“What happened to you?” He cupped her face, his apprehension clear. He didn’t understand how to console her because he had never handled anyone in this type of condition. He wanted to calm her down at any cost because, for some reason, he couldn’t bear to see her like this.
She opened her mouth to speak, but her lips quivered terribly. It was difficult for her to utter even a single word. Her condition worsened with each passing second. He closed his eyes dejectedly.
The next moment, he just pulled her trembling body into his strong, warm arms, burying her face in his chest.
“Relax. Calm down. I’m with you, Chloe,” he whispered, one hand constantly rubbing her back and the other caressing her hair. He was trying to calm her down with his soothing words. He did what his heart told him to do, and for the first time, he listened to his heart. Within a few minutes, she stopped trembling, and her breathing and heartbeat returned to normal. She felt snug and safe in his warm embrace. Those were the only words she needed to hear at that moment. She needed assurance that someone was there for her. He pulled her closer, holding her tighter. He was relieved to see her calming down. She was getting better and better in his soothing arms.
Earlier, whenever she had anxiety attacks, no one was there to assure her that they were with her. She had never felt so safe in anyone’s arms before. She just wanted to remain in his arms forever. His embrace gave her profound peace, the peace she had been seeking for so many years. She had found her home in his arms.
For a few minutes, they both got lost in each other’s arms, forgetting the entire world. Their lips were drawn up in contented smiles.
They slowly pulled away from each other, gazing intensely. With their lips just a few inches apart, their hot breaths caressed each other, and the urge to kiss grew stronger with each passing second. Their breathing became heavier as their inner desires pushed them closer to a kiss.
He brushed her hair away from her face, gazing at her fondly. She stared at him in utter disbelief. She couldn’t believe he was the same ruthless Mafia boss who had forcibly brought her here a few minutes ago and tortured her aunt, yet had now consoled her.
“Are you fine?” He asked, genuinely concerned, gently tucking her hair behind her ears.
She just nodded silently, still not feeling well.
He clasped her face and uttered, “You scared the hell out of me. Thank God you’re fine now.” He sighed with relief.
He suddenly placed a soft kiss on her forehead, stroking her cheeks with his thumb. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as his lips touched her skin. She had been longing to feel this touch from the day she met him. A blissful smile flashed on her face when he kissed her.
Then he filled a glass of water and handed it to her. They gazed at each other deeply.
“And still you say that you don’t care for me,” she uttered in a low voice after taking a few sips of water. He stayed silent, still not ready to accept that he cared for her.
“What happened to you suddenly?” He asked, wanting to change the topic but also genuinely curious about the reason for her panic attack.
“It’s none of your business, Devil,” she answered him in a curt tone. The badass Chloe was back. “Leave me alone for some time.” She snapped at him.
She was a bit angry with herself for falling weak again. She prided herself on being strong and never wanted to show her weakness to anyone.
Although Andrew wanted to stay with her, he didn’t argue and strolled out of the room silently.
As he left, she took out a box of cigarettes and a lighter from the drawer. She held a cigarette between her index and middle finger and lit it with the flame of the lighter. She lay down on the bed and put the filter end of the cigarette in her mouth. She inhaled, closed her eyes, and exhaled the smoke, staring blankly at the ceiling, with many thoughts racing through her mind.
“Why are these panic attacks coming back? Andrew always asks what my weakness is. My dreadful past is my weakness. Whenever I recall it, it makes me vulnerable. When will I completely forget about it? But for the first time, someone calmed me down without pills or injections. I felt so good, so safe, and secure in his arms. I completely forgot everything after being in his arms,” she wondered, smoking the cigarette, and staring at the ceiling with a serious look.
On the other hand, Andrew was pacing across his room, musing. “What happened to her all of a sudden? And why the hell did I become so anxious for her?”
“Do I care for her?” He questioned himself and finally accepted that he did. “I don’t know why, but I truly care for her.”
He wondered, “After seeing her condition, I felt guilty for tying her up, but she hadn’t left me any option at that time. Why doesn’t she understand that her life is in danger? If she tries to disobey my instructions again, she will have to face the worst side of me because it’s for her safety. I don’t know what is between us, but I want to keep her safe. And I’ll keep her safe with me by hook or by crook. Today, I also realised that I can’t see her in pain. I’ll protect her and take care of her because, from today, she’s my badass girl.”