26. A Declaration of Love
A Declaration of Love
Electra
T he sound of the rain stirred me from another disturbing dream. I was tortured the whole night by images of Bastian being badly injured, almost dead, and at least four times, I woke up with a scream.
He was next to me, reassuring me that he was fine, yet the shock that I suffered because of the accident was taking its toll on me.
I clung closer to him, listening to his soothing words and beating heart, and eventually, the terror dissipated.
Yet the fear for him stayed. He hit his head pretty hard, his jaw was purple, and he had a busted lip and a big bruise on his right cheekbone.
The gash on his forehead needed stitches, but there wasn't a needle in the first aid kit.
I had to get him to the hospital before something terrible happened to him.
"It'll be difficult to walk in the rain," I grumbled into his chest, thinking it would be better for him to stay and I would go find help. He took the entire impact of the crash. He could have broken ribs or something worse.
Every time I touched his torso, he flinched, so I tried to be careful lying next to him. But with the nightmares and his protective nature, it was hard not to be pressed against him .
"You can stay here, and I'll find some help," he suggested, and I raised my head to look at him to see if he was joking. From the signs I’d seen before the crash, we were at least ten miles from the nearest gas station. I didn't think he would manage that kind of stroll.
"Have you seen yourself, big man?" I asked, gently touching the right side of his abdomen. He hissed, and a painful grimace appeared on his face. "It'll be the other way around."
"No way!" he shouted, but I didn’t care about his disapproval. He wasn’t in the right state to leave the car. This time, it was up to me to look after him.
“Yes way, Mr. Thorn,” I stated, pulling myself up. I looked out of the window, seeing nothing but pouring rain. “I’m sure your security is already trying to locate you. I just need to find the signal for your phone.”
I glanced to the right side, where his cell was lying. It had a cracked screen, but it was functioning. Mine was completely smashed, only from time to time did a white light cross the display.
"I won't let you go out there alone," Bastian said, sitting up. He was in pain; I saw it in his every move, but he just couldn't admit defeat.
"Why is it so hard for you to wait a few hours until I return with help?" I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him. He wouldn't hesitate to run to the nearest city if it were the other way around.
"It'd kill me not to know if you're okay," he whispered, placing his hand on my forearm.
"What if someone stops and kidnaps you? Or worse?
" He looked me in the eyes, and his pleading look melted my heart instantly.
"I won't survive if something happens to you because I let you go alone. Don't ask me for that, princess."
"You're hurt," I objected, frowning at his bruised face.
"I'll manage." He moved closer to me, his palm traveling up my arm to my neck. I leaned into his touch, pushing all the worries about this situation to the side. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I should've been more careful while driving through the woods."
"It's okay," I muttered, taking his hand away from my face and squeezing it. "I'm fine. You're the one who needs to be seen by a doctor."
"I’ve survived worse." He winked at me, trying to act nonchalant, but he couldn't fool me. He was in pain, and the pills he'd taken weren't strong enough to ease the aches in his body.
"Maybe, but I doubt that you were stuck in the middle of the forest," I sighed, taking out chocolate bars from the backpack. They were good, but I missed regular food already.
I slowly chewed the sweet treat, mentally smiling because I shouldn't eat candy for at least another two weeks.
I was about to comment when I looked at Bastian and noticed he was probably sleeping.
His eyes were closed, and his breathing was even.
It was my chance to run for help. I knew he would be angry if he woke up and didn't find me around, but I didn't see another way.
As quietly as possible, I opened the trunk and climbed out, checking if he was still asleep. A pinch of guilt settled in my chest over leaving him, but I quickly discarded the idea of staying. Without cell reception, it could take days for his men or the police to find us here. I had to go.
I wrapped the jacket tighter around my body. The ground under my feet was slippery, and mud was instantly glued to my boots, but after some fighting with the wet terrain, I reached the asphalt road.
I looked around, seeing only the tall trees and gloomy sky. I hoped to hear a car that would help me straight away, but I had no luck. With an exasperated sigh, I turned in the opposite direction and started to walk down the road.
