Lust Next Door - S01 E39

Story 4 months ago

Lust Next Door - S01 E39

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 39

The Enigma

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"You broke your arm how many times?" Serena said through a fit of laughter next to him.

It was probably well into the night now, maybe around 3:00 am, and they both moved from the floor beneath the nook to sitting on the cushioned window seats.

"Four times. Two on each arm. I was a rowdy kid, what can I say."

Sitting like this, their legs entertained where they both sat against opposite walls, filling Connor with something bright and warm. He felt like it was shining through him, visible for her to see. With the light from the moon washing over her smooth features, basking her in some kind of lunar essence. Connor had to keep himself from losing himself in her glossy eyes every two seconds.

They had been talking for hours and hours on end. Connor told her about his family and siblings and how much he loved his parents. What it was like growing up with his huge family. His words were clear now, the effects of the alcohol he drank started to fade the moment she dressed his wounds. So now he was well beyond sober, happy to be able to talk straight and sit up.

She got a little sad at times while she listened, he could see her face falter and a wistful smile takes over her lips. Making her eyes seem less bright, and stillness takes over her body.

He felt his hands twitch at his side when it would happen, urging them to reach over and smooth the distressed lines that creased her skin. Place his warmth there, and hold her gloomed face till the sun broke the horizon.

"That seems like a talent, breaking them so many times. I'm surprised you can even build so many muscles on those jelly bones." Serena narrowed a look at him, leaning forward and tugging her knees close into her chest in the same motion.

The smirk on her lips made Connor sigh, his eyes followed the outline of her mouth up to the corner. He wanted to lean forward and place his lips there, however, the urge to hear more of her voice took precedence.

He leaned forward and matched her teasing expression, letting his eyes flick over the features of her face, "Is this your way of telling me you think I'm ripped shortcake?"

"Mm in your dreams jock baby." Her eyes flicked down to his lips too, and a laugh broke up her smirk into a toothy grin.

"Plus, my broken limbs were usually the result of my brothers." Connor shook his head, "What about you, do you have siblings?"

Serena shook her head back and forth, the sway of her brown locks cast her sweet smell into Connor's nose and nearly made him pounce on her right there.

"No, I was an only child. And I've only broken my fingers a few times." She naturally looked down at her hands as she spoke kind of mindlessly, her blue eyes cast in a far-off look as if she saw through her glass skin.

Connor raised an eyebrow, "Fingers? How you even do that."

Her gaze shot to his, eyes widening as slight panic flashed across her face. She closed her hand into a fist and laughed a bit forcefully this time, "Clumsy I guess."

He narrowed a look at her, clearly hearing the lie coating her words. By the way, she was fidgeting and heavy breaths picked up in her lungs, she didn't want to talk about it. So Connor left it alone for now, even if a foreign dread pulled his heart down and filled him with unease.

He reached forward for her hands where they sat clutched on her knees. His large calloused fingers closed over her tight grip and pulled it over to him.

Serena loosed a shaky breath and looked up into his face, her hands felt cold and her knuckles went white. The coax of the warmth from his scratchy palm slowly made her hand loosen beneath his. His fingers laced through hers, gently rubbing across her knobby fingers.

He slowly looked up into her gaze, her blue eyes were wide and the reflection of the moon was highlighted above her irises. The distress from before was melted away to something else, mouth parted in a soft breath, he saw her face tint pink.

He chuckled and slid his grip up around her wrist, pulling her with gentle force across the nook to his side.

A gasp sounded on her lips when she fell into his chest between his large legs. She looked small there, the woman felt like glass under his strong jagged body. He made sure to handle her gently, keeping his movements tender and short.

Connor noticed immediately, how perfectly she fit against him. Her plush skin melted into him, filling the empty spots his body made.

And that permanent chill he felt in his bones from the years of ice hockey and pushing people away, now felt warm.

He smiled and found her fingers again where they rest on his chest, rubbing his hand over her slender digits, "I guess I'll just have to make sure you don't break anymore, klutz." He teased her like he always did, but this time his voice was whispered and soft.

Serena only stared up at him for a moment, her heartbeat visible in her hues as she gazed at him. Shocked, she looked a little shocked before a smile ruptured across her lips.

It filled her face and brightened her skin, she was incandescent. And that brightness filled Connor with a swelling feeling, it bubbled up in his throat and made words seem silly right now.

He just leaned down and kissed her gentle lips, letting the soft press of his mouth convey every word he couldn't speak.

