Beast Of Italy

Chapter Thirty

Dark clouds marked the beginning of nightfall as the carriage began to slow down. His fingernails burying themselves into the fabric of the curtain, he ran his gaze over the familiar building.

The carriage finally pulled to a halt and his hold on the curtains loosened as he listened to the coachman jump down and hurry to the side of the coach where he opened the door. A soft gush of wind washed over his face, his muscles protesting his actions as he forced one leg after the other down the stairs of the coach until he was standing tall and looking up at the building. He turned his attention back to the coach, accepting the child that was placed in his hands. He leaned down and placed him on his two feet, before turning to help Ira down as well. Her right hand clung tightly to the sleeping bundle in her arm.

Straightening, he clasped Ira's hand and they mounted the stairs together until the were standing before the closed door and he was pounding on it. He stood waiting for a few seconds, before the sound of the latch being removed drifted to him from behind the closed door, and the door finally pulled open.

Wide eyes stared back at him. He stood there and watched as the color drained from her face and her lips fell wide open.

"Julius?" She whispered in dread.

"My lady." He bowed to the waist. "Forgive me for not sending word ahead of me."

Hadassah eyed him for several seconds, before slowly nodding her head. "Daniel is not here. He is in London and I'm unsure of the date of his return."

He watched her fingers tighten their hold on the doorknob in a clear show of fear. He could tell that she was lying just by looking at her. Yet, he knew he couldn't blame her.

Julius remembered everything he did to his brother, and to his brothers wife. It had taken nearly a year after his reunion with Ira, to fully remember, but as the memories returned, so did the overwhelming desire to return and beg for their forgiveness.

He was a dreadful person. He had pushed his brother off a horse when they were but boys and the incidence led to his brother's loss of his sight. Then, he had kidnapped his brother's wife and had tried to force her to marry him. Then he had stolen his brother's inheritance and tried to kill him by putting a bullet in his head.

He had been forced to postpone his journey until Ira had birthed their other son, Luke. Then, he journeyed all the way to Rye to make things right, even if he knew he couldn't.

Nodding, "We shall board in a boarding house and journey back tomorrow." He said, seeing clearly that she wouldn't welcome them into the building.

He took Rey in his arms and led his family back to the coach, giving the coachman instructions to drop them off in a boarding house, before settling in the coach.

It was nearly an hour before the family was settled in a room. Julius sat by the window, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar streets while his family slept. He had endured the pains and discomfort of traveling. He had endured the looks of strangers and the cries of infants who found his appearance scary, because he needed to beg his brother's forgiveness. Still, it had been all for nothing.

"Julius?" Ira's fingers settled on his shoulders, and he released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

"My love." She kissed his neck, easing the pain in his heart.

"You did your best." She whispered solemnly against his neck, gently gliding her lips up and down it.

"I fear he may never forgive me."

"Then it is a shame on him." She made her way around him and settled on his lap. He clung to her. "It is an even bigger shame on you if you do not forgive yourself."

He breathed, gently running his hand up the length of her arm.

"Hm." She leaned forward and their lips locked. Her hands explored his face and neck.

"Why do you love me, Ira?" He touched her ear, his fingers brushing her hair.

She stopped kissing him then and pulled away. Her eyes scanned his face.

"I'm a monster. A beast. People are afraid of me. People will have nothing to do with me. Yet, here you are, in my arms, loving me."

She nodded solemnly. Reaching forward, she ran the tip of her forefinger across the neckline of his nightshirt. "The people who are afraid of you, do not know who you are, all they see are your scars." She raised her hand to his face, and gently touched his burns. "The people who will have nothing to do with you, knew you. Still, they share the same problem with the first set of people; they do not know you." She leaned forward, his entire body reacting to her motion. Her hands tugged on his nightshirt until she was pulling it over his head, leaving him unclad. She sighed in satisfaction, pleasure brightening her eyes. "I know you, thus, I love you." She kissed his mangled chest, and giggled as she gently bit down on his skin.

He groaned, taking hold of her chin and pulling her close as he captured her lips.

The sun began to reappear in the sky, leaving streaks of color in its wake as her arms tangled around his neck, and his arms clung to her. Even as their bodies became one, Julius realized for the very first time in his life, that he didn't care what the world thought of him for they didn't know him. Only the woman in his arms knew him, and she loved him.

And, it was her love that kept his heart pounding in his chest.

Copyright © 2018 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.