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Nina continued to stare wide-eyed at Tristan's back. There were long scars like someone had hit him multiple times. Nina couldn't help the tears that sprang to her eyes. She couldn't understand how someone could hurt a child in this way.
Nina ran her fingers along one of the scars. Tristan's muscles tensed under her touch, but he relaxed when she continued as she murmured how sorry she was once again.
"He would hit me with anything he could find. A belt, extension cords, and his fists. The extension cords were his favorite to hit me with."
Nina wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a back hug.
"He was a monster," she said, wiping at her eyes."
Tristan nodded. "One night he had come home drunk and high. He began beating my mother to the point where she was becoming unrecognizable. Blood was everywhere."
Nina squeezed her arms around his waist.
"I wanted to protect her," he said, choking on his words. "When I tried to stop him, he started beating me too."
Nina wanted to take this pain away from him, but she knew that was possible. All she could do was listen and be there for him while he told her this horrific story.
"It's okay," she whispered.
"My mother tried to get him to stop but he began choking her," he said.
Nina noticed his hands trembling so she made him turn around to face her. She grabbed his hands and placed a gentle kiss on both of them.
"Take your time," she said.
Tristan cleared his throat. "I grabbed a lamp we had by the couch and hit him over the head with it. He staggered to a stop and tried to come for me so I continued to hit him over the head with it until he didn't move."
"Did he die?"
Tristan nodded. "I had killed him. I didn't mean to. I just wanted him to stop hurting us."
"Tristan it's not your fault," she said. "He was an evil man."
"He ended up choking my mother to death. The one person who loved me and cared for me more than herself. I couldn't save her."
Nina wiped at the tears on Tristan's check. Her chest hurt at seeing him crying and in pain.
"One of the neighbors had called the police and they showed up. They questioned me and I told them my side of the story. Even the neighbor confirmed that my dad would beat us. With a little more investigation, it was determined I did what I did in self-defense."
"I can't imagine what you've been through. You're so strong," she said, giving him a small smile.
He smiled.
"After that happened I was brought back into foster care until I was eighteen. After that, I went to college since I kept my grades up. I went to college, got a degree in business, and eventually started my own business as you can see."
"I'm so proud of you for making it through such a horrendous childhood," she said, grinning.
"It's what my mother would have wanted. She always believed in me and made me focus hard on my studies."
Nina nodded in understanding.
"My mom would hit me and my sister too," she said, looking at her lap.
Tristan lifted her chin. The look in his eyes gave her the confidence to continue.
"My parents divorced when I was around eight. Once that happened, my mother became depressed. She used drugs to deal with the pain."
Nina glanced up to see Tristan's jaw clench and the anger in his eyes.
"Soon enough CPS got involved. We got taken away. Luckily we were able to be taken in by my grandmother. She raised us both."
"That's why it's so hard on you to see her in so much pain," he said, rubbing her cheek.
"Yes, it is. I want to take away all her pain but I can't."
"What happened to your mother?" he asked.
"Supposedly, she's sober. I saw her at the hospital a week ago."
"You don't believe she is."
Nina shrugged. "She does this often. She goes to rehab, we congratulate her, she lasts a few months but then the drugs get a hold of her again."
"Do you think that's the case this time?"
"Yes, I do. She would have to do a lot to have me change my mind. She's hurt me and my sister so much that it's hard for me to forgive her."
"Where's your sister?" he asked, continuing to stroke her cheek.
Nina glanced away from him. She figured he would eventually ask her about her sister. Then it would bring up what happened between the two of them and how they didn't leave on the best of terms.
"She's...she's with my ex-husband."
Nina looked back at Tristan. He was frowning and he looked to be deep in thought.
"Did I hear you correctly?"
"Yes, he's married to my sister now. They fell in love."
"That's fucked up."
Nina half-shrugged. "I married him when I was eighteen. We grew apart."
Tristan placed a kiss against her forehead.
"You deserve so much better," he said, placing a kiss against her cheek.
Nina's heart pounded faster in her chest when he kissed her other cheek.
"Do I?" she asked, watching his eyes zoom in on her mouth.
"Of course you do."
Tristan used his thumb to stroke her bottom lip.
"Kiss me, please," she said, grabbing his cotton shirt on his chest and pulling him closer.
Tristan didn't hesitate by placing his mouth against hers. The kiss started off slow but intensified. It was like they were in a constant battle to please each other.
Nina wanted to be closer to him. She wanted her body against his.
Nina straddled him and she instantly felt him become hard against her core.
"You are so beautiful," he said, in between kissing her neck.
Nina whimpered when he gently tugged at her braids making her give him more access to the nape of her neck.
Nina found herself grinding on his lap.
***
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