Flawed (Imperfectly Perfect Book 1) Read online

  That was what killed my parents the most. They blamed themselves, the constant business trips and not noticing what was going on. My mother just broke down. She carries the guilt till this day.

  I cleared my throat. “About a year later, three other girls and I, who were in a similar situation, were offered an opportunity to leave. They wanted us to dance at a party and later we would fly to Colombia for a show, after which we would be free. The offer was great, but it seemed way too easy to be true. That was the night I saw you.”

  “I knew something was wrong but I just couldn’t figure out what it was. The security guards were watching us closely because we had to leave as soon as our set finished.” I looked up again, my eyes glazed over from the tears. “You saved me that night.”

  Andrew chuckled and wiped the remaining tears from my face. “I did?”

  “You did. If you hadn’t gotten me out of there, I would have gone to Colombia. Till today no one knows the whereabouts of the other girls. There was a lot of speculation, but nothing confirmed. The police never found them.”

  Occasionally, I thought about the other girls. I wondered where they were, if they are alive or not. I felt fortunate to have escaped but also guilty that I got to live my life while they couldn’t. It was as if they never existed. Of course, their families would never forget them but the rest of the world had.

  “What happened to this Dominic person? Is he still putting little girls through misery?”

  “No. It took a while for the police to track him and his crew down but a couple of years back, my father told me that one of his parties was invaded by the police. Shots were fired and he ended up being killed.”

  “I can’t say that I’m sorry.”

  “Neither can I. But then you also kind of ruined my life.”

  “How so?” Andrew asked confused.

  I sat up to face him. “When I got home the next morning my father was waiting for me. God, he was so furious. Dominic had made good on his threat. Most of my close relatives had received the pictures, videos, and everything. I will never forget the disappointment on my father’s face that day or the way my mother blamed herself for everything. Then embarrassment began to taunt me to a point that I couldn’t take it anymore. I sensed the nasty glances whenever I walked by. I’d hear my mother’s sisters whispering about me, and there was always some kind of crude comment from one of my family members. It’s like they took pride in judging me. My mom would always defend me though.

  “My father wanted to send me to London, where my grandparents live, to finish school and get a fresh start in a place where no one knew me. I refused and asked to come here instead.”

  “Why here?”

  “‘Cause when I woke up in that hotel room alone … I was confused and unsure if you were real. I asked around but the most I got was that you and your friends had left to the airport with a hotel shuttle and that you were from San Diego.”

  Andrew smiled broadly, took my hand and brushed his fingertips over my palm. “You ran to me.”

  I never thought of it that way. “I guess.”

  Swiftly he tugged me across his lap and hugged me. The embrace was tight and heartfelt. There were no words better than this to express his sympathy.

  I pulled back and swept the hair from his forehead. “That’s the one thing I wish I could go back and erase but I can’t. I’ll never truly be over it, and because I never had to talk about it since I moved here, I pretended as if it never happened.” It was easier to pretend than to accept the truth.

  “It wasn’t your fault, Mel. You were just a child then.”

  “It is my fault. I had a choice and I made the wrong one. It was my choice. My mistake.”

  A mistake that changed the entire course of my life. A mistake that brought me shame and worst of all was the fact that it couldn’t be undone. I lived with the burden of the consequences on a daily basis. I tried to forget by starting over however, no matter where I ran to, I could never leave my past behind. It was part of me.

  Ever since, I’d been cautious as to whom I let into my life. My circle of friends was limited to Erica and Christina. Andrew somehow managed to infiltrate himself into my life.

  Andrew sighed and traced my lips with his index finger. “I’m glad we met again. I’m so glad I got to know your story and I’m incredibly sorry for the way I came on to you.”

  His apology was sincere, much more than the last time. I caught his hand, stilling his movements and said, “Kiss me.”

  Before he could make a move, I crushed my mouth over his, kissing him fiercely. I sucked on his tongue. He groaned and flexed his fingers around my hips. Just like that the air shifted and the undying sizzle between us erupted.

