BK 4 - Chapter 13 - Kiersten
Kiersten wasn't sure she heard Alex correctly. It sounded like he said mate when their hands touched, but that wouldn't make sense. What had caused the sparks that ran through her body from his touch?
"What did you say?" She asked a little breathlessly. Why was her heart racing like she'd just run a marathon? When Alex removed his hand from hers, she felt slightly disappointed.
"Uh, sorry." He said nervously. He couldn't tell her he had just called her his mate. Alex knew that would sound crazy to a human.
"What are you apologizing for?" Kiersten asked with confusion.
"For holding your hand so long. It wasn't polite." Alex answered. Although with how good it felt holding her hand, he wanted to pull her onto his lap to see how that would feel.
"I don't mind. It felt nice." Kiersten said, turning toward him slightly. Alex was glad she couldn't see him because his face was on fire. How could this sweet, gorgeous woman be his mate? She was perfect.
"I liked it too." He said as he folded his letter and put it back in the envelope. Alex looked at Kiersten with a small smile he knew she couldn't see. He had been filled with grief and despair until she sat down. When he saw her, it was as though someone had sent an angel to bring him back to life.
"I don't want to intrude. Would you like me to leave?" Kiersten asked. She didn't want to go anywhere. Alex was making her feel something inside that she'd never felt before. She couldn't see him, but she felt drawn to him.
"Please stay. I was reading a letter my grandfather had written me before he died. When you sat down, I was at one of my lowest points. As soon as I saw your beautiful face, a peace came over me that I needed." Alex replied as he watched for her reaction. He had never spoken to anyone from the heart like that, but he couldn't hold it back. He wanted to be open and honest with her.
"Y...you think I'm beautiful?" Kiersten asked in almost a whisper. No one had ever called her beautiful or even pretty. Everyone was only focused on her being blind. It seemed like they could never see past the fact she didn't have her sight.
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met," Alex answered.
"Are you only trying to be nice because I'm blind?" Kiersten asked as her heart raced. She was begging for him to be different from everyone else. Most were nice when speaking to her but ridiculed her when they thought she couldn't hear.
"Honestly, I wasn't even thinking about you being blind. I would have been nice no matter what because I like you." Alex smiled when he saw her face soften. He didn't care if she was blind, deaf, mute, or had anything else that made her unique. She was his mate, and to him, she was flawless.
"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Since I became blind, that seems to be the only thing people see or talk about." Kiersten said. She was aching to touch him again but was scared to ask.
"You weren't always blind?" Alex asked, turning so their knees touched. He noticed for the first time she was wearing a white skirt and dark blue blouse that made her look like she was going on a date. His heart felt like it was being crushed thinking of her with another man.
"No. I, uh." Kiersten swallowed a few times nervously. She didn't usually talk about what caused her blindness, but something made her want to tell Alex. He reached over and put his hand on top of hers.
"You can tell me." He said while lightly rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand, hoping to help her relax.
"When I was seven, my mom got mad at me for something stupid. She held me down and poured bleach into my eyes. If she had taken me to the hospital right away, they might have had a chance to save my sight, but she didn't. Instead, she locked me in a shed where I screamed all night. The neighbors called the police the next morning. By the time I got medical treatment, they said all my nerves had been damaged and were unrepairable. My mom was arrested, and I was put into foster care. Most people didn't want a child just learning how to survive without their vision, so I was passed from one foster home to the next until I was thirteen. I was then put into a type of group home with other unwanted kids, where I stayed until I was eighteen. I get social security because being blind apparently makes me disabled, so people think I can't do anything. I left Texas for Sacramento three years ago on my eighteenth birthday."
Kiersten held her breath. Was he going to tell her he didn't want to be around someone with so much history? His hand tightened on hers.
"I'm sorry you went through all that. No child deserves to feel like they're unwanted. My sister and I were living in cages until we were five. Our parents rescued and adopted us. We were lucky, but I know there are a lot of kids out there like you that haven't been. Do you live close to the park?" Alex asked. His heart ached for what her mother had done to her. Then being passed around when she was feeling low made it even worse.
