His arms tightened around her to the point that the breath whooshed out of her lungs. He quickly loosened his hold.
“Sorry.” He drew her back, his hands around her upper arms. “Look at me. Ria, look at me.”
He waited until she glanced up at him. She froze at the look of pure fury on his face. He looked ready and willing to kill. For a moment, she thought he was angry at her. But his touch was gentle as he ran his hands up and down her back. “Who called you a freak?”
Fuck. Why had she said that? She didn’t want to talk about that.
“Who, Ria?”
“Kids at school.”
He nodded. “Children can be cruel. Especially when someone is different.”
“I already found it hard to make friends.”
Because of her family.
“What happened? Did you tell your parents?”
“I told my mom. She pulled me out of school.”
“And put you in a different one?”
“No,” she whispered. “She got me a private tutor. I stayed at home until I begged to return when I was thirteen.”
“That sounds very lonely. Surely, they could have found another school. Or have educated the children at your school so they understood.”
“I can’t blame kids for staring. Back then hearing aids weren’t like they are now. But mom hated seeing me so upset. She insisted that I have a private tutor. I think my father was relieved. He was embarrassed by me.”
“What?” he snapped and she found herself wishing she’d kept quiet.
“Forget I said that.”
“I will not. Your father was embarrassed by you?”
“My father. . . our relationship was never an easy one. Before they discovered I was partialy deaf, he mostly ignored me. He had no interest in a girl. I was Mom’s problem.”
“Problem?” he muttered.
“I’m just saying it the way he saw it,” she said defensively.
“Continue.” His voice was curt.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
He shook his head. “I know you’re feeling exposed, like I’m stripping you raw, but it’s not good to keep this all to yourself.”
“You haven’t told me anything about your family.”
He shrugged. “There’s not a lot to tell. I’m the only boy, I have four sisters.”
“Four?” She gaped at him.
“Yes. Four sisters.”
Wow.
“He was ashamed of me,” she whispered. He was right. It was hard to keep all this to herself. “He’d rather hide me away than have people see I wasn’t perfect.”