My thoughts were with Bastian, and I begged God that he would sleep the whole time while I was away, but my prayers went unanswered. I walked maybe two hundred meters, and then his shouting reached my ears. He was close behind me, and, of course, he was furious.
"Are you fucking serious?" he yelled, and I turned around, cursing under my breath. Glaring at me, he pressed his hand against his torso's right side. "I closed my eyes for a second, and you ran away!"
"I'm going to get you help," I replied, trying to stay calm. "Wait for me in the car." I motioned with my arm towards his smashed SUV, and he shot me an angry look.
"I won't let you go alone!" He stopped before me, probably trying to intimidate me, but I knew better.
Without another word, I touched his abdomen, and he groaned, slightly bending over.
I didn't expect that kind of reaction and instantly regretted my actions.
For a moment, fear for him overcame my every cell and every thought, and I felt panic bubbling in my stomach. His condition was getting worse.
"Why are you so stubborn?" I cupped his face with my hands, forcing him to look at me. "I'm not a child. I can take care of myself and you as well."
"I know you can, princess," he grumbled, clenching his jaw. He took my hand from his cheek, still scowling at me. "But it's not necessary. I'm fine."
"You're not." I shook my head, stepping away from him. "Do whatever you want. You're an adult. I can't stop you from hurting yourself."
I abruptly turned on my heels, heading down the road. Tears of helplessness were burning my eyes, but I did my best to push them back. He would never listen to me, even if his life depended on it. I should have already been used to that.
"Princess!" he yelled at my back after a few seconds, yet I refused to react. Arguing with him was pointless. We had to find a signal for his phone and call the head of his security and an ambulance.
"Electra, please stop!" I halted my movements, taking in a sharp breath. I clenched my jaw, staring at the trees in front of me, overcoming the urge to run down the hill. I couldn’t understand my feelings. This situation was messing with my personality.
I felt his presence behind me. When he put his hands on my shoulders, I stiffened but didn't push him away. Slowly, he stroked my arms and eventually embraced me, whispering into my ear.
"I know you're scared, and I admit that every fucking muscle and bone in my body hurts like hell." He brushed his nose against my cheek, kissing me gently before he continued, "But I don't want to be without you. Don't leave me, princess."
I closed my eyes, pressing my back against his chest. His grip on me tightened, and I sighed in relief at how he could hold me together, even when I was crumbling down.
I knew I was in shock. My hands were trembling, my stomach was cramping, and a lump in my throat was blocking my airways. His attitude didn't help me feel at ease either, but I felt safe with him. He provided comfort and a chance to find the lost balance.
I didn't know how long we stood there, but I could breathe freely again when he released me and spun me around to face him.
"Better?" His soft, kind voice made a slight smile appear on my face. I nodded, realizing that my body's trembling had also lessened. "Then move your sexy ass. We need to walk before the storm returns."
I looked up at the sky, watching heavy, dark clouds roll in. It would be a long stroll in horrible weather. For Bastian, it had to be pure torture to place one foot in front of another at all.
For quite some time, we were quiet. Bastian held my hand tightly like he was scared I would run away again. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, trying to hide my worries about his well-being.
He was pale like a sheet of paper, his wet black hair was glued to his forehead, and he was biting his lower lip. His gaze was fixed on the road, and I was sure he was on autopilot. He was seriously thinking about something.
"You didn't say anything about my suggestion last night," I reminded him, returning to our conversation about his contract with Rose. He'd passed my demand by with a silent nod, but I knew it was bothering him. He didn't like the idea of sharing Miss Adelaine's secrets with me.
He snapped his head in my direction, studying my face.
"I don't think it's a good idea," he replied, his voice slightly wavering, more from the pain than from the nervousness about our discussion.
"Why not?" I raised my eyebrows at him .
"Because it's her life, princess," he lectured, wiping the drops of rain from his nose. "It's her privacy, her war with her demons. You can't just demand the front seat in her story."
"How poetic," I spat, yanking my hand from his grasp. "You're probably forgetting that it's my life, too. And because of your lie, I have to deal with this."