“I know you want to protect us, but my father is strong. He’s stronger than you think,” she says, speaking through her fear.
I shake my head, brushing my fingers over her cheek. My eyes trace over her delicate, beautiful features. As beautiful asthe day I met her, the day I fell in love with her.I always thought we would get married. Perhaps we still can…
“Your father has never come face-to-face with me,” I tell her.
She bites at her lip, not convinced. “He has connections everywhere.”
“He’s never faced the wrath of a Volkov after taking his family away,” I say to her, making my point. “I assure you, he made a mistake when he took you away from me the first time. And it would be an even bigger mistake for him to try to take you again. I will tear him apart to keep you three safes.”
She takes a soft breath, her lips curving into a delicate smile.
I don’t know if she believes me, but she looks too exhausted to talk anymore. The emotions have drained her. Telling her story has stolen her energy.
Her beautiful green eyes are staring into mine, and it’s taking my breath away.
My eyes drift to her lips. Beautiful, soft, pink, and full of temptation.
I lean closer, wanting so badly to kiss her that I almost lose control of myself for a moment. But then I lean back, clearing my throat as I reach up and gently brush my thumb over her cheek. “You look tired,” I say. “You should get some rest.”
Now isn’t the time to take advantage of her. She needs to feel safe, not like she owes me something.Not that she would feel that way… safe… She still thinks I kidnapped her and my children.Maybe she even thinks that I am the same as her father in some ways?
Regardless. Now is not the time to kiss her. She is vulnerable. She just shared something intimate with me.She finally gave me answers.
Selene rests her head against the curve of my shoulder, still sitting curled on my lap. I hold her there, settling for this comfortable intimacy, even though I want so, so much more from her. We sit in silence. I feel her heartbeat and the warmth of her breath on my neck.
After a long while, her breathing changes, and her body relaxes a little bit more. She’s fallen asleep in my arms. The ache this gives me is intense.
I can’t bring myself to move for another hour as I sit there holding her, wishing for impossible things.
Finally, when I can barely keep my own eyes open, I lift her in my arms and quietly carry her to bed, tucking her beneath the covers of her own bed.
When I lean over her to gently kiss her cheek, she stirs for a moment. She whispers my name, and I freeze, hoping she will ask me to stay.
But she is fast asleep.
I brush my fingers over her cheek, down her neck.
“Sleep well, princess. You are safe with me.”
Walking out of her room is harder than I expected it to be. I want her to still be in my arms when I climb into my bed. I want her to fall asleep next to me instead of alone in the room across from mine.
Tonight meant more to me than she could ever imagine. Five years or waiting to understand. Desperate to understand. For five years, I developed theories and possibilities. Now, finally, she has told me.
Part of me is scared to believe her so easily. But my heart is ruling my head tonight.
And as I roll over and close my eyes, I am haunted by the idea that we can make it through this. The notion, no matter how crazy it seems, that we can find each other again.
Chapter10 - Selene
Ever since the night that Simon held me in his arms and showed me what it felt like to feel safe again… I can’t stop obsessing about him.
It’s gotten to the point where I barely think of anything else.
And it gets ten times worse if he moves near me or brushes past me. My body is on fire with the need to be wrapped up in him. It’s impossible to focus. It’s impossible to have a conversation with him where I don’t trail off fantasizing about him mid-sentence.
It’s becoming a really big problem. Tonight is another example of how much I’m struggling because I can’t sleep.
I’ve been tossing and turning in bed for hours.
