I washed and rinsed my hair and body as the water began to run cold. I turned the faucet off and pulled the curtain back. I wrapped a fluffy towel around my body and wiped my hand across the mirror. The redness of my face was from the heat of the shower, but the dimness of my eyes was from life itself. I wanted so badly to be fully happy, to move past all of the bullshit and enjoy life with the people I love. That’s not too much to ask, was it?
Chapter Seventeen
Three Months Later
Depression.
It’s a disease, one you can fight all of your life and still feel like you have gotten nowhere. I never understood what depression was until it hit me.
I was attacked by a man who lived to abuse women. He died the day he came back to my dance studio trying to hurt a student of mine. I used to think I should feel a tiny bit of sadness for him, because something made him that way, but when I think back all I feel is happiness that he was gone from this world. I was raped by that man. I’ve finally come to terms with saying that word, even though it still makes my skin crawl to do so.
It’s hard to move on from something that shatters your world completely; I’m not even going to lie about that. Thankfully my best friend Adalynn was there to help me pick up the pieces no matter how hard I was on her or myself. When Talon and Zoey walked into my life I knew it was going to change. I hoped for the better and fast; although I didn’t get the second part I had hoped for, I did get the first.
The two of them were like a burst of sunshine, brightening up the darkness around me. I can’t imagine my life without them. About a month ago Talon asked me to move in with them. I was leery about it because I knew his apartment would be crowded with the three of us so I asked for him to give me some time to think on it. I think that he suspected that I was most likely going to turn him down because of the size of the place. What I was not expecting was him to go out and buy a home on the outskirts of Chicago. He surprised me after dinner one night by driving to the home and handing me the key.
I cried like a baby.
After I finally gained composure of myself he took me into the house. It’s such a gorgeous two story home with hardwood floors throughout and a staircase just inside the door that leads up to the second floor; it’s an older-style home, but completely us. He had candles lit on the floor of the large living room with a chocolate cake waiting for us that read, ‘will you move in with me?’ in bold sky-blue icing. I couldn’t help but giggle as I threw my arms around his neck and told him ‘yes’ before my lips found his and we devoured the cake shortly after.
I hadn’t found a job yet. The building sold for more than enough money to keep me afloat for a while when it was combined with the money I had saved over the years. Trying to decide what to do after you’ve been a dance instructor for years is a huge decision, especially when you have zero college under your belt.
“Tegan!” Talon’s voice boomed from the bottom of the staircase. I was curled up on the window seat on the balcony that overlooked the living room.
“I’m up here!”
The sound of Talon running up the stairs echoed through the open house. When his smiling self came into view as he reached the top step, I found myself smiling widely at the sight of him. His brown hair was cut shorter on the sides while the top was still long enough to be a mess, his dark eyes were bright with happiness as he reached where I was sitting.
“Hey, beautiful.” He braced his arms on the cushions behind me and leaned in, stealing a deep loving kiss from my lips. I licked them as he stood to his full height and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “How’s your day been?”
“Pretty relaxing.” I stretched my arms above my head before forcing myself to get up from the window seat. “I love this spot of the house.” I glanced out the window before turning back to him.
“I knew you would the first time I laid eyes on it.” He smiled widely.
“Did ya now?” I wrapped my arms around his waist and he moved his arms from his chest to hold me against him.
“I did.” He rubbed the tip of his nose against mine. “I need to run a few errands, want to go with?” He ran his hands down my back, stopping on my hips.
“Sure. It’s about time I get out of this house today.” I stood on my tiptoes to kiss his bottom lip. “Let me change my pants and grab a jacket.
I changed out of my pajama pants and into a pair of jeans. With spring being in full swing I was more than happy to ditch my coat and settle on a jacket or hoodie. I zipped my neon purple track jacket over my tank top and quickly slid on a pair of flats. Talon was waiting by the front door when I came out of our bedroom.
“Ready?”
“Yep,” I replied as he took my hand in his and guided me to the car.
I had no idea where we were going, I simply enjoyed being close to Talon. I watched the scenery change as we drove away from our home. The sun was shining bright and the radio was playing an upbeat song I hadn’t heard before. The smile plastered on my face was genuine and the feel of my hand locked with his made me happy beyond words.
My phone beeped and I retrieved it from its resting spot in the cup holder in the door. Zoey had texted me asking what was for dinner. She loved a good home-cooked meal. Between Talon and me, we usually worked together to throw something delicious together most nights but we hadn’t put anything together this time. I sent her a message back asking what sounded good to her and waited for her reply as we came to a stop. I looked up to find us parked in front of a large, pretty new building.
“You can come with me,” Talon said as he opened his door to get out.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.” He smiled. “Come on.” He waved me to get out of the car.
