Terrence's POV

The sweet smell of her lavender scented shampoo tickled my nostrils as Natalie nestled into my arms, my hands wrapped around her tightly.

We had both just woken up, and neither of us had yet to leave the bed for fear of the bubble we had created bursting. After last night, she's spent as she leans against me, her nakedness covered by the duvet although I would love nothing more than to see her naked all day long.

Natalie lets out a laugh, her hand coming up to my chest to rub softly.

"What?" I ask, looking down at her.

She bites her lips, shaking her head lightly. "Nothing. It's just this...this is nice."

"It is." I agree in a gruff voice.

I felt a pang of guilt lingering in my chest, the same feeling I've been experiencing ever since we arrived here. I remember my promise to myself to tell her the truth, however it's one of those things that's easier said than done.

Some part of me fears that she'll look at me differently and I don't want that. The possibility that she won't forgive me doesn't escape my mind either, the mere thought holding me back from just getting the truth out there.

This, being with Natalie, has all been too good to be true. And I fear that like most things in my life, she'll be taken away from me too.

You'll drive her away if you don't tell her the truth, a voice in my head speaks and I clench my teeth at the undeniable truth.

"Tell me something about you." Natalie says suddenly, shifting from where she laid to look up at me.

I smiled at her, brushing her hair out of her face as I stared into her beautiful blue eyes. "What do you want to know?"

She shrugs. "Your background. I mean, you've met my parents and my closest family and friends, I think it's only fair that I know something about yours too." She says playfully and I nod in agreement.

"Okay. Well, unlike your family, I wasn't raised in a stable home. And like I told your mother, I did grow up in Houston, Texas, along with my younger brother Tremaine." She listened attentively, hanging on to my every word. "My father was...a brute. He drank too much, gambled too much, but my mother put up with it. She put up with a lot, including his constant beatings. All for my brother and I, she would say but I knew better. She just didn't know how to leave him, didn't want to."

Talking about my childhood out loud brought back so many dark memories. My past is something I don't particularly enjoy speaking about and sensing that, Natalie sends me an encouraging smile as she takes ahold of my hand.

Releasing a deep breath, I continue. "We didn't have much growing up. After having his small business taken as collateral for a debt he couldn't pay, my father never got another job and most of the money my mother made from doing manual labor, he spent on drinks and gambling like he'll actually make it back. I loathed him, I still do. But I couldn't take my brother and run, I couldn't leave my mother alone with him. Although, looking back now, I wish I had dragged her to go with us. Maybe it would have saved her life."

Natalie tensed up at my words as she stared up at me. "She's dead?"

I nod. "It was one of those nights, except this one was stormy. Come rain come shine that man never missed a day at the local beer parlor and that day was no different. He got into a fight with someone there after losing a lot of money on a bet and when he came home he was angry, drunk and searching for who to take his anger out on. His focus shifted from my mother, to Trey. He had never hit on Trey before that day. It was just my mother, and sometimes, me." The words coming out left a bad taste in my mouth but Natalie's grip tightened around my hand, willing me to keep speaking.

"Trey was a little boy at the time, barely ten. When my mother saw what he was doing, she went to stop him but this only angered him more and he picked up a knife from the kitchen. I called 911 but the neighborhood we lived in was a rough one. Cops didn't like to go there due to all the gang violence and crime. They always took ages to arrive and that day was no different. By the time they came, it was too late. I had tried to fight him off, to stall, but it made no difference." My words trailed off as I felt myself get taken back in time to that faithful day. The day that inevitably changed my life and turned me into the man I am today.

"She was a good woman, you know? She made sure my brother and I were always cared for even though we didn't have much. She tried to shield us from all the violence around our neighborhood and yet it existed in our very own home. I just-" the words got lost on me as I stared off into an empty space, that familiar feeling of pain and regret creeping into my chest.

I had asked myself one too many times why I didn't do anything sooner. Although no one could expect a recently turned thirteen years old boy to be able to do much, I wish I had tried harder, fought harder. Maybe she would still be here.

Forcefully, I pull myself away from the past and back to reality. "When the police finally came, he got arrested. We were going to be separated and put into the system, Trey and I, but thankfully my mother's estranged sister,  Aunt Gigi, was notified and she immediately came to get us. I grew up with her, although I won't lie, I was a pain in her back most of the time." I say playfully in an effort to diffuse the tension.

Natalie chuckles lowly at that before becoming quiet. "I'm sorry about what you went through."

"It's not your fault." I interrupt but she shakes her head.

"I'm sorry anyway. No one deserves to go through that, and I'm grateful to the man you turned out to be." She said, her words igniting a foreign emotion in me coupled with the look she was giving me.

The sincerity in her eyes floored me and I leaned down and kissed her, the sweet taste of her lips not one I think I'll tire of any time soon. "Thank you."

She nods before resting her head back on my chest. "So, how exactly did you become an escort?" Natalie asks with a laugh and I feel myself become tense at the question.

"I'm not-" I begin but my words are promptly cut off by the loud ringing of her phone from the bedside table.

"Hold on." Nat apologizes as she reaches across to grab the device. She puts it up to her ear and says, "Hello."

Releasing a harsh breath, I tune out her conversation as I lean my head against the headboard of the bed.

Was this a sign that maybe I shouldn't tell her?

I knew this was only the fearful part of me thinking this way but I couldn't help but allow the thoughts to invade my mind.

