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Derex’s face twists as if he just swallowed poison. “Romantic?” he says doubtingly but when he catches the confused look on my face he adds, “Yeah, that’s me. A romantic.”
****
Derex
My innuendo went straight over her head and it tugs at the heartstrings. I rub my chest when a wave of emotions hit me out of nowhere, and I don’t know what the hell to do with them or which categories to sort them in. The girl doesn’t make me feel just one emotion but one hundred at a time and I drag a deep breath.
She’s fussing over the teacups, keeping her back to me and silently humming to herself which surprises me, as I wouldn’t be humming in a place like this considering it’s not even worthy of a mouse. Frowning, I look out the window, my eyes suspiciously going to the bridge where a bunch of lowlife criminals hang out. They’re not dangerous, especially not compared to us but I don’t want anything dirty around Luna.
There’s something about the girl that reminds me of laundry, freshly washed in the northern sea and then left out to hang dry on a cliff in the midsummers breeze. She stirs up things inside of me and I owe her more than allowing her to stay here. Besides, I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I know Luna will be sleeping in this dump.
Throwing an eye on her unassuming frame, I toss out some junk she keeps in a cardboard box and proceed with filling it with things she might need. There’s an old teddy leaning against the pillow on her couch and I throw it into the box, thinking she’ll probably want to take it with her. I’m busy adding a sentimental collection of some porcelain figurines of a blond chick herding sheep, when Luna registers what I’m doing and blurts in horror,
“Derex!”
I calmly turn to her and she’s holding two cups in her hands as a shocked expression colors her face and I know what this must look like. A man inviting himself into a young girl’s home then proceeding to grab her stuff... she’s probably thinking I’m about to rob her.
“Don’t worry, I’m not taking anything from you, just thought I’d do the packing to help out.” She opens her mouth but I cut her off. “You’re coming with me,” I clarify in a tone that doesn’t tolerate protests. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I walked out and left you here on your own.”
She sighs. “You’re making it sound worse than it is. This is hardly a battlefield.” Shaking her head, she adds, “Here’s your tea.”
“I don’t want tea, I want you to come with me.” I continue into her bedroom and open up her closet when she comes running after me. She vaguely protests but I’m already busy adding more stuff to the box. Pulling out a green t-shirt, I say, “You need me to bring this one?”
“Yes! I mean no, wait...I never consented to this.”
“Why would you, when you have me to consent for you.” I open up her underwear drawer and she lets out a pant.
“Hey! This is all getting too personal a little too fast,” she gasps, looking at me with wide eyes and her face turns mortified when I pull out a pair of large, cotton panties. “Those aren’t mine!” she squeals as I chuckle for the first time in a long time. “Someone must’ve put them there...”
“Then you see why you have to come with me. You can’t stay in a place where someone walks in and puts big girl panties in your drawer.”
She shakes her head with flushed cheeks. “You can’t just barge into my life like a tornado, Derex.”
It’s the only way, I know how to do things. “If you don’t come with me, I’ll walk out and you’ll never see me again. Either you let me claim a right to you or you shut that door in my face, there’s no in between.” When she doesn’t respond, I drop the box and head for the door.
“Derex!” she cries and I stop, filling with satisfaction because I knew she’d be willing to go with someone like me if it means leaving this place behind. “I’ll c...come with you.”
I give a curt nod, pushing down the satisfactory bawl in my chest. “You made the right choice.”
“Of course you would say that,” she breathes, picking up her box. “Will you carry it for me? It’s heavy.” Naturally, I take it from her and she looks up at me with excitement and hesitance in her eyes. “This is unbelievable. Who would’ve thought our meeting would end up with the two of us becoming roommates.”
The corners of my mouth twitch. “You got it all wrong, Luna. I’m not taking you as my roommate, I’m taking you as my woman.”
“W...woman,” she gulps as if she’s way too inexperienced to be someone’s woman, “just like that, huh?” Her eyes turn glassy. “You did say you were a romantic.”
This has nothing to do with romance but all about territory and possession. No made man would leave a woman he cares about, unprotected like this. She needs to be under his black wings, that’s where she’s the safest and I’ll be very careful, and only let her know the truth about my lifestyle once she’s ready.
When she doesn’t reply how she feels about becoming mine, I feel a flash of worry. She’s looking at me as if trying to assess me and I lower my head, trying to make myself look smaller and she winces. “Don’t do that,” she pleads. “Don’t try to make yourself less intimidating.”
“Thought it would make you feel more comfortable,” I rasp and she shakes her head.
“I like your height,” she whispers, “the size of your shoulders. Never seen a man as enormous as you.”
“You’ve been looking at other men, then?” I say as my throat strains and she smiles softly.
“You know what I mean.” Her smile widens. “I wouldn’t mind being your girl, Derex. There’s something superior about you that draws me to you and I have a feeling I won’t regret this.”
“And if you do, what will you do then?” I rasp and she shrugs lightly. “You think I’ll let you go?” When she nods in all sincerity, I whisper, “Think again.”