We walked up the sidewalk to the entrance. Talon pushed some buttons on the door handle, I’m assuming a code of some sorts, and pulled the door open after it clicked. “That’s pretty high tech,” I said.
“Yeah, it’s a new form of security a lot of businesses are moving to.”
I couldn’t help but think of how good that would have been to have had at Graceful Moves. The building was dark as we walked past an empty reception desk. The floors were large white tiles with grey speckles throughout them. The reception area was all dark wood: the counter, the waiting seats, and the running boards down the side of the desk. It was beautifully contrasted with the pale blue walls.
“What is this place?” I asked.
Talon didn’t reply as he walked ahead towards large double doors. He undid the latch at the bottom of one and pushed it open. I couldn’t see past his large frame as he did the same to the other door. Once they were open he held his hand out to me so I took it. We stepped into the room and I tried to focus my eyes but the natural light coming from the windows at the top of the high ceiling made it hard to fully see. Talon flipped three switches and the room sprang to life, revealing bamboo floors and large mirrors across the back and side walls. I stepped into the room and turned to face him still standing in the doorway. Before I could say anything my eyes landed on a large painting of a ballet dancer with a cursive script going up her leg that read, ‘Graceful Moves.’
“What—Talon…” I was at a loss for words.
Talon had a full-blown smile adorning his lips as tears pricked my eyes. There was no way I was actually seeing what was before me. I covered my mouth with one of my shaky hands and stifled the sob that was trying to break free. Talon pulled me into his arms as he reached where I was standing. I buried my face into his chest and started to cry.
“Surprise, baby,” he said into my hair as he placed a kiss on top of my head.
Hearing him say those words had me crying even harder. “What is this?!” I looked up from his tear-stained shirt and searched his eyes.
“It’s your new studio.” He rubbed his hands up and down my back.
“I can’t take this!” I shook my head no.
“You can and you will.”
“Talon,” I protested.
I didn’t know what to say! I wanted to reject his offer because it was too much, but I knew he wouldn’t allow it. “Talon, this is too generous.” I shook my head in disbelief.
He cupped my cheeks with his hands and brought his eyes down in front of mine. “Don’t overthink this. I watch you when you are flipping through the channels and land on a dance competition or ballet program. Dancing is your life, Tegan, and I want you to be happy. So accept the studio and get this place up and running.” I moved forward and took his lips with mine. The salty wetness of tears ran between our lips as we kissed.
“Thank you,” I whispered against his mouth.
“I do it because I love you,” he whispered back, picking me up by my waist. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist and he held me.
Our kissing slowly evolved from sweet and loving to something deeper and more passionate. Talon started walking towards the opposite side of the room as we continued to devour one another. I leaned back just enough to unzip my jacket. The heat between us had me burning up. I pulled it from my arms and dropped it as he continued to carry me wrapped around his waist to a section of padded flooring. Talon dropped to his knees without letting go of me and gently laid me down before him.
His hand started at my hip and moved up my body, curving with my neck, and dipping into my hair as he dropped his mouth back to mine. His lips moved vigorously against mine as his other hand snaked under my tank top, stopping just under my braless breasts. My legs were still wrapped tightly around his waist, pulling him against my core. He peeled my legs from him and made quick work of undoing the button and zipper on my jeans.
“Are we about to christen the studio?” I bit my lip in anticipation of his answer.
“Hell yes, we are.” He jerked my pants and panties down my legs as I fell into a fit of giggles.
The feel of his hand running between my thighs made my giggles dissipate quickly. Our eyes locked and my breathing picked up when one of his fingers slipped inside of me. I was more than ready for him, and after everything he had surprised me with, I wanted him something fierce.
I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and pulled his lips to mine. At first it was a slow and steady kiss, but the force of his finger inside of me pushed me into a frantic state. The intensity of our kisses grew as I discarded the tank top from my body, leaving me completely naked and Talon fully clothed.
He dropped his mouth to my collarbone and began kissing slowly down my body. The fire in my core was building as he continued to pump his finger in and out of me at a steady rate. I arched my back off the floor from the pleasure pulsing through me. I closed my eyes and waited for the orgasm that was building to explode when Talon pulled his finger from me completely, leaving me feeling unsatisfied and empty. I snapped my eyes open to see what was going on and found Talon removing his clothes. A smile spread across my face as his gorgeous naked body came into view.
Talon moved between my legs, spreading them wide enough for his body to fit. He placed his forehead against mine and dropped his lips down enough to kiss me deeply. I hiked my legs up against his sides as his erection pushed against my opening. My hands smoothed across his ribcage and around to his strong back as he pushed into me as far as he could. A lingering moan escaped me as he began to move. Instantly that same burning was back and stronger than before. Talon was moving slowly; pushing into me deeply and then dragging himself out at an agonizing pace. I squeezed my legs against his sides and begged him to move faster. I was craving my release, and the slower he moved the more I felt like I was going to die if he didn’t give it to me.
