AllFreeNovel
Share Us
For once, Stefan offered no resistance. He rose to his feet, the slump of his shoulders as he stalked off the rooftop said more than any words could.
I'd hurt him. Confused him. He deserved so much better than me.
Lukas released my hand and looked at me incredulously. "You told him no? Why in the hell would you do that?"
"I love him more than a piece of paper, Lukas. We'd be doing it for the wrong reasons. He wants to protect me. I want him to ask me because he wants to, because he loves me. Not out of fear and obligation."
Lukas sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "You think he'd marry you just because he's obligated? Sweetheart, are you insane or just thick-headed?"
"Lukas..."
"He loves you more than his own life. The night Derek had you, he was almost immobilized with panic. I'd never seen him like that. Only his deeper fear of losing you kept him focused," Lukas advised. His ice blue eyes slid to the sky. "Stefan is like my brother and he's a good maker. Did you know he never loved another person until his vision of you and the night he finally met you? Not a single woman has ever held his heart. And now you do. You can crush him with your words."
"I know. He's told me he's never loved anyone else," I agreed. My hands twisted in the satin of my nightgown.
Lukas finally met my gaze. In this moment, his eyes reminded me of Stefan, old and wise. "You bonded in love. I felt it in my link with Stefan. It was amazing. Josie, I hate to tell you, but technically you're already married. It's just not legal."
Rubbing my neck nervously, I stood and walked to the edge of the rooftop. I peeked over the edge at the street below. "Technically, what we are isn’t legal. We use forgeries and assumed identities.
Lukas tried again. "All I hear are your excuses. What are you so scared of? You think he's going to leave you? Cheat on you? Mistreat you? None of the above is going to happen and you know it. I don't think your bond will permit him. He's bound to you."
I turned to study him. He sat primly on the chair, his eyes watching me with undisguised interest. "How do you know about what a bond is? You don't do relationships, remember?" Lukas crossed his legs. "I may not do relationships but I know enough vampires to understand the process. Stefan and I have been together for a long time. He's in love with you, he's loyal and he's swooning over you like the moon rises out of your pussy."
Normally I would have blushed at Lukas' statement. My technicolor blush never appeared on my cheeks. Yet another change to ponder over and discuss.
Lukas smoothly got to his feet and stood in front of me. He pulled me to him long enough for him to press a kiss to my forehead. "Let him ask you. Tell him yes. Wear his ring. You don't have to marry him tomorrow. Just say yes for god’s sake. Go back to the start."
He blurred to the door on the roof. A solitary tear slipped down my cheek and my voice sounded as weak as my body felt when I spoke. "Would he?
Lukas halted, his hand on the door. "Would he what?
"Let me start over? Let me take back the words that hurt him?” I asked, grasping my head with my hands.
Lukas was back at my side, gently taking my hand. "He'd relive the entire 975 years of his life to be with you. Your flaws make you who you are. Sure, you're insecure and you've made mistakes. Haven't we all?"
"I seem to have a special talent for fucking up. Like earlier today with you. Sorry about that," I said sheepishly. My head swiveled to glance at him. "Lukas, I like this version of you. It suits you."
His thin lips eased into a smile. "You have a way of disarming people, Josephine. Underneath everything, you have a lot of love in you. It pulls me to you, even though you are scaring the shit out of me."
We stood quietly on the roof top. With a final pat, he let go of my hand and walked to the rooftop door again. I heard the it click closed behind him, leaving me alone to my thoughts.
I threw my head back and looked into the stars, as if they'd have a solution to my problems.
Wrong.
I slumped back down onto the lounge chair and rested my chin in my palms. I'd inadvertently hurt Stefan again with my callousness. He'd offered to marry me, to tie himself to me every way humanly possible. And like an idiot, I'd told him no.
My face slid into my hands. I'd seen the set of his shoulders when he walked away. I'd felt his pain at the result of my careless words.
"Vackra?"
My eyes raised to meet his eager blue eyes. I hadn't heard his approach and I was too busy chastising myself to pay attention. He was on his knees at my feet. I attempted to embrace him, yet his hands ceased my movement as they encased my wrists. He held them at arms length, his eyes searching mine.
"Lukas said you wanted to start over?" His statement was a question. "So I will start over for you. Consider my question differently. Wear my ring and be with me because you love me, because you cannot live without me. Be with me because I make you happy, because I drive you crazy. Be with me because you cannot imagine a day without me. Josephine, be with me because I only existed until I found you after centuries of searching. Only you. För evigt."
Stefan pulled a ring out of his pocket. His mouth parted, his tongue nervously swiping across his lower lip. He took my left hand in his much larger one, stroking the skin tenderly.
"If this were during my human life, our union would have been arranged between our fathers to strengthen the village. It is not those times, yet I still want to ask you properly. So I ask you again. Ska det finnas en ände för oss båda, en obligation efter våra löften, inte heller skall vårt första kärlek planlöst förgås. Jag ber om din hand är min kompis, min älskare för evigheten. Vara med mig."
