Read Perfectly Normal for Free Online

back and forth in front of him.
    She stopped in her tracks , turned to him and said, “You think I don’t know how fucking important this is? You think I want to die, or get raped, or kidnapped? Of course I don’t want that!”
    “You should know that you cannot go off on your own from now on though, you are too vulnerable and too valuable to have this kind of freedom,” he told her.
    She knew he was right, but she wasn’t done. “I don’t want to end up here, trapped like a fucking animal, living like an animal. Like you!” She saw him wince on her last remark. She had hit a sore point and felt a surge of satisfaction at hurting him. She kept going though, twisting the knife she’d slung at him to see the pain in his eyes, “You’re pathetic, letting your enemies control you like this. I’d do anything it took to prevent myself from becoming like you. You are lifeless, simply existing.”
    He stood and she backed up, waiting for his fist or the back of his hand at least. Inste ad she saw his eyes full of defeat as he said, “Yes, ending up like me is the worst possible fate to befall a person. I can see why you would consider that paramount to your death.” He walked past her to the door, crossing the room in a couple of long strides.
    “Dimi!” she called as he left, “I didn’t mean it like that!”
    He shut the door behind him and she was left alone. Suddenly being right or self righteous or indignant didn’t seem that important. Suddenly hurting the man she loved seemed childish and horrible, and she didn’t like it.
    She sunk to the chaise where he had just been. She could still feel the heat from his body and smell his scent on the fabric. She grabbed the pillow and held it to her stomach and started to cry. There was so much going on inside of her and she didn’t know how to handle any of it. On top of that, she was turning into a cruel beast to Dimitri.
    She felt the urge to cut herself, to relieve this pent up emotion, but Dimitri’s warning words forced her to reconsider. He had ordered her before they came to Hong Kong that he would no longer tolerate her destroying her skin, that she belonged to him and he wouldn’t have it.
    She loved him for protecting her from herself, but needed an outlet somewhere. More than that though, she needed Dimitri. She had to go apologize, to let him know how miserable her attack had made her.
    She found him in the gym with his boxing gloves already on. The concierge was nowhere in sight, so at least Dimitri hadn’t run to him with the news of Columbia’s terrible treatment. He was standing in front of a sand-filled punching bag, not moving.
    “Dimi?” she said as she approached him. “I’m sorry.”
    He turned towards her; his eyes were full of rage. She had seen this side of him when he first caught her in his space. He looked half mad and ready to smash her into a pulp.
    “Dimi?” she whispered, “please forgive me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. I was angry and still scared. I thought I’d never see you again.” Her hands were trembling; from nerves or fear, it didn’t matter. She felt lightheaded and dreaded his reaction.
    He took off the gloves and let them drop to the floor. His jaw clenched, as did his fists. He seemed unable to speak so she waited. After what felt like eternity with her fate hanging in the balance, he finally said, “Don’t be sorry, you are right. That is why I am so angry. It seems we are not so different at all, little dove. Neither one of us likes being shown when we are wrong.”
    She walked slo wly towards him and he held out his arms. She laid her head on his chest and started to cry. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed against him, her relief tangible as she found her place in his embrace. “I wish I could be like you, at least I wouldn’t be like a newborn kitten every time I’m on my own. I felt so helpless.”
    “You don’t want to be like me,” he said and soothed her. “I am h elpless. I never