How could I have never known it could be like this? I’d been living in a black-and-white world only to discover the wonder of color all around me. Filip wanted to know that I was his. How could I ever belong to anyone else? He possessed the key to my soul. While I grappled with my chaotic thoughts, Filip lowered to remove my ankle cuffs, then used a soft rag to clean me. Once he was satisfied with his work, he helped me onto the bed and pulled me into his side. We lay in silence for several minutes. With my ear on his chest, I listened as his heartbeat eased to a steady strum, but mine continued to pound because of the words I could sense forming on my tongue. “I know you want to know about my past. There was something that happened, but I’ve never told anyone.” Filip became eerily still.
