the damage done is irreplaceable but let me cover it with happiness which wouldn’t remind you of it anymore. Just the last chance Iris…” His cracked voice and the wetness of her palms made her attentive.

He was crying and begging for a chance. Her softer side melted and she nodded.

“But I ain't like the same Iris Aiden. I’ve changed. I ain't the one who you used to love.” She whispered and averted her eyes to the window beside her.

The darkness outside was cold just like her heart and soothing. She has grown to love the night which for some, brings loneliness, sadness, tears, fear of never waking up again, fear of dark creatures, fear of getting stuck in the whirlpool of thoughts, getting depressed but then what others underrate is that it brings calmness, realization, moment to introspect and a moment of truth!

Her cheeks were cupped before being pulled by the warm body in front of her.

“Why is that, love?” he asked but she shook her head in response.

“Tell me Iris, why you think that when it was me who broke you and it will be me to mend you.” He said rubbing his thumb gently on her lower lip as his eyes stayed on them.

Her alluring lips, calling out for him to taste them and cherish it.

 “Because… I am not flawless anymore. I don’t fit your criteria anymore.” She gulped hard and felt suffocated.

She wasn’t any of these because of him where as this simple confession was way more than it appeared.

Aiden felt his veins pulsating. Her confession was deep.

I am not flawless anymore

Does it relate to her behavior or… her body? Has she been involved with a guy physically?

He scolded himself to think that way, surely this wasn’t the case because he knew his love was stronger than the others and she loved him as much as he did or maybe more than that. She was loyal and he can bet she is still loyal.

With great courage she inhaled sharply to prove her point. Maybe this might help him make up his mind before claiming things he would regret later. She better save her ass this time than getting screwed later.

“What I mean is…” She played with the hem of her t-shirt and slowly pulled it up enough to show her stomach feeling upset. He definitely is going to get disgusted by her and leave but isn't it better than being thrown away later, right?

“This!” She finished shutting her eyes close tightly.

Aiden gasped.

There were numerous scars on her beautiful body. Scars which he made for her along with others, making her once flawless skin scared forever. His heart sunk watching it and the eyes darted between the scars and her face.

“See, right? I don’t blame if you still want to back out." She knew what man appreciated in a woman.

Now when she wasn’t close to those tempting woman; she wouldn’t mind if he chose not to be around her. She exhaled in determination to accept what would come.

Suddenly, she felt soft fingers tracing her body and shot her eyes open. Aiden was touching those scars with upmost care, scared to break her. He traced each scar before kissing them softly like she was a fragile girl and would break under some pressure. Her eyes widened but he remained focused on her, studying the scars like the most precious piece.

He laid her on the back and her heartbeats sped. She squirmed under his gentle and loving touches. This wasn’t what she expecting. These scars looked ugly but here he was without any sign of disgust loving it like it was beautiful.

“You’re still beautiful, Love. More than before you know why?” He asked still treasuring them as he watched her.

Confusion evident on her face.

“Because these scars tell a story of your survival; they show your bravery and your strength. It shows you are a fighter, my fighter and I never loved you for your beauty… but your heart.” He said kissing the scars that were little higher than the abdomen making her shudder.

Her heart tugged at those sweet words and closed her eyes fighting the happy tears. She realized that her greatest fear, uneasiness wasn’t because of her scars being seen but getting rejected by him. Luckily for her, he was more of a gentleman. She was fortunate enough to find this man and giving him another chance shouldn’t be wrong, hopefully!

He saw her crying and hovered above her placing his finger on her lips, silencing her.

“Shhhh love… Don’t cry. Let me show how exquisite you are.” He said as he kissed her tears away.