Trust: Betrayed by Cristiane Serruya Read Free Book Online Page A

night.”
    She was too shocked by his confession to say anything, having even forgotten to continue eating.
    “Being with you is inspiring, Sophia. You radiate light; you are good, young and pure. Everything about you is honest and decent. So different from what I was used to.”
    Good? Pure? Decent? You couldn’t be more wrong, Alistair Connor.
    His fingertips caressed her cheek, “I don’t know what I would have done if you had walked away Saturday night. And you had every right to, after what happened.”
    “I told you, you are forgiven.”
    He gave her a sad smile, “You have an immense capacity for forgiveness. Even though,” his fingers lowered to the scarf tied skillfully around her neck, “your body does not.”
    She shook her head at him. “You’re wrong.” And she put his fingers on her left upper arm. “My body can heal as easily as my soul. It’s this capacity that keeps me alive, that every day renews my belief in good and in human beings in spite of everything that has happened to me.”
In spite of what I’ve done.
    “Maybe that explains your refreshing innocence.”
    “Maybe. What happened... Saturday night, it’s nagging you, isn’t it?”
    “Aye,” he admitted, looking into her eyes very seriously. “I’ve never... attacked or harmed a woman in that way. It... I freaked out.”
    “I never gave you cause to doubt my actions.”
    “It’s not you, Sophia. It’s me. I know now it was unfair. I’m distrustful to the extreme.” He inhaled deep and his hand sought hers, enlacing their fingers, he looked into her eyes and said, “Heather hurt more than just my pride. She broke me in so many ways that I lost the ability to love. And after Nathalie’s death, I... lost the desire to live, to put it lightly.”
    Sophia swallowed the crusted aubergine she was eating with difficulty. She put her silverware on the plate and turned on the sofa to look at him. In a wisp of a voice, she started to say, “You thought about...” But couldn’t finish the thought, it pained her so much.
    He shifted to face her. “Suicide? Aye, I did. More than once. You can’t imagine what it is to love a child as I loved Nathalie and to know that I was partially responsible for her death... It drove me insane.”
    “Oh, my dear,” she breathed, tears in her eyes and threw her arms around his torso, hugging him fiercely, not caring about the scene she was making. “Alistair. Oh, Alistair,” she murmured, “I’m so sorry.”
    He embraced her and buried his head in her hair, letting her sweet smell soothe him and whisk away the painful memories.
    His deep voice reached inside her, “You become responsible for what you’ve tamed, said the fox to the little Prince.”
    She lifted her head to stare into his beautiful green eyes and waited for him to continue.
    He cupped her face in his big warm hands, “You’re responsible for my heart and soul now, Sophia. Don’t let me down.”
    She combed his hair with her fingers and shook her head, “Never. It’s a promise.”
    He kissed her briefly on the lips. “You’re an amazing woman.”
    “You’re an amazing man, Alistair Connor. I’ll make you believe it.”
    Alistair almost scoffed at what she said, but the belief he saw in her light honey eyes prevented him. It brought such joy and peace to him that he felt lightheaded.
    She smiled at him and asked, “Ready for your favorite part of our meals?”
    His face lit up and he licked his lips, “Ah, dessert.”
    She slid out of the sofa, “Why don’t you surprise me, while I go to the restroom?”
    “If you promise to make love to your surprise...”
    She giggled. “You’re incorrigible.”
    His laughter followed her through the restaurant.
    1.39 p.m.
    Sophia halted mid-stride when she noticed that Alistair was standing beside their table talking to the same blonde woman they had seen at The Waterside Inn, in Berkshire. His face was drawn taut and his spine was stiff.
    The woman was again scantily clad,