“Babe, what's wrong? What happened?” Karel pulled her back slightly so he could look into her face to assure himself she was unharmed.
“Some psycho just threatened me. She appeared and disappeared within seconds. It was freaky as hell.”
“What woman? What did she look like? What did she say? She threatened you?” Karel’s words ran together, he spat the questions out so quickly. The anger in his voice was unmistakable, and for some odd reason, Liv found comfort in that.
“I have never seen her before. She didn’t give me her name. She said I foiled her plan and to watch my back.” Liv stepped out of Karel’s arms, anger starting to push away her fear. “What the hell is going on, Karel? Why is some strange woman threatening me?”
Karel sighed and pulled her back into his arms. “I’m not sure, but I will find out.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Liv leaned back in his arms and looked him in the face. “You know half the people on this planet have been mean or threatened me. I thought it was going to be different here. You are so advanced in so many ways, but people are just as rude. I guess I should count my blessing they haven’t started picking on my weight yet.”
Karel growled in frustration. “You need to understand one thing. There is nothing wrong with you. You are perfection to me. I love every, gorgeous inch of you. Haven’t I shown you that yet? I don’t want to hear you say that bullshit ever again, you hear me.”
Liv smiled, took Karel’s hand and pulled him to sit on a bench in the garden. “I believe you. I don’t mean to make you angry. I love my body, I really do, but after years of taunts, sarcastic barbs, and flat out name calling, it starts to get to you. I love who I am. It’s others who can’t accept that.” She swallowed hard. He had a feeling she was telling him more about her than in any previous conversation.
“Sweetheart…”
She shook her head “They made oink noises as I walked down the hall in school. They would pretend to fall to the ground and scream out about an earthquake when I ran by. When I became an adult, it was just as bad. Do you know what it’s like to go on a date and have him make inappropriate innuendos because you are fat and don’t deserve better? At least according to him and many other assholes on earth.” Fury filled her eyes and her lips thinned into a flat line while she recounted her past.
“You don’t have to tell me if you’re not up to it.” He hated the look of frustration on her face as she spoke.
“No, it’s okay. It’s in the past. But that’s what makes me who I am. My life experiences. I had one guy tell me he would take me home and show me a good time, but he would have to keep his eyes closed the whole time.”
Karel grew angrier with every word she spoke. He had to let go of her hands so he didn’t crush her fingers.
“I can’t help if other people are ignorant. I quickly learned to ignore them and not give them my time. I am a big, beautiful woman, and I have enough confidence in myself to pay no attention to my critics. I work hard and play hard. I take care of my body. Because earth society doesn’t see me working out and eating salads all day, then they don’t believe I give two shits about my health.” She gave a dry laugh.
“Earth people don’t know anything about being human.”
She nodded. “Isn’t that the truth. But I love who I am.” Liv smiled and leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “I just thought people would be nicer here is all I meant. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Karel knew he was overreacting, but he hated seeing the pain in her eyes, hearing it in her voice. She may love who she was, but he could tell those people had taken a piece of her with their taunts. “I will spend the rest of my life showing you how beautiful, amazing, and desirable I find you. You are my everything for now and forever. My jaguar and I chose you. And I’m glad you chose me.”
She grinned. “I’m glad we chose each other. Even if I feel like the past week has been a whirlwind and more like a month than a week.”
He curled his arms around her and kissed her temple. “As to the people on this planet, don’t judge everyone based on a couple bad seeds. We may be more advanced technologically, but we still have assholes.”
Karel couldn’t sit anymore; he needed to move. He stood and paced in front of Liv. “I want you to see that not only is our planet beautiful, but so are our people. We don’t judge based on anything other than how they act and treat others. You have already proven in the short time you have been here how wonderful a person you are. Please don’t be discouraged. I don’t think I could handle it if you hated it here.”