It lasted only a sweet moment, and when he leaned back he could still taste her on his lips. She chuckled and settled into him, laying down on his chest in a way so she could still gaze up at him. Her wide blue eyes were full of the moon and something warm. It made his heart throb and caused him to take a deep breath

Connor wrapped his arms around her, so she was completely enveloped in him. Safe. He had her with him safe.

"What was growing up an only child like? Gotta admit I'm pretty curious Rena."

She shrugged at him and sighed, looking off and taking a moment before looking at him. Her words were hesitant, Connor could tell she didn't talk about herself much at all.

"Very boring. I was alone most of my childhood, like alone. My parents were...less than nurturing I'll tell you that." She leaned her head into his chest, casting her glassy eyes out the window while she spoke.

He could see the reflection of the raindrops running down the window in her eyes, which almost made it look like she was crying.

"How so?" Connor asked, surprised by himself tonight. Normally he'd never dare ask a girl about her family. He had these preconceived notions that asking women about their personal life and family was a one-way ticket to problems. They'd think you wanted more, to meet their parents, get to know them, and eventually date them.

And Connor never wanted any of that, yet he sat here, finding that the questions fell off his tongue faster than he could think. He wanted to know more, knowing more about Serena was all he wanted right now.

He didn't know how long this peace would last, but he was determined to make every minute of this night feel like forever. Admittedly, Connor liked the bubble they created here.

"My parents were lawyers, loveless business people. Sometimes I didn't even think they loved each other, just got married and had a kid out of practicality and some bullshit statistics." Serena sighed and focused on the raindrops falling, he watched her eyes trickle down with the rolling drops.

He held her a bit tighter, making sure she was warm and comfortable in the cocoon of his body. Every word she spoke felt heavy, felt sopped in dread.

"So naturally I didn't see much love from them. I didn't see them hardly ever actually. I was homeschooled, they hired a tutor for me, and that cranky old lady was probably the only person I saw consistently my whole childhood. Along with some stuffy nannies and whatnot." Serena shifted and looked up into his face, "so yeah, being an only child was not that fun. I like your stories better. Your family seems so lovely."

Connor didn't realize it but his face was weighted down with a small frown, and when he looked into her mute expression all he wanted was to surround her with his family. Show her exactly what caring people felt like to be surrounded by, how good that smothering love felt. But he bit his tongue and did his best to force a smile for her.

"I can assure you, you wouldn't be saying that after your three-year-old sister took a permanent sharpie to your brand new hockey skates. You'd be cursing them out like I was." Connor smirked and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Serena broke out in a smile and laughed, filling Connor up again. When she smiled like that, he could see her teeth, the lines in her face, and life in her eyes. And all of it kicked his heart a little.

He smiled too, letting his fingers linger on her face, rubbing along her defined cheekbone.

"What about when you turned eighteen? Did you ditch your loser parents and go to college." Connor wanted to say worse about her parents, it mystified and angered him to no end how people like that had kids.

But something about this question set her off the same way talking about her broken fingers did. Her face flashed with hurried panic and her eyes shot to the window, her face creased between her brows, and her eyes darkened with memories.

She moved her face away from his warm fingers, and the void where her skin used to be on his hands felt ice cold now.

"I did college online. Anyways, how long have your parents been together?" She said quickly, changing the subject back over to him. In a way, she was doing that all night.

And up until right now, he was okay with it, letting her take the reins on the conversation felt like the least he could do. And Connor liked seeing her smile and laugh at his stories.

But right now that dreadful feeling that filled him turned into a protective tic. He had a bad feeling, and anger rose in him at some unknown subject.

"You did online college, why? Didn't you want to meet people?"

"No reason in particular." Her heart was beating fast on his chest, her eyes swirling with fear.

"Serena. Are you okay?" He went to cup her cheek again but she flinched as his hand rose.

A hard flinch, her chest was rising and falling fast and her face fully scrunched and ducked into her body as if anticipating something.

It stilled Connor and made his hand feel gross where it was held in the air.

He yanked it back down and now his own body felt heavy and wrong, that bad feeling turning bigger. She was shaking slightly, her body growing more unstable on top of him by the second; Connor thought she might pass out.

"Serena." He mumbled, his words dripping in sadness. Utter dread. His arms shook to comfort her but didn't move.

Heart yearning with every slow painful beat in his chest, he hated what her flinch told him.

When his sisters and brothers were little, they would cry and cry and cry. Their cries rang in his ears now, and that instinctive itch to soothe their tears then was tickling him now.

As if realizing how she reacted, her eyes shot to his wide with so much fear.

"Connor...I-I"

"Did you think I was going to hit you?"

He blinked and tears were filling her shattered hues fast, like a geyser breaking. Water glazed over her blue eyes and made those oceans spill down her cheeks. She felt cold in his arms, and before he could squeeze her tighter. Serena shot up and stumbled off the nook.

