Stolen for Love

Chapter 30: Midnight talks

Juliette

Taking in 3 deep breaths I stared up at the ceiling hoping I was about to make the right decision. I didn't want him to suffer the emotional turmoil all by himself. Mental health was important regardless of the person you were and the things you had done. I didn't want him to bottle everything up.

Even after everything he did, I couldn't leave him in this state. 

Turning the corner into the living room, Mason suddenly jumped up in fright and looked away from me in a panic and rubbed his sleeve across his eyes to try and hide the fact that he had been crying.

"J-Juliette. Sorry, you scared me. I'll go so you can stay here".

It hurt me to see him this way. To see him as vulnerable as a scared child. In that moment, I forgot everything that he had done to me and instead I wanted to help him. 

Mason started walking away occasionally looking back at me with sore red eyes. 

"Mason, please stay".

He stopped dead in his tracks and sighed heavily.

"Why?" he whispered out through the dimly lit room. His back was still turned to me, but that didn't stop me from noticing his body trembling. He was frightened, but I wasn't sure why. Perhaps because seeing me brought back memories of the man he used to be. I didn't know. But I didn't want to see him like this.

"Because no matter what you've done, you're still human. Every person needs someone to talk to. Besides, I can't sleep and I guess we're going to have to talk eventually".

Mason slowly turned his head round so his eyes connected with mine. I could see how torn he was between staying and walking away. But to my relief Mason nodded with a sad smile on his face.

"Um, can I get you anything to drink or eat?".

Mason still couldn't hold eye contact with me as he edged around the room desperate not to come near me. He kept his head down as he walked over to the kitchen that was in the open plan living room.

"Just some water please".

He nodded whilst keeping his focus on getting a cup for my water. I watched anxiously unsure of how this was going to go down. If it wasn't for me taking the bull by the horns, Mason would probably not say a word to me the entire time whilst we were here with him.

"Here you go? Can I get you anything else? A blanket? Some slippers, a packet of biscuits or"-

"Mason, just sit down" I muttered whilst gently grabbing his hand hoping to stop him rambling and calm down.

His eyes widened as our skin made contact. He looked down at my hand that had grabbed his and slowly pulled him down on the sofa next to me.

He was completely taken aback, silent and stunned. Yet he seemed reluctant to take his hand out of mine. My heart began to race as I looked down and saw his thumb stroke the side of my hand softly. His touch was soft, gentle and brought me nothing but comfort. 

Mason was a bad person. He had done awful things. But all the time we had spent together, he never hurt me. He protected me from the true evil around us. 

"I-I, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry Juliette".

With his hand still in mine, he lowered his head as his breathing quickened. He was so broken and I didn't want this. He must've spent everyday wondering what I was doing, what I was feeling. But tonight I wanted to take all those fears away from him.

"I know it's not enough, but I hate myself more than anything. I put you through hell yet you're sitting here caring about me. I don't deserve that. I don't deserve to be sitting here a free man, but I am because of your kind heart. Sorry will never be enough".

Mason had tears streaming down his cheeks as he stuttered out broken words. I was struggling to understand him through his uneven and heavy breathing, but it was all I needed to see how sorry he was.

"Mason. I forgive you".

His red watering eyes flew up to meet mine shocked by my simple words. He was shaking slightly and it was only then when I realised how different he looked. His cheeks were sunken and he had bags under his eyes as if he hadn't slept properly for weeks on end.

This was the complete opposite of the man who kidnapped. This was a man who had lost everything and was close to giving up.

Raising my hand up to his face, I gently swiped my thumb under his eyes capturing tears as they fell.

He closed his eyes as my hand rested on his soft tan cheek as if my touch was almost healing him.

"I forgave you the day you let me go home. At the time I hated you, but after you let me go I realised that actually you were trying to care for me in your own messed up way. I'm not sitting here justifying your actions. They were wrong. You did awful things. But I could see a raw pain in your eyes every time you looked at me. You knew that wasn't the way to win me over, but you felt as though you had no other option. However, you gave up your selfish desires for my happiness. So I forgive you for everything. I'm not going to sit here and be friends with you straight away, but I want you to know that you're forgiven".

Mason's body suddenly relaxed. I couldn't begin to understand how much guilt he had been carrying around with him, but these were the words that he needed to hear. 

"Sunshine" he breathed out as he stared into my eyes intensely whilst stroking away a loose strand of hair.

"Stop hating yourself and pick yourself up. We need to take the focus away from the past and focus on the future. I need the man who vowed to protect me to have his head screwed on. I'm scared, but I want you to know that I trust you".

Mason stroked his thumb along my chin as his eyes lowered to my lips before looking back up at me.

"I won't stop until you and your mother are safe. I promised to keep you safe and that's what I'm going to do, until the very end sunshine".

*********

Rosa (Juliette's mum)

I could feel her leave the bed. I used to be a heavy sleeper, but since everything happened I have had many sleepless nights and even the quietest of noises will wake me. It's the effect of losing a daughter and your husband at the same time.

Laying on the bed with my eyes opened, I waited for her to come back hoping she had just gone to the toilet. But that made no sense as we had the only en-suite in the house.

Not taking any chances especially with a kidnapper in the house, I grabbed my phone and shoved it into my dressing gown pocket before following after her.

As I walked along the landing, I looked over the banister to see a light coming from downstairs.

I just prayed she was there alone. 

Carefully treading down the stairs, I walked towards the door with light peeking through the bottom gap of the door and listened hoping to only hear Juliette bustling about.

"Mason. I forgive you" Juliette breathed out as if it were the simplest of truths. But I didn't understand how she could be so forgiving. Juliette told me how he supposedly looked after her, but he was the reason her father my husband was dead. He didn't deserve a second chance. Juliette should have thrown him in jail the moment he let her go.

I could feel tears sting the lining of my eyes as I shakily pulled out my phone and slowly typed in the 3 digit number that would bring us justice.

Juliette should have done this a long time ago.