Chapter 214 - Over protected (2/2)
Arei took the movie from her hand and looked over the case, reading the description on the back. ”Age of Adeline... hum sounds interesting.” He held his hand out for her to take, pulling her up out of the floor. I'll put it in if you want to set up the bed for us.”
Jos looked over the neatly made bed and the stack of perfectly arranged pillows. ”I almost feel bad messing it up.” She said.
Arei chuckled as he watched her carefully arrange the many pillows. ”You can thank Andy for that. This is the room she and Peg use when they come here.” Once she was done stacking the pillows against the headboard and had crawled into the bed, he handed her a tray. He laughed when her nose turned up slightly at the combination he'd thrown together. ”Sorry, it was the best I could find.” He shrugged as he joined her on the bed and pushed play on the remote.
The movie played as they ate in relative silence, he could tell that parts of the movie were getting to her. If he was honest, they were him as well. Living a life without aging, without changing... that had no end in sight was hard when you were alone. Images of the two wolves that were currently at his father's palace flashed through his mind. The hardest part of never aging, never changing was living and loving those who did... he took her tray and slid his tray under it before setting them both on the nightstand. He pulled her against his side and placed a light kiss on the top of her head as she sniffled against tears caused by the final scene of the movie.
”I can't help but relate... It's so sad. Even if it's that way, her daughter will still grow old sooner or later and she'll have to see that end...” Jos sniffled.
Arei kissed her head again. ”I know what you're thinking, Kitten. But look at it this way, they had all those great years together and should have more to come... though limited.” He nudged her chin up to meet his gaze. ”It will help to have someone she loves by her side; don't you think?”
Jos could feel a hint of a blush creep up her neck as she nodded. Turning away from his grip, she stood from the bed and moved to the window. She let out a heavy sigh as the rain still pelted against the window blocking her view of the now dark sky. ”Would you like to watch something else since it doesn't look like we'll be going anywhere tonight?”
Arei ran his hand through his hair as he looked out the window past her. ”Might as well... maybe something more uplifting this time.” He winked as he leaned back against the headboard, enjoying the way her cheek reddened as her eyes trailed his movements.
***
Selena frowned as she watched Zeus pace back and forth across the room like a caged animal, his wet hair leaving droplets of water on the wood floor. ”Again, I'm sorry but I can't break other individuals' magic.” She quickly clamped her mouth shut and backed against the wall she stood near as his angry eyes met hers.
”This is bullshit! You're completely useless!” He ran his hands angrily through his hair as he growled toward the ceiling. ”I should have moved in sooner! She's back with him, I know it! Everything is ruined! I'll not be able to use the wolves as I'd planned. And they will all be more careful now. Areion hasn't let her out of his sight since arriving in Athens, now that she's back in his arms I doubt he ever will! Trapping them at that damn cabin was my best chance!”
”Selena dreaded the answer, but her morbid curiosity had already won out. ”What had you planned tonight after trapping them there with a storm anyhow?” She braced herself for the answer.
”There was plenty I could have done, had any of my powers been able to penetrate that blasted cabin!” He growled.
Selena let out a nervous breath. {So, he either hadn't had a plan or he still doesn't trust me enough to reveal it.} ”The final hearing is tomorrow, surely after her sentencing, there will be plenty of chances for you to work whatever plan you would like.”
He glared at her in irritation. ”Do you honestly think she will take any kind of deal I have to make if she's being locked up with her lover? How stupid can you be? I had leverage when it was that blasted kid she wanted, but if she's settled for Areion what's left to barter. No, my best chance was that cabin and using one against the other... now it's ruined and without a doubt, by morning there will be no going back...”
***
Arei lifted the remote and clicked off the TV as the credits began to play. He carefully scooted lower in the bed being careful not to bother Jos who had fallen asleep with her head rested on his chest and her arm wrapped around his upper waist. His smile widened as her grip tightened. He curled upwards to kiss her head. ”Goodnight, Kitten.” To his surprise, she muttered a response... and said HIS name.
”Goodnight... Arei.” She whispered sleepily. ”And thank you...”
He scrunched his brows together as he tried to make out the outline of her head in the dark. ”For what, Kitten?” He asked softly.
”For always being the thing, I need... never pushing me further than I'm comfortable with even... in a situation like this... even though it would be easy to right now...” Her words were so faint a normal person would have had trouble hearing them, but he didn't. ”The comfort it brings me to be here in your arms... it means a lot... Thank you for bringing me and offering to share such a large part of yourself with me. You didn't have to, but you did.” She didn't lift her head or move her gaze, instead, she kept her eyes trained on the outline of her arm around his waist, right above the knot of the blanket he'd wrapped around himself.
Arei held her tighter. ”Anything you want. I promise not to hide anything else and to let you get to know the real me. As for this, having a night alone with you is enough for me.” He loosened his grip when she pushed up against him.
Looking down into the faint glow of his hazel eyes, Jos didn't want to hold back any longer. ”Arei...” She lifted her chest onto his and lowered her lips down to meet his.
He kissed her tenderly back but didn't move further. Rubbing his palm across the side of her cheek, he whispered huskily. ”Get some sleep, Kitten.” He felt her go rigid before she let out a low breath and lowered herself back to his chest. He stroked her back as he tried to slow the pace of his own racing heart.
Jos could hear and feel the frantic beat of his heart against her face. ”I don't understand why you always hold back so much. You're nothing like most other men.”
He smiled ”I hold back because I know it's not what is best for you. Understandably, there are other things we could do to take your mind off the trials tomorrow... but after all the excitement is over we will still be stuck together, and I can't stand the thought of seeing regret on your face a second time. I want everything that happens between you and me from this point on to be what you truly want.”