"No...I'm sorry- I didn't think you would do that. I'm sorry- please- " her words were broken up by her loud sniffles and sobs, her tears spilling down her face seeming to surprise her. As if she didn't even know she was crying this hard.

She tried desperately to wipe them up, and stop the constant flow of water while apologies tumbled from her lips. Serena's face grew red with embarrassment while she moved towards the large door slowly, and Connor only filled with more concern.

"Who hurt you, Serena." He didn't mean to say it so darkly, his words coming out in a raspy snarl, but the anger he felt was bubbling up now.

He sat up and moved towards her but Serena shot her hand up hiding her face, "You should probably go now." She whipped around and sped through the door across the hall into the bathroom, the heavy oak slammed shut and a second later he could hear a pill bottle rattle.

Connor got up and ran after her, towards the door trying to ignore the sharp pain stabbing low in his stomach.

"Serena I'm not leaving, not until I know you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"Bull. My baby sister is a better liar."

She was quiet for a moment, he heard the sink turn on and then off before she spoke again.

"Can you tell me more stories about her?" Her voice came through the door in muffled broken sobs. She sounded so desperate to hear good things, about his chaotic but good family.

He sighed and leaned against the door before lowering down slowly. He sat there, pulling his knees in and propping his head against the frame.

"How about you tell me, and then I tell you....and like you said; tonight is for us. We can forget it in the morning if you want, but right now and always, I'm here for you Rena." He kept his voice light, all edges went from his raspy tone as that bright feeling warmed and spilled into his words.

She was quiet for a while, a long while, and as the silence dragged on Connor got more and more worried until finally, he heard her voice.

"I met him when I was seventeen."

Her voice was as soft as a mouse, and through the door, it was almost impossible to hear her. But Connor leaned in close, guarding her shaky tone close to his ear as anger started to fester deep in him from just those words.

"He came in to teach me calculus because my normal tutor didn't do that kind of my math. My parents were so insistent about all the STEM courses. So they hired him, and immediately I fell in love." She cried for a little while, her words fighting to stay in her throat but Connor could tell she wanted to say them despite it.

"At least what I thought was love then. He was the first guy I'd ever really been around in my life, he was 26 at the time. I chalk it up to being loved starved, young, and sheltered, but I ignored all the bad things I noticed. I ignored the uncomfortable feeling I had when he'd put his hand up my thigh during lessons and whispered, so only I could hear, how much he loved what I was wearing."

Connor's jaw went tight, and his hands balled in tight fists ready to snap with tension. He was boiling, hot with anger, already wanting to kill whoever this guy was. But he stayed quiet, and let her talk.

"I don't want to get into it, but he was an awful awful man. He made sure I loved him more than myself and handled my love like a weapon in his arsenal. He controlled me completely, He told me not to go to college after I graduated, and I listened, instead, he took me away from my parents when I turned eighteen and moved me in with him. That's where I went to college and why I didn't go." Her words died off, and it was clear she was done talking. Sadness fell through the air like the rain that fell outside.

"How'd he control you, Serena...and-and your broken fingers?" Connor's words were laced with anger but delivered softly, with worry. But Connor knew the answer, and it made his knuckles white with anger.

She stayed quiet, her response was the soft click of the latch, and the door cracked open.

Connor sat up quickly feeling the door creep backward behind him, whipping around he looked down into her face messy with tears. Splotches of red dotted her skin, as slick tears streaked down her chin. Her lips turned down, and filing her eyes was such battered trauma that it made something burn behind his eyes.

Her face conveyed every gory detail her voice couldn't mutter. The lines on her face etched her story and told him just how horrific this man was if he can make a girl like Serena look the way she did right now.

He'd kill him, he wanted to fucking murder him.

Connor opened his arms and immediately Serena threw herself into his chest. He wrapped his strong grip around her frame, leaning down to truly pull her into him. He held the weight of her sadness and shared some of its burden with her, if only for a moment.

Connor held her.

"You're beautiful, you are the most beautiful women I've ever seen. The strongest one too...I mean that Serena Jade." Connor mumbled into the top of her head, her arms shaking slightly as they held onto him as if her life depended on it.

He adjusted his grip slightly and picked her up, letting her legs wrap around his waist, her face buried into his neck, and rested there. Serena's strands of long brown hair tumbled down his shoulder.

He rubbed soothing strokes of his hand over her head, smoothing her hair down and holding her on his waist.

Connor guided her head back to look at him, holding her gaze and reveling in it, he still had so many questions for her. So many things he wanted to know, but for now, this was enough.

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