“I never knew you to be that jealous type of woman. You were so cool back there, wifey,” he casually teased her when they arrived in the new safe house.
His doctor just left after examining him and assuring her that he is way past the critical stage she ignorantly assumed. It’s proven that he is really alright now that he is busy teasing her more than resting.
“I am not jealous. It’s a natural instinct. You can think of it as like some natural action.” She stacked several pillows on the both side of the bed. “I just don’t want Maddy to walk all over me. She is making me appear as a useless wife. I am a Farrows, Daemon. I don’t take insults like that easily.”
“Really?” He playfully smiled at her. “But that’s not what I heard. I clearly heard you saying that you needed to be with me but sure, I’ll let it slide it because I don’t want you to burst in shame. But honey, being possessive of me is not something to be shy of. You can display it however you want. I won’t mind. In fact, I liked it.”
“I am not in any way being possessive of you,” she denied vehemently. “I told you that I was just challenged by her. Nothing else. Know what, you need to sleep. You sleep.”
“Yeah, yeah. Keep saying that while never looking my way. Seems like you’re really telling the truth.”
“I’m not.” She looked at him but looked away again. Daemon laughed heartily.
There was a comfortable silence in the air. She was just standing a few meters from him holding the blankets while he is in the bed and taking in her appearance.
“I could have died back then, Devon. In my line of business, there is a greater chance of being killed every day than a regular person. This is why I needed my sons in case something bad happens to me. I need someone to inherit what me and my ancestors have accumulated.”
Devon sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Are you groomed to inherit this business after your father?”
He nodded. “I’ve been educated about every aspect of this business since I was a child. I practically lived my entire life making into reality the dreams of my father.”
“And your sons will surely be following your footsteps. But be honest with me Daemon, would you recommend the kind of life you have lived now to your children? Are you happy now?”
He was dead silent. She is also did not say anything. She wanted to retract what she said because she thought it’s out of the line but Daemon did not seem to mind it. He is not angry but he fell into a deep thought.
“There is no particular moral or philosophical value I go by my life as I live it, Devon. Unlike you, I was thrown at this abyss but with a training so depth that I consider this life as synonymous to breathing. I don’t know if my children will like this kind of life I will throw them to but regardless, I want them to experience the same life I had but I will give them the privilege of choice that was never given to me. I’ll give them the chance to walk away from the group.”
She did not expect his answer so it took her a while to find her voice. “Can’t you also walk away from this kind of life? How about you quit being the leader and lead yourself and your members to a less dangerous and quiet life?”
“Did your father quit when your mother told him to? Was he simply a bad person? There are many reasons why you cannot just turn your back on something like how you still can’t turn away from the shadow of your family. Enough of this. Come here.”
She obeyed and lied down next to him. He wanted to hug her but cannot so he just stared at her face.
“Were you really afraid that I won’t make it? Hmm?”
“More than you can imagine but I blocked out all the thoughts. The more I think of the possibility, the more scared I get. I don’t want you to worry for me when you are in the middle of defending your territory.”
“Why? Why are you so worried of me?”
“You are the only one who can free me, Daemon.”
“Is that it?” His voice sounded disappointed. “Nothing else?”
“Why? Were you expecting a different answer?” It’s her turn to tease him.
“Yes. I’ve shared my naked thoughts to you. It’s only fair that you also share yours to me.”
A smile emerged from her mouth. “You act like a typical clingy man when you’re hurt.”
His brows moved. “Have you met other men who is clingy like me?”
“Yes, of course. What do you think of me? I am not that frigid girl. I am still the Farrows only daughter so many men sought my hand,” she exclaimed.
“But seriously speaking, you only wanted me to survive just because you needed me to free you?” He looked so offended that he really asked her again.
“No, it’s not just that,” she confessed. “I don’t want these kids to grow up without a father figure. They might call you all sorts of name like devil or whatever but I just know in me that you will be a good father at least according to your standard.”
He stared at her for the rest of the minute and for the first time in the course of time that they have been together, Devon saw something in his eyes that she had never realized that has been there all along.
Daemon may be a cold person outside but someone warm is hiding inside him.
Daemon can be soft no matter how he projected himself to be a very hard nut to crack.
Daemon is a lovable person not because he is devilishly handsome with a deep pocket but he is someone that you can trust with not with your heart but with your life.
You can count on him. You can give your full trust on him, something that she has not experienced for the whole of her life. Sure, he deceived her when changed the terms in their contract but she is starting to understand why he did that.
“It’s okay to be scared sometimes but…” she paused to catch his eyes, “just don’t let that fear control your life.”
He snickered. “Spoken from her own experience?”
“Yes…” she whispered, her eyes traveling down to his parched lips. “Yes and along this experience is a lesson. A great lesson that I just learned today.”
“And what that could be?” he coaxed her, his gaze locking onto her parted mouth.
“That being scared is just the first step into being courageous.” She cupped his face and began caressing his lower lip. “I guess I wanted to be brave, Daemon. I wanted to see the same view you’re seeing. I’m done being left behind. I wanted to stand by your side. Earlier I am afraid but now, nothing scares me at all.”
“Well,” he responded huskily. “You can tell me more about that later.”
And then he’s been kissing her all over, his hands, even though injured, started roaming inside her shirt.
She responded with equal passion returning the same heat he’s making her feel. Hooking up her legs on his waist, she opened her mouth to meet his intruding tongue.
A fire has been ignited and there’s no way they could still hold it in except when she realized that his hands felt a little too sticky on her skin.
That made her froze. She broke free from his grip and set a distance between them while catching her breathe. She inspected herself and found the traces of his blood on his clothes.
“Why? What’s wrong?” he got up and tried to reach her but she shook her head.
“No, you stay there. Gosh, I almost forgot!” she mumbled to herself.
“What? What did you forget?” he asked in a bewildered manner.
Her eyes widened. “That you are still bleeding! I felt so bad kissing someone passionately who has just been shot!”
Daemon just laughed at her reaction. “Oh come on, Devon. Don’t you dare underestimate me. I can still flip you up and make you moan.”
“No! Of course not! I just… just did that because…” she can’t finish her sentence so she just bit off her tongue and looked at his playful eyes.
“So this is what you mean when you want to take me from Maggy? You want to be alone with me.”
“Oh please, shut up already!”
“But hey, no one’s complaining. Not me, certainly,” he continued to poke fun at her.
When she can’t take it anymore, she bolted out of the room and hid at the bathroom silently scolding herself for being too way out of her character.