  His hands slid over my bare legs and I shifted, moving to straddle him. Andrew clasped my waist and deliberately pushed me away, breaking our kiss. He sagged back into the couch with his eyes closed while his chest heaved. “Mel, please give me a minute.”

  I ran my knuckles down his face. He placed his hand over mine and brought it to his lips. Gently, he pressed a kiss on my palm. Then I took my hand away from his and pulled my dress over my head and tossed it carelessly on the floor.

  He grunted his appreciation. “Do you ever wear a bra?”

  “Does it bother you that I don’t?”

  He smirked and palmed my breasts, massaging them softly. His warm touch on my bare skin made my breath drawback and my skin ignited. I reached for his belt and unbuckled it, but when I tried to open his pants, he caught my wrists, stopping me.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  I rocked my hips against him, feeling him grow beneath me. His breath hissed out between tightened teeth. I brought my lips to his ear and brushed over its shell whispering, “I want to, Andrew.” I rubbed down to his neck, inhaling the alluring smell of his skin. “I want you.” I pressed a wet kiss on his collarbone.

  Andrew released my wrists and cupped my face. His lips found mine and in an instant his fingers raced through my hair, trapping me to him as if he feared I’d escape. I reached for the fly of his pants and pulled down his zipper.

  “I want this,” I said in between the wild and desperate kiss. “Take me, Andrew.”

  Andrew eased and made no further attempts to stop me. My hand found his cock—he was hard and long—I squeezed him gently, running my fist up his length from root to tip, and he quivered beneath me. Smoothly, one of his hands glided upward to the edges of my thigh until his thumb found the blue lace of my thong.

  “Are you always this wet?” he murmured into my mouth while rubbing at the core of my femininity, sending an upsurge of pleasure through me.

  “Only for you,” I replied, my voice lower than a whisper.

  Andrew secured his hands around me as he rose, carrying me across his apartment. I linked my legs behind his waist for support. He kicked open the bedroom door and laid me down on his bed. The sheets were cold against my burning skin and I cringed a little. Andrew switched on the lights and stripped down in record time.

  “Do you have any idea how badly I want you, Mel?” his voice was husky.

  Propped on my elbows, I watched him stride towards me. I stared mesmerized at the perfect definition of his stomach and lower abdomen. Andrew grasped each of my ankles, moving my legs apart and crawled onto the bed between them. He then trailed kisses up from my stomach.

  Each touch flushed my skin. Each flick burned through me. For the first time, I craved for a man to be inside of me; to push me over the edge and possess me in every way possible. He bathed me in tender kisses until his face hovered over mine.

  He smiled at me and my stomach fluttered. My breasts swelled and my nipples pebbled. I was drizzling and internally begging him to touch me. Andrew seized one of my breasts with his mouth. He didn’t suck gently, but hard, before biting my nipple. I clenched the sheets, moaning. His lips wrapped around my other mound and hauled causing me to tremble. His hands slipped inside my thong and I spread my leg
s wider as he caressed between my folds. I fell apart, my body convulsed, shattering into delightful pieces.

  My breathing was ragged as I came down from my orgasm.

  Andrew sat up and yanked my thong off. He reached over to the bedside table, took a condom and rolled it over his length. Once done, he moved back between my legs, stretching them further apart. The way he looked at me shut down my brain and all reasoning. Maybe it was my mind portraying what it wanted to see but I saw it. I saw the look in his eyes. He cared and I was unexpectedly nervous.

  Andrew positioned the head of his erection at my entrance. “Mel, are you sure about this?”

  Gulping in my nerves, I nodded. “Yes, take it slow. It’s been a while.”

  He searched my eyes, almost pleased with what I said. “How long?”

  “Six years.” Andrew nodded his understanding. Unhurried he slithered into me, gentler than anyone ever had.

  “Oh!” I cried, stiffening my muscles.

