Concealed Affliction Read Online Free PDF Page A

stare at. The man’s calves are as big as my thighs. Not that that’s huge, but he’s all muscle and I very much enjoy looking at it.
     
    I take a long hard look at his handsome face before walking up to him, slow and a little cautious.
     
    “There’s going to be a lot about me that I can’t tell you right now Ryder. Not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t. The reason I can’t is because I don’t know myself some days, so we’re literally learning this new ‘me’ together. A few things I can tell you is that I have a short temper, and also lack patience. Neither of those are new things. They are just more amplified now after my attack.
     
    “I’m not sure how many more outbursts I’m going to have, or how many times I’m going to lose my shit because you do something that indirectly reminds me of something I’d rather forget. I know it’s not your fault Ryder, but realistically it’s not mine either. I’d like to say I know the woman I’ve become, but I don’t.
     
    “You’re a good person Ryder Callaghan, I know that. You’re kind, you’re patient and you think things through before you act. I’m a miserable bitch that doesn’t have many good qualities left, but I’m trying to get them back. Do you think you’re willing to work with that?”
     
    His eyes soften midway through my speech. He wraps me in his strong arms, my head resting on his shoulder.
     
    “You forgot that you’re stubborn, babe.”
     
    This earns him a small chuckle from me.
     
    “I told you a while ago beautiful, I’ll work with what you can give me. But what you need to get from that is that you need to give it to me. I know you’re strong, I know you’ve been looking after yourself. What you need to understand is that I want a part of that Elle. I know you’ll always want to be independent- nothing wrong with that, babe. But it’s okay to need someone, too. And I want that person to be me.”
     
    He places a kiss in my hair before continuing.
     
    “I told you I trust you, but the million-dollar question here is do you trust me? Or can you learn to trust me? I know a little of what you’ve been through, and I can’t imagine that’s going to be an easy thing to give. But if you don’t think you’ll ever be able give it to me, then we’re only working ourselves towards a cliff, waiting for the moment when we both go over the edge. I can’t fly, Elle.”
     
    I pull my head off his chest to look him in the eyes when I speak next. I reach both of my arms up and frame his beautiful face with my hands. His stubble is rough against my palm, his hair silky against my fingertips. The outer part of his black eyes glow when I touch him, they’re almost silver when the light hits them at the right angle. I see nothing but acceptance when he looks at me, and it makes me feel like a fraud because there’s still so much he doesn’t know about me.
     
    “I know you can’t fly handsome. What I’m most worried about is when the things I’ve kept in the dark finally come to light, you won’t look at me the way you are right now. I also worry about when you finally know every little detail of my life that you won’t be standing here anymore.”
     
    Those dark eyes of his absorb every feature on my face before he leans down and places his lips on mine. It’s a small kiss, but full of promise.
     
    “This is where we get to the cliff babe. If you’re worried about me not standing here, then we need to sit down and go over everything. Your life, your case and what’s going through your head. I don’t see me going anywhere. I chased you down, didn’t I? You mean something to me beautiful, I just hope I mean enough to you that we can rip off that band aid, and get it over with.”
     
    I lean up on my toes and kiss him on his neck. I let out a sigh of relief and close my eyes for a moment before I respond.
     
    “No band aids tonight Ryder. Wait until we’re back home.”
     
    Strong hands move