All eyes went to Daemon who took confident strides towards her. He side-eyed Joffrey who stood right next to her and smirked. His eyes uncomfortably rested on her hand where the new wedding ring is on her finger.
“I never thought you’d be the type of a man who would steal someone’s wife. Where did the honorable man who served my father go, Joffrey?”
Joffrey’s face twitched in annoyance.
“The old man would be disappointed on you if he’s still around today. He made sure his men are respectful to other families but I guess his own son fell short of his standards.”
She froze when Daemon’s eyes glinted in murder. That’s the first time she has seen him like this at the mere mention of his dead father. He flicked Joffrey’s hand on her waist and offered his hand to Devon.
Without any hint of reluctance, she took his and almost jumped into him had she not stopped herself. He immediately snaked his arms into her waist possessively.
“I’m here to get my wife and I am getting her whether her family consents or not. I don’t care. I am her husband and she is now my full responsibility. Your marriage is null and void because I married her first. We registered it too so it’s valid.”
Joffrey looked at Devon’s father as if asking for a back-up. Mr. Farrows stepped in and sternly stared at his daughter.
“Devon, come here.”
She looked at her mother who was silently crying in the corner and signaling to go to her father, to her brothers who began taking out their guns from their pants, to her own father who never really felt like father to her, and to Joffrey who is disgustingly standing there. She remembered his lustful eyes, the words he said about owning her.
She began crying and pleaded to Daemon using her eyes telling him to get her off from this place. He hugged her protectively and addressed her family.
“As you can see, my wife is trembling in fear. I don’t know what you did to her but I swear to whoever gods you believed that I won’t let it slide if it ever happens again. That doesn’t mean I will forget what happened today. Devon is my lawful wife. She is now a Druft. Whoever messes with her messes with me, my name, and my own family.”
His eyes fixed on her father. “I don’t care even if it’s her own family.”
He gently held her hand and with a soothing voice, asked her something. “Babe, can you please take this garbage off? It doesn’t suit your precious hand.”
He meant the ring so she took them off and handed it to him to which he threw on the ground.
“That’s it everyone and good morning.”
“Daemon!”
Mr. Farrows aimed the gun at them and the Farrows men took the cue and loaded their guns too.
Devon clung to her husband with a worrisome face. He just touched her face to assure her. “Nothing bad will happen to me, Dev. I got the police behind me.”
He winked at her and pointed at the officers who took out their guns too.
“Mr. Farrows, order your men to lower down their weapons. It’s a legitimate operation! Men, standby to fire!”
But he did not seem to be shaken.
“Honey, please. Put down your gun. Don’t make it harder for all of us. That’s the police,” Melena tried to reason out to her husband.
“If you are going to take my daughter away, then you have to pay for the compensation. I will not give away someone from my family that easily. Pay me for raising Devon. Earn her from me.”
Devon cried even harder in her husband’s arms. She thought she has heard all the absurd things from her father but this right here is the worst one. How could a father say this in front of these people? How can one sell off his own daughter?
“D-Daemon,” she sobbed. “Daemon, please.” She bit her lips and closed her eyes hoping to erase the things she has just heard.
He carefully covered her ears using his palms and glared at her father.
“Your daughter is not some piece of stuff you can throw away, Mr. Farrows. She is your daughter. But… I am not at all surprised that you are capable of saying those. None really matters to you whether it’s family or friends. What you only cared about is money and power. I am not giving you anything for Devon. Instead, I will do you a favor and make her happy. I’ll make your daughter happy.”
He smiled at her and with utmost care, pulled her to him as they began walking out of the gate and into his car where he didn’t waste any time and drove away as fast as he could.
“I was so scared. I am so scared. I really thought you won’t come for me. I thought… I thought you won’t really look for me. I lost hope thinking that you have abandoned me too,” she cried hard after saying those.
He doesn’t realize the amount of anxiety he has lifted from her when he showed up. She thought her life would end there but then, he saved her for the second time. He has always saved her.
“I’m sorry for doubting you, Daemon. I’m really sorry for thinking that you had given up on me. I’m sorry.”
She continued pouring her heart out to him that she didn’t even care that he stopped the car in the middle of the road. Daemon cupped her face and started wiping her tears.
“I never turned my back to any of my promises, Devon. I stick to my words. When I say that I will protect you, I will protect you. When I say I will save you, I will come running to you to save you. I’m sorry that it took too long for me. I’ve been thinking how to approach the situation in the best way. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to save you right away.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s alright.” She held his hand on the steering wheel. “I want to go home. Let’s go home now?”
An unreadable expression crossed Daemon’s face.
“Yes, of course. Let’s go home,” he said afterwards and smiled at his wife.