  Andrew stilled, gazing at me, his brown eyes were bright with concern. “You’re tight. I’m not even halfway in yet.”

  “This is painful, Andrew.” I laughed. “I thought it would be earthquakes and fireworks.”

  He chuckled and leaned to kiss my forehead. “Those come later. Right now, I need you to try and relax, you’re tense.” I placed my hands on his forearms and shut my eyes trying to relax as he slid deeper. “Breathe, don’t hold your breath.”

  I let it go.

  “Congratulations you’re no longer a virgin.” I opened my eyes with his comment, and he was smiling broadly. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Haven’t been one in a while.”

  “To me you are.” His words engulfed me, rendering me speechless.

  That moment was nothing like the day I’d lost my virginity. It was precious, a beautiful memory that I would hold forever.

  He withdrew even slower, then moved back in groaning. With every slow thrust, the distress reduced. Andrew sped slightly and the discomfort diminished. He held my head between his hands and kissed me with delicacy, unlike any of the previous kisses.

  “You feel good Mel, too good,” he whispered breathlessly. “I knew you would.”

  I fastened my eyes and undid at his words with wild whimpers of pleasure. A marvelous tingling overtook my body. It flowed from the top of my head, down my spine, all the way to my curling toes, and I shuddered. Andrew followed with his own climax and slumped on top of me.

  I opened my eyes panting and Andrew pressed his head at the curve of my neck, calming his breathing. He then kissed my lips and pulled out of me.

  I winced.

  “You okay?”

  “Perfect.”

  Andrew rolled off the bed and strode to the bathroom, I assumed to dispose of the condom. A few seconds later he returned, climbed back on the bed, and covered us with a comforter. He held me tightly, burying his face at the back of my head and inhaled deeply. With our limbs entwined, we fell asleep.

  Chapter 9

  Andrew

  I lifted the sheets and glanced at her naked body.

  My lips curved up with delight. I eased off the bed and tiptoed to the hallway bathroom not wishing to wake her up. She seemed peaceful in her sleep. I turned on the water and jumped into the shower. The warm water, however welcoming, erased all traces of Melissa’s fragrance. I loved her smell.

  I thought if I had her once, I would be able to move on from the obsession I’d developed, but it only increased it. I’d never felt the way she made me feel and last night was hands down the best sex of my life. Watching her squirm and moan was gratifying, hearing my name roll off of her tongue as she gave into pleasure was overwhelming. All I wanted to do was please her and see a smile on her plump lips.

  When she told me what had happened, it shredded me. I’d heard about these sorts of cases but never experienced it up close. Those fuckers took advantage of her innocence. Melissa was just a little girl who fell into the claws of a predator. It also reminded me of how I treated her. I’d hurt her. And I never wanted to repeat that mistake. She’d been through enough already.

  I switched off the water and swathed a towel around my waist. From the vanity drawer, I found a new toothbrush to use. Then I set off to the room, Melissa was still sleeping. Making as little noise as possible I got dressed and rushed back out.

  In the kitchen, I turn on the coffee machine and helped myself to a cup. Since I skipped my workout today, I had plenty of time to spare before going into the office. I decided to do some work and then make her breakfast when she was ready.

  With my coffee mug in hand, I walked back down the hall to the spare room I’d transformed into my hiding place. Dave and Rob called it the junkyard and my parents just called it junk—garbage. It was the one place I felt comfortable, and I was who I wanted to be.

  Since as far back as I could remember I’d been fascinated with technology and software development. During High School, I met Ricky and every Wednesday after football practice I was at his house. He taught me coding and together we created online video games for fun. I have never stopped creating them or coding since. It was what I did in my free time. What little free time I had.

  Having dropped on a leather chair, I powered my computer and connected with my online friends. They never slept. I set my fingers on the keyboard and disappeared into a virtual world, losing myself for a while.

  “Andrew.” I heard Melissa’s voice from a distance. “Andrew?”

