Love and Pride

itiraf zamani part 2

*A little bonus. Caveman Can- by special request. LegendOfLisa1 hope you enjoy 💖*

Can

“I have to go,” she said agitatedly. And I understood. She embraced me one last time, I let myself lean on her and breathe her in. "Goodbye," I said

The fatalistic part of me whispered softly in my ear: you will never see her again.

****
When I got back to my house, I lawyered up and then I packed my bags and took off. I didn't want to be anywhere near anyone who might be affected by this scandal. I didn't want her to be affected by it. I wanted to leave the country, I wanted to run as fast and as far as I could but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Just the thought of going away from her made me physically ill. I couldn't examine that any further since my sanity was already hanging by a thread.

I spent the first few days in the woods, camping on my own. It had always been my therapy, a way to reconnect and think clearly but this time no amount of fresh air and solitude cleared the deep-seated rage that wanted to strike out and incinerate everything in its path. The most frustrating part was that I had no one to direct my anger at. I was a man of action and sitting around with my hands virtually tied was hell on earth. These thoughts swirled around in my head for days on end but I was careful to keep my waking thoughts from straying to her. I kept all of that locked down tightly. It couldn't be allowed out or I’d be running back to throw myself at her feet. Even if she’d have me with a tattered reputation and an uncertain future, I wasn’t selfish enough to do that to her. She was trying to get a company off the ground and didn't need the bad press and she sure as hell didn't need to share my disgrace. She deserved better. She deserved so much more. I had little to offer from the start and now I had even less. 

Eventually, feeling restless, I left the woods and went to the cabin which turned out to be a big mistake. I swore the sheets still smelled of her and sleeping in them made me feel like I was being rendered in half. My dreams every night were invaded by her scent, her lips, her eyes, by the body that had been imprinted on mine. 

I had strange semi-awake dreams in which I swore I felt the softness of her body beneath mine.

"Don't hate me," I whispered against her lips. "Yesterday, today and forever you're the one on my mind. It will always be you no matter how far I go. It has always been you." She shoved her hands into my hair and brought her mouth to mine. She kissed me deeply and I pressed her down onto the bed, afraid to crush her but unable to keep my hips from rolling slowly into hers. I ran my lips over her face, my hands sweeping over her curves. "I'll never let go of you, Sanem. Never."

I woke up with my ears tingling with the sounds she made in passion, her name on my lips. I sat up in bed thinking of the long lonely years ahead, of the real possibility that she'd end up marrying someone else, touching someone else. The thought sent me shooting to my feet. What the hell am I doing here? A sense of urgency invaded me, I had enough of feeling sorry for myself.

I pulled my head out of my ass and drove back to the city that same day, my dread growing with every mile. As soon as I turned my phone back on, I got a call from a baffled Metin. "Where have you been? Avoiding your lawyer is always a bad idea. I have incredible news." He went on to say that an individual had admitted to stealing and uploading the photos. I had no idea who this person was.

"The website is down, the young man is in custody and has already confessed. The really strange thing is that he somehow has retained the services of one of the best law firms in the country when as far as I can tell he has no money." 

After I hung up and before I could get my head wrapped around that revelation, I noticed I had several unread messages from Ayhan today. I didn't even pause to wonder how she got my number. I pulled over to read them and all the blood drained from my head.

Hey, thought you might wanna know something is going down today. I've been summoned by She Who Must Not Be Named. I think treachery is afoot.

Yogurt is here *eye roll* this can't be good.

I can't get a hold of either of my sisters. I don't think Sanem has any idea she's about to be ambushed.

And the most recent one sent me hurling into traffic, heedless of other motorists. I could barely see past the fury engulfing me.

Hellooooo! You might want to get your ass over to my house, Romeo. It definitely looks like a trap. Idk what's going on but I wouldn't put it past them to kidnap her.

****
I made it there in record time. I marched past the protesting doorman, pushed aside the indignant butler,, and followed the sounds of voices to a large room. My eyes unerringly picked her out of the crowd. She turned her head sharply in my direction and our eyes met. At that same moment, Yiğit walked up to her side and her mother started to speak to the gathered crowd "We are so ecstatic to announce the union…"

Like hell. 

And that was the last semi-coherent thought I had. My eyes landed on Yiğit taking Sanem's limp hand in his and my brain ceased to function. The primal untamed part of me that always hovered close to the surface came to the fore and I turned it loose. 

Mine, it said.

I shouldered my way through the crowd, my eyes locked on hers until I was standing in front of her shocked face. I plucked her hand away from the slimy little toad, picked him up,, and bodily removed him from her vicinity. I resisted the urge to hurl him across the room.

"Touch her again and I'll break you in half," I said to him, my voice deepening to an almost unintelligible growl.

"How dare you! I'm calling the police." The little jerk sputtered.

"Leave here with this man and you'll never see your sisters again!" Her mother declared furiously.

I looked at Sanem, her shining eyes never straying from my face. I cupped her cheeks and kissed her hard.

Mine 

The word coursed through my veins with every beat of my heart.

With threats raining down on our heads and Ayhan's wolf whistle ringing in my ears, I picked up the love of my life, slung her over my shoulder and stomped through a sea of stunned faces.

Mine

Finally.