Page 82 of The Heir
“Is something wrong?”
Pearl had the same intelligent expression in her eyes as her daughter, but unlike Freya, Pearl’s eyes were blue and her skin pale even now that it was summer. Shaking her head, she spoke with empathy in her voice. “I hope not. Finn didn’t sound like it was a matter of life and death, but he was eager to get you home so I’m thinking something must be slightly off.”
I looked to the entrance doors of the mansion where Thor had disappeared. “Maybe I should say goodbye to Thor first.”
“Oh, no need to worry about that. I’m sure you’ve had enough of large men after traveling with them for a whole week. Thor will be with Khan for a while. We’ve all been eager for a report on everything that happened during the summit.”
“Thor did well,” I said as if I had to defend him to his mother. “He was focused and serious during the negotiations.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” Pearl took my hand and gave me a warm smile. “Thor is still young. The responsibility on his shoulders is heavy, but I know he’ll come to shine soon.”
I nodded while my gaze darted to the door again. I couldn’t tell Pearl that I was certain Thor would be disappointed if he didn’t get to say goodbye to me. She would get suspicious if I insisted on staying for what could be hours to wait for Thor to be done talking to Khan. Especially when my father had asked me to hurry back home.
“Hug your mom from me and tell her that I can’t wait to see her again.” Pearl pressed a kiss to my cheek.
“I will.”
Before I knew it, I was back inside the drone and flying home to the Motherlands without a goodbye to Thor.
Once I crossed the border, I felt a deep sense of sadness that made little sense. It wasn’t as if I wanted to live in the Northlands. I’d been straightforward with Thor all along. There was desire between us but no future. We wanted different things in life.
I closed my eyes and held my breath as a powerful surge of longing washed over me.
Making love to Thor last night had blown my mind. The woman I became when I was with him was new to me as well.
It stunned me how much my heart was screaming for me to turn the drone around. I was physically longing for Thor and it hadn’t been more than twenty minutes since I last saw him.
Pressing a hand to my chest, I inhaled deeply and went through some of my regular breathing exercises to steady my pulse, but even my hand was trembling.
What if we could find a way to make it work between us?
Reality quickly popped its ugly head up and punctured my dream bubble. My relationship with Thor was complicated. He was gorgeous and brought out sides of me that no one else did. But half the time I couldn’t tell if I was picking up on his emotions or experiencing my own.
A bunch of butterflies in my stomach answered that question for me as they all fluttered their wings at the same time – without Thor close by.
Okay, so my feelings are my own. Still, being in love with someone isn’t enough to make a relationship work. Thor and I are too different.
I tasted the lie on my tongue even though I never spoke my thoughts aloud. Memories came to me of my father lifting my mother and kissing her at random times, leaving her breathless and grinning. No two people were more different than my parents, and yet they shared an unbreakable bond.
I wouldn’t be happy in the Northlands. I need my work and my people.
Thor’s promise that he wouldn’t limit me made me frown. If I was honest, it took no more than three hours for me to fly home and most of my work was through virtual reality anyway. He had even offered to build us a cozy cottage if I didn’t want to live in the Gray Mansion.
So maybe it could work.
I rubbed my face and pushed my hair back. I had resented Thor Aurelius for ten years and despite our having sex last night, I was still holding on to a last sliver of the resentment.
Why is it so hard to let go?
The simple answer was there in my heart and made me sink lower in my chair.I’m scared that he’ll hurt me again.
With my heart and mind confused, I needed to talk to the wisest woman I knew, my mother. When the drone arrived at my home, I moved to the door in a fast pace and walked in to find my father on a ladder, repairing something on the ceiling in the living room.
“Oh, hey, honey. You made it back in one piece. How was France?”
“France was fine. What’s so urgent?”
“Huh?” He puckered his forehead.
