When Theodore threw the limp body away and turned to Emily, about to hug her, she moved back out of reach, shaking her head negatively. “Don’t touch me,” she told him tersely.
His eyes traveled down her frame, narrowing in suspicion, before saying, “Did he touch you?”
“He tried. And that’s when I snapped.”
His glare focused back on the dead body, and she had to plead with him to not unleash his wrath on the corpse, saying, “Let’s just go home.”
“Can you at least hold my hand so as to calm me down?” He sounded like he was almost begging her. And Emily saw the pain flash in his eyes as she hesitated before nodding at him.
And thus, with their fingers intertwined, they left the cabin in which she had been kept hostage.
They had just gotten in the car when there was a loud boom.
Startled, Emily gasped.
“Don’t worry, little one,” Theodore reassured her. “I got you. That was my doing. I can’t be leaving behind evidence.”
“You could have warned me,” she said tiredly while being alert at the same time.
“I’m sorry,” he said with a nod. “I thought you wouldn’t want me to blow up his body.”
She shook her head negatively. “Nonsense. I wouldn’t take honoring the dead so far when I was the one to kill him.”
“I’m the one who killed him, dorogaya,” he reminded her stiffly.
“If you only arrived 10 seconds later, I would have been the one to give that sorry excuse of a man the final blow,” she retorted matter-of-factly.
The drive back to the estate was a long one, mostly due to the fact that they were both silent, lost in thoughts.
As soon as they stepped foot into the master bedroom, Emily rushed to the bathroom, claiming she wanted to get into the shower, when she just wanted to cry silently, away from prying eyes – away from Theo.
Sure, Theodore hadn’t done anything wrong. And she had no damned reason to blame him. Nevertheless, she didn’t want to appear weak and vulnerable in front of him – or to put it plainly like a crybaby. She’d much rather try to have Tatiana’s dignified airs, and also Serena’s calm demeanor, in front of hardships.
This was the kind of women fit for the royal court. This was the type that never failed anyone, that never missed a target.
She found herself crouched down on the cold tile in no time, gut-wrenching sobs escaping her, as water droplets fell on her slumped form unabashedly and unrelentingly.
Lost in thoughts and sorrow, she didn’t hear the bathroom door open – or rather didn’t care to acknowledge it. And it wasn’t long before Theodore, her beloved mate, was embracing her in a strong bone-crushing hug.
She was sure that had she she been human, she’d have broken a few ribs, seeing as he wasn’t holding back.
“I’m sorry, dorogaya,” why was he apologizing? None of this was his fault. “I should have known better. I should have been more careful. Alex and Sam…”
“It’s no one’s fault but my own,” Emily said in between sobs.
“Don’t say that dorogaya,” he cooed. “He was obviously deranged. How is it your fault?”
“Exactly,” she told him right before a hiccup escaped her, and she looked into his deep gray mesmerizing eyes. “It’s no one’s fault.”
And with that, he hugged her tighter if that was possible and then got her out of the shower stall.
She cried into his chest, ruining his shirt with her running makeup, not bothering to appear calm and collected anymore.
It was a good thing her beloved mate had decided to abdicate the throne, she thought to herself. She was not queen material after all had never been and probably would never be.
She cried so hard, she ended up falling asleep.
Her sweet Theo, the revered god of war, cradled her, much like one would a baby, and didn’t leave her side all through the night.
When morning came, she found herself nestled in his arms still.
How caring could this man be?
As soon as her eyes fluttered open, he greeted her with a sweet “Good morning sunshine,” and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
Oh, how he made her melt!
“How did you sleep, love?” He asked when she didn’t answer him back.
“Morning,” she said with a small timid smile. “I slept well. Sorry about yesterday. My emotional breakdown was…”
“Justified,” he finished for her. “Had you behaved as if nothing happened, that would have been more worrisome.”
She nodded at him and then allowed a sigh out.
“I’m afraid of what I can do,” she confessed after some time.
“Meaning?” He probed.
She flashed him an uncertain smile and then explained, “I kept on punching his face even after he had become unconscious, Theo. That’s not me. I have never been violent. But then again, I have never felt such anger. I was more than angry though, I was positively furious.”
“Again, it’s perfectly normal, dorogaya,” he tried to reassure her. “He had this Julie or Judith girl drug you, and then kidnapped you to heavens only know what end,” his gaze darkened at the mere mention. “I think it’s normal to be angry, and furious, and violent.”
“I guess,” she conceded. “Still… Do you hate me?”
“Tell me, dorogaya,” he then began softly, “do you think less of me because I killed Amos to protect you?”
She shook her head negatively at once.
“Then you have your answer,” he said simply. “You and the child we await were in danger. You acted accordingly to protect yourself and our child. How could I possibly hate you?”
The dam broke again at that point.
When she stopped crying some time later, she couldn’t help but voice out one of her concerns, “I hope the drug didn’t affect the baby. That damned Judith deceived me!”
“The drug was powerful enough to knock you out, but I’d say it’ll have to be something special to affect the baby” he told her softly. “But I still killed Judith once I got the information I wanted out of her.”
Her eyes bulged briefly and then she told him simply with a nod, “You did well.”
Then, she fished out her phone and looked at the time and date.
“Thank god it’s the weekend,” she said with a relieved sigh. “I’m in no mood to go to college.”
He chuckled at that.
“No worries. I’ll be joining you in college starting next week,” he then told her softly.
Her features morphed into a frown at that. “Joining me? In college?”
“Did I stutter, dorogaya?”
“Well, no,” she shook her head. “But since when are you interested in graphic design?”
“Oh, I’m not,” he said off-handedly. “I’ll only be attending because a loved one is attending.”
She blushed at that.
She could be slow sometimes.
“I love it when you blush,” he groaned as he put his forehead against hers.
“You enjoy making me squirm, don’t you?” She complained with a pout.
“Guilty as charged,” he chuckled. Then, after some time, he said, “You never showered yesterday, dorogaya. Want me to run a bath for you?”
“Are you saying I stink?” She raised an eyebrow at him in question.
“You smell heavenly if that’s what you are worried about,” he told her. “But I want to pamper my mate. Aren’t I allowed to?”
She couldn’t help but giggle at that.
Looking into his eyes, and tracing a line down his chest, she demanded “Make love to me first, and then I’ll consider the bath.”
He seemed to hesitate for some reason. “Are you sure?”
She nodded, “positive.”
And with that, he took possession of her mouth, and was soon tasting her, mapping her every curve, almost as if he had never touched her before.
He was as desperate for her as she was for him, it would seem, and their passion had for only equal their love for one another. Indeed, it felt good to be loved by him. And even more so to be on the receiving end of his ravenous passion.
Whether she was in his arms, under him, above him, or simply by his side, Emily would have to always thank her lucky stars that made Mrs Steams hire her 4 months ago. She would have probably never got the chance to meet her sweet loving mate if not for the haughty housekeeper.
All things considered, she would have to be more lenient towards the strict elderly woman.