Chapter five: The way you make me feel.

The next few days went by fast. She was a little less talkative than she had been before. But it was to be expected. Her past had been even worse then I had speculated. She had had it rough. Really rough. I watched her feed the chickens. She had named everyone of the chickens, except the rooster. She kept insisting that I needed to pick his name. I smiled.

The girl could be so alive, so cheerful and pretty. Her long golden hair was almost everyday in that long ponytail. Her skin seemed to glow, due to the sun, that shone on her while she worked in the garden. I noticed she was a little more reserved around me. I was not bothered by it, but I will admit that I would not mind if she got closer every once in a while.

Her bubbliness did me good. She saw the world in a whole other light then I did, whenever she let herself. She kept her guard up most of the time, avoiding happiness and smiling. She was punishing herself for something she had not done. She had been the victim, not the one who was to blame.

My strategy was to let het settle in this new life. She seemed to really enjoy living here and helping me out. The nights we made dinner together she talked about the chickens, Hunter and the land. No ever she traveled back to talk about her past. I would not ask. I knew enough. She had been damaged badly.

She recently started to undress herself for bed, not wearing the jeans shorts but still a long shirt on her body, to shield her from my sight. It was a small step.

One morning I woke early, not able to sleep anymore. She had one of her legs hanging from the bed, revealing scars on the inside of her upper thigh. Made by a knife. I quickly walked away, anger boiling inside of me.

I had left my old ways behind me. I had murdered, threatened, blackmailed and tortured people. It was nothing new to me. But now, now I had build a new life here and this young woman came to me as a gift, I saw how I had destroyed lives. Don't misunderstand me, I didn't feel any regret. But I understood.

I wondered if I would be able to track the guy that raped her. She had been so young. Too young to even be thinking about sex. Let alone being forced into it. In all my years I had hurt enough people, but I never raped a woman. Never. That could never be justified, forcing a woman, no humiliating a woman into having intercourse. The thought alone made me sick.

Odette seemed to be doing her best to let everything rest, but she stayed alert, always ready to flee. It bothered me she was hurt so bad she was not enjoying her life as much as she should me. She was eighteen for god's sake. Too young to be alert all the time.

I walked over towards her, watching her with the chickens. She noticed me instantly.

'And have you thought of a name yet?' she asked me, placing the chicken on her lap back on the ground. I smiled down at her.

'Rambo.' She stood, a genuine smile around her lips.

'Rambo? Seriously?' she mocked me, getting out of the vence, laughing. I chuckled.

'Now now, don't mock me. Rambo is a strong name. Just as our rooster,' she giggled a bit. I winked at her, mentioning to the garden.

'We need to water it some more before noon, it is going to be hot today.' She nodded and followed me. Hunter was happily tracking us, enjoying the presence of two people instead of one. To be honest I think he liked Odette even better. The dog still came to wake her each morning, enjoying her touches and pettings throughout every day. Lucky bastard.

For some minutes we worked in silence, until Odette was rolling the hose out, ready to water the garden. I never expected the next thing that happened. She aimed for the strawberries first, but then decided to hit Hunter, who jumped away fastly, making the water hit me.

I grunted. The water was extremely cold, coming from deep within the grounds. But it was nice in combination with the hot, burning sun. She immediately removed her aim, but I was already drenched and out for revenge.

'I am so sorry, I tried to hit Hunter but he jumped and-' before she could finish that sentence I stood before her, pulling my drenched shirt from my body. I took the hose from her hands, and aimed it at the sky, making it rain down on the both of us.

'Only seems fair,' I muttered at her, wrapping an arm around her to keep me close. She squealed and squirmed to get out of my hold, but I kept her in place until she was as wet as I was. Hunter ran around us, barking loudly.

'So freaking cold,' she yelled. I then threw the hose onto the ground, watching her. Her shirt was shining through, her body glistening with drips of water. She was gorgeous. Her eyes found mine. Maybe she was afraid she had angered me. I was not angry in the slightest. I like her playfulness, even when it had been directed at the dog, not me. She watched me with an intensity that was new to me. One that made me want to be even closer. Her lips, so pink and full.

'I'm sorry Bane. It was not my intention to-' My lips touched hers before she finished talking. I went extremely slow, giving her all the room to back out or step away. But she didn't. She kept standing in my embrace. At first she froze a bit, not kissing me back. But not pulling away either. I kissed her very gently, nibbling on her lower lip, asking for entrance. My hand caressed her side, what caused her to moan softly against my lips, her lips almost inviting me in. She started to kiss me back, very timidly. When my tongue touched hers she backed away a bit. I ended the kiss, releasing her a bit, but not completely.

Her eyes sought mine, almost asking what just happened. I had no answer for her though. I had been noticing that she peaked my interest more than I had thought lately. She was so small and fragile, but her heart was pure, her soul a honest one. I loved the way she talked, slept and cuddled the damn dog. She loved every chicken and camel and worked as hard as I did to leave here in comfort.

Yes she was eighteen. I was thirty eight. But what did that really matter here in the outback of Australia? Who would come to judge us. Who could harm us.

She started to pull away, afraid of the intensity between us. I wanted her trust. Her love.

'Don't run. Don't,' I told her softly. She was hesitating. Running away from danger and uncertainty had always been her strategy. This was new for her. I could read in in her eyes.

'Speak to me,' I asked her then, my voice as soft as I could muster. She swallowed, still hesitated, but she kept standing right before me.

'I don't know how this- I mean - We kissed Bane. We kissed….' I nodded.

'Did it felt wrong?' I asked her, knowing she would need a little encouraging from my part. She thought about it. Then she shook her head.

'No it did not, but-' She stilled. I caressed her arm.

'But what Odette?' I asked her. Her eyes found mine again.

'I'm ruined, damaged goods and afraid of everything Bane. This would not work. Believe me.' She seemed to truly believe that, I chuckled, shaking my head.

'You're not. I will make you see. We have done good together, for quite some time now, haven't we?' I asked her. She was biting her lip, wondering about my words.

'Bane, what if - what if it does not work. then what?' she asked me softly. That line gave me confidence she was willing and perhaps had even thought about me in a romantic manner already.

'We have worked out fine this far Odette. Have a little trust in me. Us.' She nodded, shivering from the cold, even though the sun was at its highest point.

'Come, let's change, before we freeze or burn right here and now,' I joked. She smiled a small smile. I saw she was confused, but not afraid. It was a good sign.

Maybe, just maybe she was sent to me for a reason. Maybe we were two pieces of a puzzle that fitted together. I was willing to try. I needed to know. She made me feel things I thought I would never feel again. I wanted to heal her, keep her and protect her. Love her.

Maybe this was meant to be.

What do we think people? How will this continue?