Page 52 of His Beloved Princess
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 youhelp," 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 beforehe 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."
"I didn't lie, princess. Stop saying that, please." His pleading voice was feeble, and I turned to him. His skin was almost transparent. I frowned, not paying attention to his words anymore because I feared he might faint.
"You need a break." I placed my palm on his shoulder, gently scratching his neck with my nails. It always put him at ease.
"I love you, princess," he muttered, cupping my face with his hands and staring into my eyes. I shuddered at the intensity of his gaze. "No matter what happens, never forget that you're the most important person in my life. I would sacrifice everything for you."
He pressed his forehead against mine, smiling softly. I felt tears burning in my eyes. Nobody had told me something so beautiful, not even my Dad because he wasn't known for showing feelings.
"I can't live without you, Electra," Bastian continued in a frail voice, brushing my cheek with his thumb. "I almost lost my mind when I didn't know where you went. Please never do that again." He kissed my cheek gently, looking like he was mustering all his strength to proceed with his words.
