“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asked.
“You ask a lot of questions.”
She leaned forward and grabbed a pizza slice. “Exactly. Someone in your position shouldn’t be so trusting of a woman like me.”
“And what kind of woman are you?” he asked.
“I’m not important. I’ve told you that.”
“You’re not important to everyone else. I didn’t say that. I consider you very important.” He took another slice of pizza.
Laura finished off her first slice, wiping some grease that had dropped onto her breast. He’d allowed panties, seeing as she’d started her period, but nothing else. One of her hands was on her stomach.
“Are you in pain?”
“Just some cramps. It can get quite painful, but I can deal with it.” She leaned in to grab another slice of pizza. “It must be lonely being on top.”
“I’m surrounded by people.”
“Who fear you. The only reason you noticed me was because you pissed me off. Unlike the others, I didn’t back down.”
“Now that is true. I found you interesting.”
“And now?”
“I still find you interesting.”
“But?”
“I also happen to love fucking you.”
She wrinkled her nose.
“You don’t like the word fuck?” he asked.
“Love.”
“You don’t like the word love?”
She shook her head. “I think it gets thrown around too much.”
He finished off his pizza. When he thought he knew everything about Laura, she’d say or do something that would just blow him away. Like now.
“Okay, I’m going to bite. Why do you hate it?”
She shrugged. “It’s used all the time and it’s been completely abused.”
He chuckled.
“Hear me out. I love to fuck. Fine. You enjoy fucking me. People say it all the time. I love shopping. I love reading. I love to cook. I love this and that and everything else. Love is this word that is supposed to be sacred, right?”
“You’re overthinking it.”
“I’m not. I’m being serious.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess when you live in a world where love is thrown around for every little thing but you’ve never had a single person in your life say the words I love you, I get a little irritated. No biggie.”
He looked at her now and completely understood.
No one had ever told Laura they loved her.
“Do not for a single second think I’m trying to manipulate you into saying the words. I’m not. I don’t believe in love. With everything I see, I believe most people only have the power to love themselves, no one else.”
He reached out, playing with a curl of her hair. “I think it’s sad you don’t believe in love.”
“Do you?”
“I believe it’s possible to love someone so deeply. I’ve seen it.” He’d seen it in a couple of his men who’d married the love of their lives. True love was rare. For a long time, he’d doubted it existed.
“Really? You’ve seen true love?”
“I have. Have you thought about looking for them?” he asked.
“Who? The people who are in love?”
“That’s easy. Just go to a park bench on a Sunday morning. You’ll see love and it will make you less angry with the world. Believe me. No, have you considered looking for your parents?”
“No.” Not a single hesitation.
“You haven’t thought about them?”
“When I was a kid. Before I realized that there were parents out there who kept their babies. After you realize the harsh reality of your own situation, it doesn’t exactly leave a whole lot of doubt for anything else.” She sighed. “I really don’t want to talk about this.”
“You need to.”
“I don’t need to. Finding my parents will not change the fact I spent my entire life being overlooked in a foster home. It won’t magically make me feel better. If they’re having the best time of their lives, and they’re happily married with a family they actually do love, do you think I really need to see that?” She frowned at him and stood.
She moved around the table and went toward the kitchen.
Getting up, he followed her. “You’re angry.”
“I’m angry that you think I need to even talk about this. This between us, this is fun, but I don’t need to be analyzed or made to believe that something is fundamentally wrong with me. I got through everything. I survived just like you said.”
He saw the tears in her eyes and went to her.
“What are you doing?”
Gabe wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close.
“Stop it, Gabe.”
“I’ve got you.”
“I mean it.”
“And I’m not going to let go.” He held her tightly, feeling her body shake in his arms. His heart broke for the young girl who’d been so broken by her own feelings.
“Stop it. I don’t like this, Gabe. Please.” Her voice shattered.
“They don’t matter. I’ve got you. You don’t need them. You don’t need anyone.” He pressed a kiss to her hair as she began to sob.
“This isn’t fair. You shouldn’t be trying to make me cry.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not that girl anymore. I’ve never been that girl.” She sobbed.
Gabe wished he’d known her back then. His heart shattered for the girl in the picture and how alone she’d been. Laura was strong. She’d had no choice but to be strong. He held her even tighter, not wanting to let her go for even a moment as she let everything out.
Twice he’d gotten her to sob in his arms. He’d taken away the pain and fear, and he loved that she trusted him enough to be so open with him.
You can’t let her go.
The truth was, he didn’t want to ever let her go. Laura had gotten under his skin and he knew the difference between wanting a good fuck and wanting commitment.
He could take care of her. Give her the life she deserved. The kind of family she didn’t have to bribe or be forced to do.
Laura collapsed in his arms, and he carried her through to the bedroom. He lay on the bed with her. Laura was curled up against his side, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
She fell asleep in his arms. Only when he was sure she was completely out of it did he leave her. Going back to his office, he made his way toward the desk.
In the bottom drawer, he pulled out her file, grabbed his cell phone, and dialed Felipe. He arranged to have the man brought to the city. He was going to take care of the son of a bitch who thought it was okay to rape young girls, and then to continue to do so for money and security. Once that was done, he pulled out her birth certificate. This time, he put a call through to his guy in the police force. If there was any way of finding the people responsible for Laura, he was going to do it. Each and every person who had hurt her was going to pay.
He had to do something, and sitting around as she sobbed out her pain wasn’t all he could do.
With the arrangements made, he sat back and stared at the file. The little girl with a beautiful smile. With every picture taken, the smile disappeared until there was nothing left but a shell of a girl.