Dig

by L.A. Ferro

"What do you mean, you gave me a week?"

"Do you seriously think I didn’t want to pick up my phone and call or text you? You were litera...

"So why didn’t you? Why did you wait u...

"Because I needed you to miss me so that when I came back, that pretty heart would know it's mine."

He wants me. He wants me just as much as I want him.

I don’t know where to start, but if you don’t think it’s too soon to meet the family, you can follow me home."

"I thought you’d never ask, pretty girl."

"Really?"

"Pretty girl, I’ll follow you anywhere."

"Don’t tease me, pretty girl. I like it rough."

I’m so screwed.

I've been empty on the inside for far too long, just going through the motions. I'm tired of watching this life pass me by. I don't want to be a slave to my past anymore. I need to let go.

We all have something that eats away at our sanity, that threatens to choke out the people we strive to be.

The problem is, I'm not going anywhere. She is my light in the dark, and I'm not letting her go.

There are times when she seems so shy and introverted and others when she's assertive and confident as fuck. I never know which one I will get, and honestly, I like it. Maybe I'm attracted to crazy.

"What are you doing?"

I just want to be closer to my girl."

"Can you do me a...

"I want you to sit on...

"I already told you I need to ...

"Come here." I pat my lap before a...

This time, she doesn't argue and d...

I can't make her feel better about the food, I know that much, but I'm hoping I can distra...

"Good girl."

When she listens, I'm instantly hard for so many reasons. One: I fucking love that I'm helping her with something that hurts her. Two: she's following directions like she loves it, which is sexy as hell. And three: regardless of whether or not she knows it, Aria has a banging body.

She's my girl.

My girl. I still can’t believe those words are coming out of my mouth.

Moving toward her dresser, she pulls out a shirt—but not just any shirt. My shirt. She pulls it out and brings it up to her face before inhaling deeply. The move makes my heart do funny things, things I've never felt, and I can feel my cheeks starting to ache from the massive smile that is taking over my face. My girl not only wants me; she misses me.

She was just as scared as I was.

I wish I could make her see what I see.

This time she is smiling, and my jealousy rears its ugly head. I want to be the guy to put that smile on her face, not whoever's on the other end of that phone. However, the possessiveness I feel now barely gets a chance to morph into anger because my phone vibrates in my pocket. When I pull it out, I see it's from her. Dumbass.

"Don't ever hide from me, pretty girl."

"Aria, these are some nice sheets."

"I know. I take sleeping very seriously. It's one of the few things that really makes me happy."

"Oh yeah? Why i...

"It's the only time my brain shuts off, and I'm abl...

Trust that I'm not some superficial prick; trust that I want you just as much as you want me."

"By the way, I'll be taking something with me tonight."

"You want my underwear."

"I want everything,"

"Holden, I came home wearing your shirt. I did the walk of shame up to my front door with two cops, my ex, and my family as witnesses. I don't think you need to get worked up."

"You make me possessive, Aria. I don't want to hear about another man. You're mine."

"I'm trying really hard to get better. I've been trying for months, but it's so hard. I have good days, but the bad days are horrible, and I hurt myself on those days."

When her beautiful brown eyes find mine, I'm a goner. She trusted me with her demon; she exposed herself to me, and now I want to be her everything.

"We all have a weakness, pretty girl. None of us are untouched by grief, pain, or loss. At the end of the day, some of ours are easier to identify than others. But I promise, you are not alone. We have each other. You've uncovered all the better parts of me that I thought I'd lost. And I promise to help pull you back when it gets dark."

"Baby, these marks don't make me want you any less.

"Pretty girl, I don't want to stop, but you have to try and be quiet."

I want her to be confident and comfortable with me. I'm pushing her because I need her to see what I see.

"Aria, do you think these beauty marks change anything for me?"

"This is what your body does to me, pretty girl."