In Damien's Keeping

Chapter 17

I woke up next morning and stretched my arms in the air, relaxing my limbs. When I stood up from my bed, I realized that my body was still clad in last night's dress. I didn't bother changing and slept when I had enough of thinking about what happened in the living room.

My breathing picked up when I remembered it again. Dread was flowing through my veins at the thought of seeing him again. But it was impossible to stay in my room all day, starving myself. I would probably die since I had never been fond of missing meals.

Determined to ignore him, I strutted out of my room.

"Good morning, Signora Lia," Casper said when he saw me coming to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Casper and Jimmy," I said and took a bite out of an Apple which had been lying in the fruit basket alone.

Their faces lit up with bright smiles and I was glad that I had put it on.

"Taste this, Signora Lia," Jimmy gave me something in a wooden spoon.

It was a gravy of red color. Lifting it to my mouth, I blew on it and then sipped it. It burst with flavors on my tongue. I sipped more and nodded in appreciation to Jimmy.

"Superb. What is it?" I asked him.

"Something new I have been trying to create," Jimmy said with a grin and wiped his hands on his apron.

"I already feel hungry, Jimmy, thanks to you."

"Signora, your juice," Casper said and presented a glass on a tray for me.

"Casper, you didn't have to do that," I said as I took the glass from the tray and began drinking.

"You know signore Damien will---"

He had only uttered his name and the juice stuck in my throat making my choke on it. Some desperate gasps for air and pats on my back later, I was breathing fine and so were others.

"It's okay, I am fine," I said and patted Casper's hand which was placed on my shoulder.

With the Apple in my hand, I walked back to my room and switched on the TV. Channels changed and I settled on a news channel which showed a picture of the hotel I was at last night.

They were rambling on about how a man attempted to attack a woman and then shot himself when he failed to do so. They didn't show any pictures of the terrace, only the interviews of the police officers.

It wasn't how it happened, it was being portrayed like he was an ex lover who wanted his lover back. Although I knew that he wasn't, I had never known him. Closing my eyes, I took deep breaths and made a decision.

I was going back to my home.

It was the one place where I could find answers or maybe I will at least find peace. Damien's house must be cursed because all I had got here was trouble. I shook my head to make these thoughts fly out of my mind. They were ridiculous.

After an hour, I was dressed in a jeans and t-shirt to visit my place. I picked up my purse, threw my phone and a few bills in it and went out of my room, heading straight out. So far, I hadn't seen Damien since I woke up and hoped to avoid him some more.

Many heads turned around when I walked through the living room and continued towards outside. Finally one of the guards stepped in front of me and asked politely,

"Ms. Lia, may I know where are you headed to?"

I looked up at him and for a second, I was at loss for words. Not my fault, because his personality was very intimidating and with an angry scar running across his cheek and with his big muscles, I wondered what harm could he do.

"I was going to my place," I said and waited for him to reply.

He blinked several times and said, "I am sorry, but where is your place if not here?"

I tried to smile while fidgeting with the handle of my purse and said, "My actual home, I want a few things from there."

He nodded and went in the opposite direction, saying something in his phone or whatever device it was. When I proceeded to walk out, he came beside me and walked with me.

I thought he was going somewhere else but he continued to walk with me, even as I walked out of the gates of the house. Annoyed with him, I stopped and heard more foot steps behind me. More guards were accompanying me on my journey.

"Where are you going?" I asked the one beside me.

"With you, of course."

"Oh right," I said and stared with annoyance at my surroundings. People walked in peace on the roads without a care in the world, and here I was with as much burden as I can carry.

"You guys should just..." I struggled to find words, "Just spread out... I don't want anyone to think you're my guards."

With that said, I began walking and waved for a cab. Soon, a cab stopped and I sat inside. The guard whom I had found intimidating sat with me in the cab and others hailed another cab.

A relieved sigh escaped my mouth and I stared at the guard beside me.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"My name is Dan."

I nodded and continued to ignore him like before.

Our cab stopped at one of the signals and I was looking out at the pedestrians when my eyes snapped back to a familiar face.

I narrowed them on the face of the person and found my body frozen in my seat. My eyes blinked countless times, but I refused to believe them. I refused to believe what I was seeing. He was dead. But if he was alive, wasn't it wonderful?

Dan realized my shocked state and asked if I was okay. I shook my head in slow motion and realized that I couldn't let him go this time. My hands shook the handle of the door frantically and I shouted for the cab driver to open it. Door opened and I raced down the sidewalk towards him.

In time, I reached him. He was buying something from a shop and stopped when he saw me. Instantly, I hugged him and his paper bags fell from his hands. Not caring about anything, I kept hugging him like my life depended on it. It actually depended on it because I didn't want to think that I was dreaming and I knew i wasn't. This was real, he was real. The most amazing thing was that he was alive.

I didn't how, but he was alive and that was all that mattered to me. He was my husband.

I sniffed into his chest and my arms tightened around him more.

Strong hands ripped me from him, and I peered at his face.

"Mark?" I asked and he smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was listening to the song of One Direction "You & I" and it fitted this scene so perfectly.

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