“Patience, baby,” he said breathlessly as he continued to drive me crazy.
“I have zero patience right now,” I managed to reply.
He dropped his head to the curve of my neck, resting it against my shoulder as he picked up the pace. He was rocking in and out of me so fast and the smell of his cologne and sweat was so heady that I felt drunk off of him.
The sound of our labored breaths echoed through the studio as Talon continued to push both of us towards our own release. My legs started to wobble against his sides from lack of strength as my orgasm ripped through me. I arched my back and completely let go as I moaned his name loudly. My legs fell slack to the side as Talon continued to ride me, on the search of his own orgasm.
“Oh, god!” I cried out in a whisper as he moved frantically within me.
“You feel so damn good,” he growled against my jaw as he tensed before letting his release go within me. Talon bit down on my earlobe, causing it to sting as he slowly stopped moving inside me. “I love you, Tegan, you’re my everything,” he whispered against my skin, causing me to smile widely.
“You’re my everything and more, Talon.” I caressed the side of his face before meshing our lips together softly.
The studio didn’t need much work to have it up and running. Adalynn and I spent the following two weeks after Talon surprised me with it getting all the paperwork lined out and advertising for the grand opening. I was nervous, but in a good way. After I was forced to close the original Graceful Moves, I never thought I would have another dance studio. But lo and behold, Talon made it a reality for me again. This time I had something special in store for Adalynn though.
There were two offices in the new building, both were down a short hallway that turned behind the reception desk and sat directly across from one another; one’s mine, while the other’s Adalynn’s.
“Hey, you need to fill these papers out so I can mail them today in regards to the new corporation.” I laid them on Adalynn’s desk in front of her.
“New corporation?” She looked from her computer screen to me. “They told us we didn’t need to do any of that because there aren’t any changes,” she informed me.
“I know this.” I smiled widely. “Read the paperwork.” I pushed the small stack closer to her.
I watched as her eyes roamed over the words before her, patiently waiting for her to get to the part I’d been dying for her to see. “You didn’t!” She squealed out in excitement. Her watery eyes met mine and I shook my head up and down to confirm what she was asking me. “Tegan Carter!!!! I flippin’ love you so much for this!!!” Adalynn jumped up from her chair and ran around her desk to pull me into an almost neck breaking hug.
“You’re welcome,” I choked out.
She let me go just enough to look into my eyes, “You really didn’t have to do this, Tegan, I’ve been perfectly happy going about business like I have been.” Tears filled Adalynn’s eyes making my own begin to water.
“Don’t you do it!” I warned her about crying, but the tears overflowed her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She was smiling widely as she hugged me again.
“Now sign the damn papers so I can mail them,” I teased as she went back to her desk and quickly signed them all.
“Now I need to get a new sign for your door.” I held my hand up and moved it from left to right. “Adalynn Kee, co-owner.” She squealed.
“This—this is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of, Tegan. I appreciate it so much.”
“Adalynn, you’ve been there for me through so much shit. You held the studio together when I was falling apart and continued to do so when I thought I was strong enough to come back. In reality, it’s been your studio for a long time. I’m beyond grateful to be able to share i
t with you now.” We were both full-blown crying as I finished admitting the truth of the situation.
She laughed. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”
“You have no idea how much everything you have done for me, means to me,” I countered. “Now we need to get ourselves together for the first night of classes!” I clapped my hands as she checked the clock.
Adalynn handed me a bottle of water, “I know this isn’t alcohol but I feel that we need a toast.” I laughed. “To new beginnings!” She said, holding her bottle up and touched it to mine.
“To new beginnings!”
It was the night of the grand opening of the new and improved Graceful Moves. My hands were shaking from nerves and Adalynn was running around making sure everything was set for the parents to watch our first practice. We had refreshments in the lobby with finger foods and welcome packets for each student and parent.
The past few weeks had been so overwhelming. I was afraid that what happened at the old studio would tarnish the new one, but thankfully it didn’t. When we opened enrollment almost every single student from before came back plus some. Unfortunately, Heather didn’t come back. I didn’t blame her. Her family finally let me talk to her after everything that happened. She was learning how to handle the after-effects of what that bastard did to her. One blessing was that he didn’t get as far with her as he did with me. Abigail was the counselor handling her case. I had suggested Abigail because she had been doing so well with me, and I knew Heather could use someone like her to talk to. Thankfully her family took my advice after our meeting. The day of our meeting I was terrified; completely horrified that her family would throw bricks at me for what happened to their daughter, but they didn’t. The two hours we spent together was packed full of tears and talking about the future. Heather’s strength was beyond any I had ever witnessed in an eight-year-old girl, and I admired the hell out of her for it.
Graceful Scars Page 20