"I don't live anywhere. I came out here because I was told there was a special place for people that were blind. I figured I could at least be around others like me, but it was all a lie. It was just some man trying to get his hands on people's social security money. I left there after a week and have been living at hotels off the little money I get each month." Kiersten hated to admit she didn't do anything but survive. Why would anyone want to be with her when she was basically homeless?
Alex wanted to tell her she could stay with him and never have to worry about where she was going to stay ever again, but it was too soon. She would probably run away screaming.
"You're strong, going through so much and still being able to smile. I admire you." Alex said while gripping her hand.
"Thank you. No one has ever described me as being strong. I would like to see you. Can I touch your face? That's how I see people," Kiersten asked eagerly.
"Yes," Alex moved closer as she raised her hands. When her fingers lightly ran over his face, he closed his eyes. Having her touch him felt so good that it made his heart race.
"You're handsome. I bet you have a girlfriend waiting for you." Kiersten said as she removed one hand but left the other stroking his cheek.
"Actually, I've never had a girlfriend, and what you just did is the most intimate I've ever been with a woman," Alex replied as he raised his hand to her cheek. Kiersten felt her heart rate speed up from the touch of his hand on her face. No one had ever touched her with so much tenderness. She felt his phone vibrate and heard him sigh. Was he going to leave her now?
"My sister just texted me to see where I am. My grandfather left something for us to do that he was unable to finish before his death. Lisa, her boyfriend Jayce, and her friend Breanne are waiting for me at my grandparent's house. Would you like to go with me?" Alex asked hopefully. Kiersten grinned in his direction. Maybe she was crazy going to an unknown location with a man she just met, but she wasn't scared that Alex would hurt her.
"You want me to go with you? Are you sure they'll be okay with that?" She asked as they stood up. Alex took her hand, and they started walking toward the parking lot. He was careful to walk at her speed.
"Yes, I want you to go if you're okay with that. They will be happy to meet you. Trust me." Alex could already picture his sister's face.
When they got to the SUV, he helped Kiersten into the passenger seat and texted Lisa as he walked to the driver's side. He told her he had met his mate, she was human and was coming to the house with him.
As they drove, he noticed Kiersten was fidgeting nervously. Taking her hand in his, he tried to help her relax.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked. Was she regretting going with him so willingly?
"I'm just worried they won't like me. I don't have any friends, so I'm not good at small talk." Kiersten answered. Alex smiled to himself. Lisa would scoop her up and adopt her if she had her way.
"My sister is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She has a lot of attitude but a heart bigger than anyone I know." He said as he pulled through the gate. As soon as they parked, he saw Lisa, Jayce, and Breanne walking toward them with smiles. He knew they would be happy he had found his mate. After getting out of the vehicle, he helped Kiersten out and led her to the others.
"Kiersten, my sister Lisa, her boyfriend Jayce, and her friend Breanne are here. Everyone, this is Kiersten." Alex said proudly. Kiersten felt her face flaming and wished she could see their expressions.
"It's nice to meet you all." She said softly.
"Wow, you're really pretty. I love your hair. Mine's curly too, but sometimes it's more frizz than curls." Lisa said, walking over to Kiersten.
"Thank you," Kiersten said, feeling herself blush again.
"We just had some pizza delivered. Are you hungry?" Lisa asked as she linked her arm with Kiersten's and began leading her toward the pool house. Alex shook his head as he followed them. Was his sister going to steal his mate?
"That sounds great. Are you always this nice to people you don't know?" Kiersten asked with a slight chuckle. She liked Lisa already.
"Nope. Just the woman that my brother follows around like a little lost puppy. With you being the first one, I guess that means that we would only do this for you." Alex glared at his sister, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Lisa," Alex warned, but she ignored him. She wasn't done yet. As they walked into the pool house, she took Kiersten to the living room and had her sit on the couch. Lisa sat beside her, purposely leaving no room for Alex as she smirked at him. It thrilled her that her brother met his mate, but she needed to pay him back for his little talk with Jayce. He had told her about it while they were waiting for Alex.
"So Kiersten, has Alex told you he's a virgin who has never kissed anyone? You can't see it, but he's ready to rip my head off for not letting him sit beside you. You should see how angry he's getting. If we wait a few more minutes, he might explode."
