going to be sick.”
He shakes his head. “No, I know you’re upset. Just keep calm and know I’m right here with you, Julianna. You feel me?”
No, I don’t feel him, and I’m growing scared of the unknown violations to come. My active imagination is beginning to conjure up things using the items behind the red wall of curtains, and I close my eyes and wince. I can feel the familiar sting in my nose as my eyes prepare for a heavy downpour of water works, but before it has a chance to turn on, Travis says, “Hey, stay with me here. I know you’re scared, but I’ve got you, okay?”
He’s damn good at reading my emotions; he doesn’t give me time to freak out. He immediately puts his hands back, framing both of them around my face, forcing me to lock my watery eyes with his piercing stare, which speaks with intense conviction. It’s always his eyes that calm me and knock the wind out of me, all at the same time.
I stay in a silent trance, soaking in his reassurance, hoping it’s not a lie. “No worries tonight...for me, Julianna, okay?” He repeats himself, “For me...understand?”
“No, I don’t understand, but I will try.” My voice is shaky, and I slightly nod my head in his hands. I’m not sure what I’m really agreeing to. What I do know is I don’t want this beautiful criminal to stop showing me compassion, and showering me with his soft words of mercy.
Satisfied with my answer, he pulls away slowly. My heart racing as he lowers his hand and I think he’s going for my breasts, but he doesn’t. He grazes just below my neckline, scooping up my medallion necklace. His simple touch against my skin keeps my heart beating rapidly, and I find myself dwelling on the confusion of what this feeling is he has over me. What is this supposed to mean? There is something undeniable here—at least there is on my end—and it makes me angry at myself.
“This looks like it may be special to you, no?” He cocks his head to the side as he studies my medallion; then he turns the silver heart around, looking at the back’s inscription. “What does this mean to you?” I don’t want to tell him what it really means to me. This was my mother’s piece, and my father saved it for me until I was old enough to wear it. I rarely ever take it off as it’s the only piece of my mother I have left. It goes without saying what this heirloom means to me.
I quietly speak with trepidation, “Well, it reads, ‘Family, where life begins and love never ends…love eternal.’ My father had this inscribed on the backside for me on my third birthday. I mean, really,” I shrug, “the message is self-explanatory.”
“It’s heavy.”
“Yeah, it’s made of pure silver. It’s called a triskele; it’s a Celtic symbol. I don’t know what it meant to my dad when he bought it, because we’re not Irish. I guess he picked it out for its meaning of eternal love more than anything.” For his undying love toward my mother.
“Eternal love,” he says, repeating me, “interesting.” He’s silent for a moment, as if he’s reflecting on something.
“Yeah, my dad would always tell me I was his light during his darkest days. It’s supposed to represent love and light.” Come to think of it, though, I haven’t heard my father tell me those words in over a decade. Maybe he felt he told me enough times and didn’t need to repeat it. I don’t know.
“That’s one hell of a unique stone,” Travis says in awe, looking closely at the centerpiece of the symbol. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it, ever.”
“It’s just like a ruby only rarer. It’s called a red beryl.” I’m not much in the mood to elaborate on anything right now, but talking about my family at least makes me feel a tad calmer. What he doesn't need to know is just how rare and expensive this stone is. It’s quality being one of the highest grades available and very hard to come by. There is no way I would ever be able to
He shakes his head. “No, I know you’re upset. Just keep calm and know I’m right here with you, Julianna. You feel me?”
No, I don’t feel him, and I’m growing scared of the unknown violations to come. My active imagination is beginning to conjure up things using the items behind the red wall of curtains, and I close my eyes and wince. I can feel the familiar sting in my nose as my eyes prepare for a heavy downpour of water works, but before it has a chance to turn on, Travis says, “Hey, stay with me here. I know you’re scared, but I’ve got you, okay?”
He’s damn good at reading my emotions; he doesn’t give me time to freak out. He immediately puts his hands back, framing both of them around my face, forcing me to lock my watery eyes with his piercing stare, which speaks with intense conviction. It’s always his eyes that calm me and knock the wind out of me, all at the same time.
I stay in a silent trance, soaking in his reassurance, hoping it’s not a lie. “No worries tonight...for me, Julianna, okay?” He repeats himself, “For me...understand?”
“No, I don’t understand, but I will try.” My voice is shaky, and I slightly nod my head in his hands. I’m not sure what I’m really agreeing to. What I do know is I don’t want this beautiful criminal to stop showing me compassion, and showering me with his soft words of mercy.
Satisfied with my answer, he pulls away slowly. My heart racing as he lowers his hand and I think he’s going for my breasts, but he doesn’t. He grazes just below my neckline, scooping up my medallion necklace. His simple touch against my skin keeps my heart beating rapidly, and I find myself dwelling on the confusion of what this feeling is he has over me. What is this supposed to mean? There is something undeniable here—at least there is on my end—and it makes me angry at myself.
“This looks like it may be special to you, no?” He cocks his head to the side as he studies my medallion; then he turns the silver heart around, looking at the back’s inscription. “What does this mean to you?” I don’t want to tell him what it really means to me. This was my mother’s piece, and my father saved it for me until I was old enough to wear it. I rarely ever take it off as it’s the only piece of my mother I have left. It goes without saying what this heirloom means to me.
I quietly speak with trepidation, “Well, it reads, ‘Family, where life begins and love never ends…love eternal.’ My father had this inscribed on the backside for me on my third birthday. I mean, really,” I shrug, “the message is self-explanatory.”
“It’s heavy.”
“Yeah, it’s made of pure silver. It’s called a triskele; it’s a Celtic symbol. I don’t know what it meant to my dad when he bought it, because we’re not Irish. I guess he picked it out for its meaning of eternal love more than anything.” For his undying love toward my mother.
“Eternal love,” he says, repeating me, “interesting.” He’s silent for a moment, as if he’s reflecting on something.
“Yeah, my dad would always tell me I was his light during his darkest days. It’s supposed to represent love and light.” Come to think of it, though, I haven’t heard my father tell me those words in over a decade. Maybe he felt he told me enough times and didn’t need to repeat it. I don’t know.
“That’s one hell of a unique stone,” Travis says in awe, looking closely at the centerpiece of the symbol. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it, ever.”
“It’s just like a ruby only rarer. It’s called a red beryl.” I’m not much in the mood to elaborate on anything right now, but talking about my family at least makes me feel a tad calmer. What he doesn't need to know is just how rare and expensive this stone is. It’s quality being one of the highest grades available and very hard to come by. There is no way I would ever be able to
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