Noah’s Pov
She had been down in the basement for six days now, basking in nothing but my presence. An overwhelming sense of peace filled me as I could feel my baby snuggle further into me. A twisted pride welling within me at my brilliant idea of lowering the temperature of the room, now she had no choice but to rely on me for body heat. Her small frame shook within my embrace a satisfied sigh passing her lips as the heat radiated from my body to hers.
The medicine I had been slipping into her food did not have as strong of an effect as it first did, yet still kept her weak and submissive. “I-it’s cold” she whines out, clutching her fist tightly on the back of my shirt, her body snuggly wrapped around my own. “I know baby I know, but you won’t take me up on my skin to skin offer so there isn’t much more I can do” I whisper brushing my lips against her forehead.
A smirk lifted on my face, she was slipping, I can’t believe I hadn’t tried something like this before, she was eating from the palm of my hand. “But wouldn’t it, wouldn’t we be colder if we had no clothes to cover us” she slowly tilted her head upwards, her glossy eyes meeting my own. “That’s what the blanket is for my pretty girl, the clothes are just blocking my heat from you” I trailed my hand underneath her shirt, rubbing the tips of my finger against her goosebump ridden skin.
“O-okay” she muttered as I internally jumped with glee. I knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer, considering the room was at these low temperatures all throughout the night, and me having been in the safety of my warm bed she simply wouldn’t be able to resist the heat I could offer her much longer.
Feigning a concerned look for my baby girl, I gently lifted her top from her body, her skin feeling heavenly against mine, being mindful of the slashes from her last physical punishment two days ago, leaving her shorts on which she surprisingly did not argue about having to wear. It brought me a sense of comfort knowing she became scared to upset me, in hopes I would lessen her punishment if she was good. I could see right through everything she did, and I was just glad she could never see through the things I did.
“Thanks” her voice was all but a whisper, my heart thrumming in my chest at her compliance over the past few hours. I knew Sebastian had given her a little visit the first day, but I knew I had been in no danger of him helping her quite yet by leaving her at easy access for him. He didn’t do a very good job at turning off the camera but one man’s stupidity is another’s success.
I was aware his unwillingness to help her was eating away at her, it was clear it hadn’t affected her much at the start, but by now, I could only hope to see the anger she was bearing towards him. Point Noah. If I was to bet on it I would say that me attacking her for sleeping with him didn’t hurt as bad as him walking out on her. Because no matter what, I’ve always been there for her.
Even when I am not physically with her I consume every inch of her mind, and that in itself is something Sebastian will never be able to take from me. I hope they enjoyed their little rendezvous because Embry would be in no one else’s company but mine from now on. I had never felt more confident about a plan of mine sealing our relationship. She was cold, tired and weak. And so I’d give her all my love.
Embry’s Pov
My brain sat heavy in my skull, my body yearning for heat as Noah’s bare chest gave me it. A constant state of fatigue filling me, Noah’s finger tips massaging my scalp lulling me into a complete sense of tranquillity. “Are you feeling better now little bug?” He murmurs against my hair, a gentleness draping over my thoughts. No ill thoughts, no panic, no worry, simply being. “Warm” I mumbled, putting every ounce of my focus on retaining this peaceful feeling. A moment where I was not fighting with my inner thoughts or myself, or even those around me.
My heart, which had been feeling heavy from Sebastian leaving me here, felt much lighter now at this moment. “You’ve been doing so good my little flower, I’m not going to be using the belt anymore, I had missed you being my good little girl” his hand tipped my head up towards him as his warm lips met my chapped ones. Relief was my main reaction to his words, no disgust at the way he talked to me like a child. I felt like a child.
Scarily enough it wasn’t as bad as I thought the feeling would be. Being forced to rely on Noah has taken so much off my shoulders, I don’t need to do as much to keep myself sane anymore. He was right, by giving into him, I felt so much better.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been down here, it felt like forever since Sebastian had snuck in. Time passed even more slowly than it did up in that bedroom, I felt like I had lived several lifetimes in the past couple months. Sebastian hadn’t come down again since, the thought had me hugging Noah tighter. I had been a hair’s length away from just running away with Sebastian and forgetting all about Noah but nothing ever goes the way I anticipate. He had left me. Abandoned me. He had done what I was terrified of people doing.
Noah had been the only person to constantly be by my side, the only person to make me feel like I didn’t deserve the fate of being alone forever. No matter how hard I tried to fight against it, to fight against him, something in this universe just proved to me how much I needed him. Sometimes he goes off on these tangents trying to turn me against Sebastian, and most of it goes over my head but sometimes he is right.
Sebastian learned to love the same way he did, he is just a little more sane about it. Him walking out on me just proved that he couldn’t be what I wanted him to be. And unfortunately I had much higher standards for him than I did for Noah. But I knew me and I ran at the sign of uncertainty and fear so I knew no matter how much I told myself these things, it wasn’t really the end of things between Sebastian and me. He had lured me in and I had never been strong enough to survive a trap, no matter who set it. Especially not when a Hill set it.
I had learnt a lot in the past couple days of having absolutely no choice to be just thinking, I had also come to the conclusion that there was no escape for me any time soon. I would have to be here for quite a while, so I’ve returned back to my very original plan, be what he wants me to be, have him trust me then when opportunity comes knocking, run.
But I wouldn’t just run like I had the past couple times, this time, I would be successful. At least that is what I told myself to keep myself semi-sane down here. I was getting too comfortable with giving into Noah down here, and seeing it come with no consequences was a dangerous thing.
“You know, you’re the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on” he gently smiled, a dark blush rising on my cheeks. Damn it, he knew I was a sucker for compliments. “T-thanks” I turned my face so he couldn’t see it. “You know when-when I’m good enough to be let out of here” I hesitantly began my question, taking his hum as a sign to keep going. “Do you think we could go somewhere with a lot of flowers and trees and-and a swing” a gentle smile sat on my face as I gathered the courage to look him in the eye.
My body twisted around so I preserved bodily contact with him, absorbing all the heat I could while also facing him. “We can go wherever you want my love, as long as I am with you I don’t care where we go” he beamed, stroking my cheek with his thumb.
“You know, we actually have this really nice cottage on a small island, it’s surrounded by trees and exotic plants and flowers, and we would basically be living in a forest with a beach only a five minute walk from it” he tilted his head in suggestion as I began to get excited at the thought. “It was where we were meant to go for our honeymoon, but you know” he gave a knowing look as I ducked my head in shame.
Was he mad at me? “I’m sorry” I frowned, resting my head on his chest once again. “You’re okay baby girl” he reassured me, placing his hand back on my back and soothingly rubbing the bare skin. “There is even a little town a while from it and they have outdoor markets and little cobblestone footpaths, does that sound nice?” He hummed beside my ear, as I gently nodded.
“And-and we would start over?” I lifted myself onto my elbows this time, needing to see the sincerity of his answer in his eyes. “And we would start over, just like before” he promised, dotting my forehead with a kiss. And so I didn’t mind if he talked to me like a child, because I felt like a child. Because I acted like a child.
Because I believed him like a child.