What Lies Beneath (Count on Me Series #7) by Melyssa Winchester Page A

this burn. It’s all desire now.
    All Belle.
    “Every mark, every indent, and every scar you have. I’m going to kiss them all, Kay. Place my lips over every one and with the kiss, take away all of the pain associated with them so that only the feel of my lips, the love that I have for you, and the trust that we’ve built, remains.”
    Closing my eyes as she begins, I fall into her words and let her do what she said.
    I let her chase the darkness away.
     

 
    Chapter Seven
     
     
    “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” Belle asks for the hundredth time since I dropped it on her before breakfast.
    “Yeah, baby. It’s the only way.”
    I’m pretty positive it’s not the only way, but in order for me to be able to move past what happened last night, and from the guilt that’s been eating me alive, it’s the only way that works for me.
    Owning my mistakes is not as hard as I thought it would be. I struggle with it only because I never should have made these mistakes in the first place. I feel bad for every single wrong turn I made. Every person I hurt. Every bit of hell I put them through with my words and physical actions.
    It just sucks because you own it, but owning it in words never seems like enough.
    It all comes down to what Belle told me before. Actions do speak louder than words, and I’m still struggling with what the right actions are to show that I really regret the things I did.
    Sure, saying it won’t happen again and living my life in a way that proves it, should be enough, but it never is. Not for me. I want to find a way to make even more of an impact.
    Belle says that’s what my major in school is about. That my impact is being made in wanting to work with kids like me. The ones that the world seems to forget about. The ones society wants to label and throw under a bus instead of working with for a better outcome.
    I think she’s right. I just wish it didn’t take so damn long for the impact to be made. I want to race toward that end goal instead of baby stepping it the entire way the way it feels like I have been.
    It began with Belle three years ago, and now it’s going to happen again with Sammy.
    Even if it is ten years too late.
    “What are you going to do if he slams the door in your face?” Belle asks, leaning back in her chair and bringing her mug of tea to her lips. “Or worse, he doesn’t even remember you?”
    I’ve thought about that. Not remembering me would seem like the best possible outcome, but knowing that I’d be making him remember the shit I put him through in an effort to atone for my fucking sins, actually makes it the worst. I’d be bringing up things better left buried.
    I’d almost welcome the slam of a door in my face against that.
    “If he slams the door in my face, I knock again. I don’t stop knocking until I make him hear me out. I actually expect him to do that, Belle. Hell, I expect him to punch me. God knows I deserve it. Whatever his response is, I’ll handle it.”
    Bringing the cup to her lips again, she seems to accept my answer as she takes another swallow before placing it back down onto the bar.
    “Kay…I don’t want to make anything worse, but last night, something pretty big happened and I think we should probably talk about it before we go.”
    “I know, and we will, I promise. Just not yet.”
    “How are you feeling today?” she changes the subject.
    “Healed.”
    I’m pretty blunt with my words. Like, I’ll tell you straight up how I’m feeling and not give much thought to the actual words I’m using when I do it. But just like I’ve done in the past with her, I’ve done again with just the use of one word.
    Her cheeks are heating up and changing shades.
    Admitting that what she spent over two hours doing last night helped me heal is getting to her in the best possible way.
    Placing a gentle kiss to the side of my face that’s desperately in need of shave, she leaves the moment where it is and switches