  I searched the screen for the time, and my eyes popped. “Shit.” I always lost track of time when I was there. If Rob didn’t live next door and wasn’t a constant pain in my ass, I could sit here for days without noticing time passing.

  “In here,” I shouted.

  Seconds later, I felt her presence and wheeled the chair around to see her standing by the door, I swallowed followed by a leisure intake of air. How long would it take before her presence didn’t incite such strong physical reactions?

  I ran my eyes over every part of her. She had her little dress on, her hair was damp, and she was barefoot. Her tiny feet were as beautiful as every other part of her. I stretched out my arms, Melissa skipped across the room and threw herself onto my lap. I hugged her and breathed in. She smelled like my shower gel and not her usual scent.

  Resting my head on her chest, I listened to her heartbeat, unmindful of what I was doing. Melissa was metamorphosing me into a mushy and gooey thing.

  “How are you? How you feeling?”

  She rested her chin on my head. “A bit sore, besides that I’m fine.”

  “I wanted to make you breakfast but I lost track of time.” I put forth my most apologetic pout.

  “It’s okay. I have to get going anyway. Raincheck? As you Americans say.”

  I nodded. Definitely.

  Melissa rose from my lap and strolled around my mess with a confused expression. “Are you building a robot or something?”

  I sniggered. “No.” The space was cluttered with cables, wires, motherboards, routers, keyboards, and the list went on. It was my heaven.

  She waved her hands around the room. “Then what’s with all of this?”

  I shrugged. “I like computers.”

  A slight frown knitted between her brows. “This seems more than just like.” Standing on her heels she peeked at the computer behind me. “What’s that? It looks complicated.”

  I spun my chair and observed the computer screen. It was filled with code. “It’s a software I’m working on.” Now she was completely lost, so I filled her in. It was baffling how easily I could share my thoughts with her.

  “So, you’re a genius?”

  I chuckled. Melissa was a breath of fresh air. “I like doing it.” From the warmth in her eyes, I sensed she understood. “I wanted to own a technology company.”

  She sat on my desk holding my gaze. “Why don’t you own one?”

  “It’s not that easy. It’s expensive and time-consuming. If I do it, I couldn’t be a full-t
ime lawyer… It’s complicated.”

  “I thought you were rich?”

  I shook my head, amused. “My father is rich. My family is rich. I own this house, my car, I have a few investments and get a paycheck when I do my job.” And there was no way my father would waste a penny of his precious money to help me with anything that wasn’t part of the life plan they’d developed for me. “I’ve thought about selling this place and giving it a shot. It would be risky and if I failed, I’d be homeless, jobless, and probably full of debts.”

  “And if you don’t fail?” Her question hung. I had no idea what to say. “If you want, I could help you. Money wise.”

  I shifted closer and kissed her hands. What I needed was way more than what she could fit into her piggy bank. It was thoughtful of her to offer nonetheless. “It’s okay. I don’t think I’ll do it anyway.”

  Melissa scowled. “Why not? If it’s what you want you should go for it, Andrew. I get that you don’t want to disappoint your parents, but I think it’s not worth living as if you have a noose around your neck.” That’s exactly how I felt and the noose was getting tighter by the day. “Don’t live for your parents. Live your own life. Nothing is guaranteed in life and you will never know what will be unless you try.”

  This was going to be a huge battle with my parents. I was not sure I was prepared or willing to take on that fight because it could cost me life as I know it. My father would disown me without a doubt. I wasn’t prepared to take that gamble. If there was one thing I’d learned from being a lawyer was that you never gamble with the unknown.

  “I believe in you, Andrew.” She ruffled my hair. “Promise me you’ll think about it once more, for me.”

  She believed in me. That was something I never heard from someone, especially from my parents.

  “Andrew…” she prompted.

  “I promise I’ll reconsider. For you.”

  “I’ll be right here to help if you need me.” There was belief in her tone, unlike everyone else she had faith in me.