Chương 65: 065

Time smirked faintly, dry amusement brushing his thoughts. A ringing endorsement. Still, I appreciate your reluctance to let me suffer. I shrugged. We didn't exactly get off to a stellar start—you have to admit that. But we're improving. He inclined his head in acknowledgment. For a moment, his gaze drifted, distant and unfocused, as though tracking something far older than the clearing around us. When his attention returned, it was sharp, searching. I waited. A quiet hum of contemplation resonated through my mind.

I wish to speak of the memory, he said at last. Now that I have answered your questions about my earlier lapse. My mood sank immediately. I should've known he wouldn't let that go. On one hand, it had been years ago—and after everything tonight, I doubted he'd use it against me. On the other… I'd been wrong about people before. Time's expression softened, his tone surprisingly gentle. You are correct. I would not weaponize personal pain against you. Despite our… strained beginning, you have proven decent enough.

Borrowing his words, I stalled with a tease. A ringing endorsement, coming from you. He didn't take the bait. He simply watched me, patient and unpressing. It was a strange contrast to his usual commanding presence, and somehow worse for it. I hesitated. The scars across my body seemed to stir, a phantom ache reminding me they existed. They'd come to light eventually, especially if we bathed together on the road. Better to rip the bandage off now.

Suppressing the old instinct to deflect or minimize, I exhaled slowly and let my thoughts drift back to the worst chapter of my life. How much do you know about orphans on Earth? Time tilted his head, then shook it. Very little, I'm afraid. Great. From scratch it was then, yippee. We're placed in foster homes until someone adopts us, I began. They're supposed to be temporary. Foster parents get paid to take us in. Unease crawled along my skin. I crushed it down.

I'd made the choice to speak, I wasn't backing out now. Besides, the therapist they'd forced me to see had insisted I tell someone. Sure it was ten years late, but whatever. It still counted. I ended up with a couple—the Bugels. They passed every inspection. Model foster parents. They planned to adopt eventually—used fostering as a kind of trial run. My chest tightened. I rubbed absently at scars hidden beneath my shirt. The wife was… fine, I continued. Kind enough. But her husband wasn't.

He seemed fine on paper, the picture perfect example of an outstanding citizen. They had their eye on a little girl, one who was close to me. Images surfaced unbidden. Story time. Shared snacks. Late nights spent calming Lucy after nightmares. Hours whispering reassurances that her scars didn't make her broken. I swallowed and looked away. I was happy for her. Until I met him. The warmth curdled into something cold. Mr. Bugel's gaze, lingering too long on Lucy's photo. Hunger thinly disguised as interest.

Every instinct I had screaming at me to run. On paper, he was perfect. In person, I knew better. I knew what he wanted her for, I said quietly. And I couldn't let him have her, twist her. The adults wouldn't listen though. They said I was jealous, trying to take the opportunity from Lucy. Even though I had a meeting that evening too. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Years later, I could still picture the couple. Painfully pleasant, damn near perfect in every way.

The faint scent of baked goods clinging to the woman. Her husband's easy smile. Something twisted in my chest at the memory, an old longing I shoved down hard. I'd started this story. I wasn't stopping now. I forced myself to meet Time's gaze again. They wanted to adopt me, I continued. I begged them to take Lucy instead. And they did. The scars beneath my shirt twinged. I rubbed at the thick knot of raised skin. The Bugles took me in, the husband made my life hell in return for foiling his plan.

He never hurt me in front of the missus, he was careful about that, but anything I did was reason for a beating. His favorite excuse was that 'I looked at his wife'. I scoffed. I was too on edge to look at any woman that way. Not that it mattered to him. If she paid me even a shred of attention, he'd get territorial. Dangerously, violently territorial. I shrugged, the motion brittle. And that's where the basement comes in. The memories hit in a rush. Too sharp, too vivid. The scent of bile, filth and piss.

The sweltering heat of infection. The lingering burn from the belt buckle's bite on my chest and back. The lashes leftover from the bastard's mood swings. I shook the memories loose and met his gaze again. I would have died in that basement. Hell, part of me had wanted to, just to make it stop. But Karma intervened. She insisted I survive. For her. I'd never heard her like that before, so shaken, so afraid. In that moment, none of it mattered: not how much I hated my life, not how badly I wanted it to end.

She wanted me to live. So I did. A dry smile tugged at my lips. Escaping through the busted window hadn't done my already battered body any favors. The glass shredded what skin that bastard hadn't already claimed, slicing me to ribbons. But I was free. And that was all that mattered. Silence stretched between us, heavy and taut. At last, I glanced his way, unable to endure the weight of his stare any longer. Anger carved sharp lines into his expression, and when he spoke, his outrage cut clean and cold.

How old were you? I hummed, searching my memory. Sixteen. Maybe seventeen. I was close to aging out of the system. His teeth ground together. So young… He shook himself, eyes turning flinty. You told the authorities, I presume? Yeah. I scoffed, bitterness sour on my tongue. Mrs. Bugel didn't want to believe it. She called me a liar, even in court. That was after they showed her pictures of the cellar. And my scars. Her screams still echoed through my nightmares sometimes.

The way she'd denounced me had burned worse than anything he'd done. Time's frown deepened. Her delusion in defending him is unfathomable. Karma would never tolerate such behavior. If I laid a hand on a child, she would take me to task immediately, as she should. I smiled faintly, imagining Karma tearing Mr. Bugel apart. Yeah. She's a badass like that. The smile faded. If she hadn't talked me down, I don't think I would've survived the depression afterward either.

His gaze softened, the fury ebbing into something gentler. I believe I am beginning to understand why Karma was so determined to adopt you. I raised an eyebrow, but before I could respond, a small, drowsy voice pierced the quiet.

"Are you two going to kiss?" Heat rushed to my face as I spun around. Maya, still curled into Henry's arm, rubbed sleep from her eyes.

"What? No! Why would you think that?" I hissed, my voice dropping to a panicked whisper. Kids were unpredictable, I knew that firsthand, but where had that come from? She pointed at our hands. Mine was still resting on Time's arm.

"Aman and Adan do that a lot." Flustered, I yanked my hand back, resisting the urge to bury my face in it.

"We're not like that!" I whispered, sparing Time an apologetic glance.

"No offense. I'm not into guys, and even if I were, you wouldn't be my type. Hell, your wife is-." I froze, horrified by what I'd almost said to Time himself. Brilliant, Nikolas, I scolded myself. Tell the man you'd sleep with his wife. Stellar move. A plus job. I looked away, bracing myself. Mr. Bugel had done serious damage over imagined slights. Time could do far worse if he was territorial. To my surprise, he didn't react at all. Instead, his tone was calm, almost amused.

"Of course you would prefer my wife. She is the apex of all that is good in Nexus. That is hardly news." Oh, thank fuck. He took that with remarkable grace. Relief hit me so hard it nearly knocked me flat. Time turned to Maya, continuing evenly.

"I am happily married to a wonderful woman, as you have likely surmised. And holding someone's arm is not an act reserved for lovers. Nikolas has done the same with Dura, and with your adan, has he not?" Maya considered this, then nodded, satisfied.

"He has." She yawned, settling back into Henry's side.

"Good night." I exhaled, a soft chuckle slipping free.

"Kids say the damnedest things." Time shook his head, a wry smile touching his lips.

"That they do. But we should rest. We have a long journey ahead." I nodded, stowing the books before settling against a nearby tree. Time followed suit. The chirring of insects and the cool night air wrapped around me, easing me into one of the most peaceful sleeps I'd had in years.