G U A R D E D | Tom Hiddleston

P A R T 2 | Chapter 25

It's just like heaven, being here with you. You're like an angel too good to be true.

Stephen's eyes softened once he saw me but Claude held him back before he could even try to move. It tightened my chest to see it was him now being the one held back from touching me. "We have this, Miss Knight, please go back upstairs" Joseph said to me, I grinned at Joseph but I noticed he looked eager to get me back upstairs. Like he was nervous, I frowned, "what's going on?" I asked him which caught him off guard. It had dawned upon him that I know this job like the back of my hand, and have once had to do this too.

"I just wanted to talk to you" Stephen pleaded, "Again, about what? I don't think there is anything left to say" I turned my attention to Stephen.

"I wanted to say that I am sorry, Colin, I let my personal emotions cloud my vision. This job was not just a job to me, you mean the world to me. And even though I say I'm okay about your relationship with Tom, I really am not. I've been pretending to be okay with it, and as you know by now I'm not all that good at hiding my true feelings. So I had to look for another job, because I know that with your heart of gold you would never let me go" Stephen explained.

"Guys, can you step out for a minute?" I turned to the two bodyguards who were pretending not to be paying attention. "Miss. I don't think that's a good idea" Joseph stated, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to ask that of you" I said then turned my full body towards them, "I meant to order you. To leave the room for a minute" I said with a pointed tone this time, they looked taken aback but nodded to me. "Two minutes" Claude said as he and Joseph walked past us to step out of the kitchen door, they closed it behind them as well to give us more privacy.

"Look" Stephen spoke as he grabbed my hand, I jerked my hand away and pointed at him. "Keep your hands to yourself" I warned in a hushed tone. He looked down sadly, "you are fucking crazy if you think I am going to forgive you. For god's sake, Stephen. I considered you my best friend, you were there for me at my darkest times. You were there for me to talk me off the edge, was that all a joke to you!?" I asked in a harsh whisper.

"Of course not! You think it's easy for me to see you wrapped around the finger of that idiot when I had you!?"  He almost shouted "That was one night" I said through gritted teeth. "One night that meant the absolute world to me!" He shouted with hurt swimming in his glossed eyes.

"We said no strings attached" I stated blandly, "Well, strings got attached on my end!" He retorted. "This isn't you, you aren't this cold person, you love me, Colin" he reached out and grabbed my hand again. "Stephen" I warned but I didn't pull away like before because his saddened eyes made me feel for him. "I did love you, but I love Thomas. It has always been him" I whispered to him.

"It's always been him?! Even when he bloody lied about you?! What don't you understand?" He shouted which caused me to step back. "What don't you understand that this is my choice now, this isn't yours anymore!" I practically shouted, "When I first ran away, I let you help me make my decisions, but you can not make this choice for me, Stephen, I love Thomas. And if I am stupid for going back to him let me make that mistake again. Because it is mine to make. Not yours" I said as I slipped my hand out of his. Stephen was now silently crying, tears were pouring out of his eyes.

"You can't do this to me" he said through gritted teeth, for what I assume to control a sob from escaping.

"Stephen you are the one who wanted to leave me, okay? I am not doing anything to you!" I defended, "Because I am in love with you! and it KILLS me to see you two together. It KILLS me to see the way you two look at each other, it breaks me when I hear the plans he has for your future, that is why! Because I know you're happy and I want you to be happy! That's why I let you go! But it is so god damn hard because I do want you to be happy. But I want you to be happy with me" he shouted as he let out a sob. My chest tightened in pain at Stephen's words, I was left speechless. Another sob escaped his lips because of my lack of response.

"Just— come with me" he said, I frowned immediately "what?" I asked him. "Let's go back home" he said as he took my hand.

"Home?! I am home, Stephen" I whisper shouted, "No! To when it was just you and I" he pleaded. I slipped my hand out of his "Stephen, you're going crazy. How do you expect me to drop everything and go with you?" I asked him.

His face broke "Does nothing I said even matter to you?" He asked in a broken voice to put with his facial expressions.

"Stephen, this isn't about you or me. This is about Tom, I can't do this to him. Not again." I shook my head as I spoke.

"Who's to say he won't do it again?! Who's to say he won't hurt you again?! And when he does I won't be there!" Stephen practically shouted which made the kitchen door swing open. "Who's to say any of that will happen?" I asked Stephen. He was getting riled up, it was something I have never seen on him. He was losing his mind.

"Time is up, Stephen" Claude said as he and Joseph approached Stephen. "No, no, don't touch me" Stephen warned the two, "Sorry, man" Joseph said to him as he grabbed his arm.

"Colin! Do not let them separate us" Stephen shouted but I couldn't do anything but stare at him as I recalled our memories.

"Is that why you finish them off? You would risk lung cancer for me?" I snapped. "You go down, we go down together" he said, turning me around.

"You're wearing this?" He asked, "yes" I chuckled, he smirked then kissed my cheek. "Then I hope you don't mind me not being able to keep my hands off of you"

"Guys. Don't hurt him" was all I managed to say as Stephen was being pulled away from me. It hurt to see it, he was my best friend. And I did love him. But the love I had for Tom was superior. It always was.