Page 104 of Shattered Silence Duet

“I… I want t-to tell you about m-my past,” I stutter out. Gideon holds the straw to my lips, and I take a few long gulps.

“You don’t have to tell us anything until you’re ready, Love,” Gideon says, gently stroking my hand.

I open my mouth to speak again, but I know I won’t be able to say everything.

“Here, I have an idea,” Ben says, pulling out his phone. “I downloaded a text to speech app. So you can type and it will read it out loud for you.” Wow, that’s a really cool app, I wish I had known about it before, it’ll help me get through this. Telling them about my past isn’t going to be easy, and even if I could speak properly, I’m not sure I’d actually be able to say the words.

He opens the app and passes me his phone and I immediately start typing.

“I want to tell you. I have to tell you. I can’t live with you in your home until you know. Or I’ll be too scared to tell you and have you kick me out.”The app speaks aloud for me.

“What? We would never kick you out, Angel. No matter what you tell us, youarecoming home with us, understand?” Jasper says firmly, and I give him a sad nod. He says that now…

“I’d like to tell you, anyway. I owe it to you for saving me. But I’m scared.”

“You don’t need to be scared of us, Sweetheart. And don’t worry, that asshole is in a holding cell. He won’t get his hands on you again,” Max says from the end of my bed.

I frown at him. What is he talking about?His hands?Is he talking about Brad? That feels so long ago now, I had forgotten about what happened at school that day. I turn my head to him quickly, confusion written all over my face.

“Are you talking about Brad?”The app reads for me.

Now it’s his turn to look confused.

“No. I mean, we won’t let Brad anywhere near you, but I’m talking about Jeff. He’s?—”

I shake my head, then hiss when it hurts. Dom gently rubs my temples, pulling me back against his chest. “Shh, take it easy, Kitten. Take a second and type when you’re ready, we’ll wait.” Max nods his agreement, pressing his lips together, obviously wanting to speak more, but willing to wait for me.

I take a few deep breaths as the pain in my head eases. Do they think Jeff is the one that did that to me? But then, where was my mother?

My hand is getting tired from typing, and Dom seems to notice as he takes the phone and holds it for me. He uses his other hand to hold my right wrist, so I just have to move my fingers to type.

“Jeff didn’t do this. It was my mom.”

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that follows.I glance around to make sure they heard the app properly and see a mix of confused and stunned faces.

“Your mother did all of that on her own?” Jasper asks, and I nod.

“Why?” Atlas growls out.

“The principal called her about Brad. She blames me. Said I was whoring myself out so he’d rescue me.”

“What the actual fuck?” Max spits out.

“Son of a bitch!” Tucker growls, pushing his fingers through his strawberry blond hair.

“Rescue you from what, Malishka?” Atlas asks, his face unmoving as I turn to look at him.

I take a deep breath before typing my answer.“Everything.”

He moves to take Gideon’s place on my left side, stroking my face gently as he stares deeply into my eyes. My insides light up at his unwavering attention, making me squirm against Dom.

“Your mother hurt you before?” he asks. I nod.

“A lot?” Another nod.

“Do you know why?”

“It’s my fault my father left.”