Chapter 26
1689words
EMBER's POV
A part of me had expected him to pick up his phone and call me after that last voicemail, but nothing. Absolutely nothing.
All I wanted, was to divorce Paris and be free of him, but why was it proving to be the most difficult thing ever?
Odd, how there was a time that the possibility of us getting divorced was zero because once upon a time, we truly were in love.
It actually all started on a hot summer day five years ago. I had managed to get my father and brother to let me go out on my own without any bodyguards. They didn't like it much, but I was very convincing.
I was something of a free spirit, so to speak. It seemed as though marriage had made me tame.
It was the one free day I was getting to myself, so I took myself to the beach, or I had been taking myself to the beach when I bumped into two men. They were bigger and taller and looked mean.
Worse of all, we were on a somewhat isolated road,
"Now where would a pretty little lass like yourself be headed all on her own?" One of the men asked, and I took a step back.
I wasn't afraid, despite my father never letting me go out without guards, he and my brother had made sure that I got all of the training I needed. Day in, and day out, I was pruned and trained.
"not really sure that's any of your business," I said, and set my foot on the ground.
"Mmm, she's got a sharp mouth too." the other guy said and elbowed his friend.
"That's not a problem, I actually like my women feisty and strong." the first one said and started walking toward me,
"I am not your woman," I said, balling my hands into fists. I had never had to put my training to use, and it gave me anxiety that I was going to put it to use to save myself, but I wasn't backing down.
In training, I fought bigger men and won. This time would not be different.
"I can make you change your mind," he said, and reached out to take my hand, but I kicked it so hard that he groaned. I simply smiled
"damn stupid girl." his friend said, and stepped forward, but my wolf grew angry with each passing moment, and I was ready with a punch and a kick that made him stagger.
I blew my hair out of my face just in time to see the other one coming toward me again and sucked in a breath.
"This is like training," I told myself. I just had to remember everything I learned during training. But I glimpsed his eyes, the feral glint to them and my anxiety grew, making me slow, so that when he reached out to grab my hair, I failed to block him,
"gotchu!" he announced, as I struggled against his hold,
"let me go!" I screamed and kicked him in his groin. It loosened his hold, and I took the opportunity to punch him again, and that was enough to free me.
But when I started to flee, the other one held me by my hand, halting me,
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, bending to breath against my neck, and I punched him in the eye. He groaned in pain, but unlike his friend, he didn't let go.
I believe this one was part dragon and not wolf.
"It's shameful, don't you think, to be hurting someone who is only half your size." we both looked up at the owner of the voice and my heart staggered even in the face of my apparent danger.
It was the first time I had ever seen Paris, and he was truly breathtaking. He had the golden boy look but for his eyes. His eyes looked like vengeance when they focused on my attacker.
"you should really stay out of this one, pretty boy." the man holding me said, and he tightened his grip on my hand when I struggled to free myself from him,
"Hmmm, I'd rather not." he said, and rolled up his sleeves, "because what kind of a person would I be if I overlooked something like this?" he asked and drew closer,
"a wise one," the man holding me said and tossed me to the side, then he advanced on Paris.
Paris took down the man in a matter of minutes. He had a few scratches, but for every bruise he got, I was sure he gave triple. Once that goon was down, he walked to the other guy who eyed him and then tried to run away.
But Paris grabbed him and didn't let go until he was bleeding on the ground.
And then, he turned those vengeful, cold eyes on me, but when they fell on me, they warmed and softened.
"Are you okay?" He asked, walking toward me.
Everything in me told me to thank him and go home, but instead, I stayed and nodded, and took his outstretched hand in mine,
"I am fine, all thanks to you though. Thank you for saving me." he reached out and wiped at the blood trickling down my temple, and the feel of his hand on my skin left a burn.
"I believe anyone would do the same." but I shook my head. I wasn't so sure.
"I don't know about that. But I'm thankful you did," I said and he smiled. He had the most charming smile, and perhaps it was the fact that he had been the one who saved me moments ago, but I felt myself falling for him right there and then.
"He isn't your mate." My wolf whined, but I hushed it because right at that moment, I really did not care.
I sighed at the memory of the first time I met Paris. It was one I had cherished and held on to even when our marriage was failing, and even now… even now, on a day when I longed so much for the end of our marriage, it was the only light I saw.
KATE'S POV
"Paris, would you like to go out? The weather is nice and we could have a picnic?" I watched him as he looked up from his desk where he'd been working on some papers, his eyes dark and distracted and I bit my lower lip,
"I can't at the moment," he said dismissively and went back to his papers, but I was unrelenting. He'd been in a sour mood recently, and that meant less attention for me, and I wasn't having it.
"but you're always so steep in your work, if you took just a day off, just one day, your company won’t burn to the ground," I said and slowly came to the side, ran my fingers through his hair, but he took my hand in his and squeezed it before dropping it,
"some other time Kate. I'm busy."
"you never have the time for me," I said and walked back to the seat across from him,
"I never even have the time for me, either," he mumbled and picked up his phone when it rang.
"I'll be there soon." he said after listening to his caller and dropping his phone, " I need to visit the stables. The foal's having a baby," he said and stood abruptly and was gone even before I got a word.
"Even the horses get more attention than I do," I said bitterly and was about to leave when his phone buzzed, I looked at it, then toward the door then back at it.
Eventually, my curiosity won and I picked up the phone. I frowned when I saw Ember's name and opened the text.
She was inviting him for breakfast somewhere, and my frown deepened.
"same woman who claims to be over him," I said angrily and got to deleting the stupid text.
What did she think? That Paris would leave everything to go be with her?"
"stupid joke," I said and fought the desire to delete her number too.
In any case, I had just abated a crisis.
Paris came back just as I dropped his phone was about to leave, and he had blood on his shirt.
"is everything okay?" I asked looking at his bloodied clothes
"yes of course, the mare gave birth is all." he said and reached for his phone, "I have to go wash up," he said and walked toward the door before turning to me,
"about the picnic, I'll try to make it up to make it up to you," he said gently and I nodded,
"It's okay, go wash up." he nodded before opening and it was only after he was gone that I was able to breathe well.
So close I had been so close to getting caught.
PARIS'S POV
As I made my way to go wash off the grime for the stables, there was only one person on my mind. Ember
I had been so caught up with work the past couple of days, but whenever I lay in bed at night, she was the last thing I thought of.
It had to be betrayal to Kate, whenever she lay next to me and I thought of another woman, but I simply could not help it. I was in love with Ember.
And even now with the birth of a foal, she was the one person I thought of the most. I know how much she loved the horses.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called her, but I only got her voicemail.
"Ember, one of the mares just gave birth, I know how the horses pleased you call me," I said and set my phone back in my pocket.
I tried again when I got into the house and had taken a shower, but this time around, her number was simply unavailable. Almost as though she had restricted me from calling her.