No, I can't keep lying to her like this.

"That was Kaylene." Natalie says when the call ends and she returns her phone back to its previous spot. "She needs my help planning the welcome party tonight."

"Welcome party?" I ask with an arched brow.

"Yeah. The remaining relatives are coming in this afternoon and they are having a welcome party for everyone which you are most definitely invited to." She laughs, shifting to get off the bed and walking to where her box is with only a big t-shirt of mine on. The sight of her in my clothes makes my chest swell but I ignore the feeling in order to concentrate on her words.

Bending low, Natalie begins going through the suitcase. "We have a whole bunch of events lined up and I never thought I'll say this, but I'm getting tired of partying."

I laugh at that and she sends me a glare. "You're getting old."

"No, I'm not. You are."

I shrug at that not even bothering to deny her words because they are indeed true. I am getting old.

When I don't give a comeback, Natalie's face takes on a smug look as she stands up and drops some clothes on the bed before turning to leave.

However, she pauses at the threshold of the bathroom before looking back at me. "What were you going to say earlier? Before you got interrupted."

After a quick beat, I shake my head as if it's nothing. "It can wait. Go on."

With a nod she heads inside the bathroom and closes the door shut behind her.

Rubbing my hands across my face, I push my head back into my pillow in annoyance at myself.

...

Hours later, the party which is being held in one of the reception rooms of the hotel is in full swing. Guests are littered around the room, all socializing but seeing as I'm not really in the mood for all that, I sit at the mocktail bar and observe, keeping a mindful eye on Natalie where she is standing with her friends.

"You're not much of a party person, are you?" Tate asks as he slips into the barstool beside me.

I turn to see him with a frown on his face. "These days, not really."

He nods in understanding.

"You, however, seem like one." I tell him and he turns to me. "Which leads me to wonder why you're sitting here with me right now."

He smiles slightly before shaking his head. "On a good day, I am."

"And today isn't a good day?" I probe and he shakes his head, staring straight ahead.

I turn to look at what he has gaze on and I see the woman Natalie introduced to me as her best friend —Kaylene, I think— talking to a man whose face I can't make out. Turning back to Tate, I know why he's suddenly upset as he clenches the glass cup in his hand.

"That you?" I ask with a smirk and he cocks his head at me.

"She could be. But she says she's not ready."

"Ready for what?"

Tate lets out an annoyed sigh, bowing his head slightly. "Kay is one of my sister's closest friends. Plus, she's older than me." He looks up at me, annoyance flaring in his eyes. "I don't get it though. It's like she's embarrassed to tell the world that we are together. In private, she's down for anything but in public it's like I don't even exist. Sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time with her."

I pat his shoulder lightly. Ol' boy was obviously going through it. "Do you care about her?"

"More than anything." He replies lowly.

"Then tell her. See what she says first then based on her response, you guys will move forward." I tell him and his face takes on a skeptical expression.

I watch as he thinks it over before nodding and standing up. "Thanks, man." Tate says and after dapping him, he leaves.

Alone once more, I turn to my drink. However, the moment is interrupted as the seat Tate once occupied is pulled out and I watch Jasmine's form slip into it through the corner of my eye.

"I hope this seat isn't taken." She says although she's already occupying it.

"Nah." I tell her as I opt to ignore her. From what I've been told and seen, she and Natalie don't get along and I'm not about to disrespect her by fraternizing with her cousin.

Jasmine laughs whimsically, the sound grating at my ears as I wonder what's so funny. "Aren't you going to be a gentle man and offer to buy me a drink?"

I turn to her then with an arched eyebrow as I take her in. Dressed in a green evening gown, I'm mildly surprised to see that she's actually covered up. Then she crosses her legs and notice the long, plunging slit on the side of the dress. I mentally shake my head.

Not bothering to exchange words with her, I signal the waiter and order a drink for her, asking him to add it to my tab. Her eyes never leave me all the while. When the waiter brings the drink, I stand up. "Excuse me, I have to go to the restroom."

She's silent as she watches me leave. I quickly head to the restroom which is empty and after handling my business I leave.

When I step out, I feel somebody place a hand on my arm. I already know who it is before I turn to face her and my jaw clenches in annoyance. Sending her a glare, I snatch my arm out of her grip and she sends me a placating smile, her eyes glazing over.

"You should know better, Jasmine," I warn. "I'm with your cousin."

"Oh, please. Like Natalie actually likes you. She's just using you for your money." She says and I scrunch my face up at her. "But me, on the other hand, I want to make you feel good."

The way her hand goes to wrap my arm again feels like a snake slithering on my skin and I push her away. The action annoys her and her eyes turn hard, her nostrils flaring.

"What is it that the bitch has that I don't?" Jasmine's sharp voice echos in the hallway.

"Class. Self-respect. Decency." I list for her and the hand that was reaching out for me withdrew as if burnt.

The door to the female restroom beside where we stood is pulled open and Natalie calmly walks out. My chest heaves when I see her, even though I know that I did nothing wrong.

Jasmine glares at her before storming in the opposite direction, the clicking of her heels loud in the otherwise empty hallway. Meanwhile, Nat sends me a small smile before pulling me back to the party.

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Okayyy

What did you think of this chapter?

Do you guys think that Terrence will have another opportunity to tell Nat the truth before time runs out?

Also, Jasmine making a move on Terrence, how do you feel about that?

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Till next time...