Broken by Vanessa Skye

you are, it made you strong and it made you independent and it made you become a cop and help people. So whoever those people are, you should be down on your knees thanking them every day for what they did to you, because they made you, you.” Vi reached out to touch Berg’s hand while she let it all sink in. “It’s all in the past now anyway!” she said. “It’s over. Yet you make the choice to carry around all this hurt in your bags every day. And you can make the choice to let it go. You deserve to live as normal and happy a life as anyone else. It’s not your baggage holding you back, Alicia, it’s just you. Put the bags down.”
    Later, after taking Jess out for a long-overdue walk, Berg sat on her sofa thinking about what Jay had said in the bar, and about what Vi had said shortly after.
    They were right. Why shouldn’t she have the right to a normal life? A normal relationship? Was it her fault that her parents abused her?
    Yes, her mother’s voice whispered. You’re no good.
    She wrestled back control of her mind.
    No, none of it was my fault!
    Maybe she could be with Jay. Maybe a normal life was possible for her after all.

Chapter Ten
    Maybe your mama gave you up, boy.
    (It’s the same old, same old.)
    I said maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough, girl.
    How much is enough?
    –George Michael, “Star People ‘97”
    “B erg!” Jay said, surprised, as he swung open the door. “What are you doing here?”
    Berg didn’t answer.
    Jay frowned. “Berg?” he tried again. “Do you at least want to come in?”
    She didn’t say a word nor did she move past him. Instead, she grasped the doorjamb tightly with both hands, her eyes languidly raking up and down the full length of his tall frame.
    Jay felt an instant jolt of heat from her gaze and hope sizzled from his crown down to the tingling tips of his toes.
    Berg pulled her gaze ever so slowly back up his body—to the crotch of his jeans where it lingered, before working its way back up to his confused face.
    “Did you mean what you said earlier at the bar?” she whispered.
    Jay hesitated for only a half a heartbeat. “Yes,” he said.
    Berg came inside, closing the door softly behind her. She stepped closer, until mere inches of space separated her from him.
    Jay felt the heat radiating off her body as they searched each other’s faces. For once, Berg didn’t flinch or look away; she held his stare calmly. He felt as if he was finally seeing into her, as though her usual barriers were down.
    He saw that she loved him, and it scared the hell out of her.
    They remained close enough to feel each other’s energy without touching, staring silently, for what felt like hours.
    It seemed as if every nerve ending Jay had was on fire. The tension overflowed out of him through his fingers and he grabbed the back of Berg’s head. There was almost a palpable charge in the air as he wove his fingers through her dark hair and crushed his mouth down on hers.
    He half expected her to pull away. She always pulled away first. This time, however, she responded enthusiastically, parting her lips and offering her tongue. Jay took it and sucked lightly before penetrating her mouth with his own.
    Sounds of fabric tearing and buttons clattering to the floor filled Jay’s studio as they ripped and clawed at any and all barriers between them. Within seconds, every inch of naked, hot skin was pressed together tightly.
    Berg stroked his dick tentatively with one hand while pulling him closer with the other, but the action was unnecessary; he had been rock hard since he’d first seen the look on her face at the door.
    Not even bothering to make their way to Jay’s waiting futon, they sank down onto the stained, brown carpet, arms and legs entwined, and gasping for breaths in between long, wet kisses.
    Jay removed his mouth from hers, regretting the instant that he wasn’t kissing her, before his mouth clasped quickly around a nipple instead, sucking hard.
    Berg