His Unwanted Bride ~Editing~

Chapter Twenty One: Tabitha

     As I opened my eyes, they focused on something moving in front of me. Alexios stood before me, his back turned to me, his sculpted muscles making my heart beat faster. My cheeks turned red as the heart monitor made and odd beep.
    My face turned bright red, at the realization that the monitor gave me away.  He spun around and his eyes locked with mine. His bare chest was just as muscular as his back. The monitor kept beeping as I blushed harder. He pulled his shirt on over his head and quickly leaned down towards me.
    I didn't flinch or cringe, which truly surprised me, I was proud of myself. His lips pressed against mine, and it was as if my whole chest exploded and poured into him. The beeping of the monitor got much faster. But neither of us seemed to care. I wrapped my right arm, the one without the IV around his neck and buried my fingers in his hair.
     "Excuse me?" A nurse asked, clearing her throat.
      Alexios pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against mine. He hummed in content for a moment as he looked in my eyes. "We need to talk when we are alone," he spoke as he kissed the tip of my nose and pulled back.
     My heartbeat slowly returned to normal. "Clarissa," I started.
     "She is still with the sitter. She called upset and couldn't sleep, I helped her calm down. We talked for a bit and then she hung up right as she was dozing off," he spoke softly stroking my hair.
     I burst into tears. "Thank you for being there for her, even though I couldn't be."
     "Shhhh, it's okay," he replied, wiping my tears.
      "I'll go get your doctor," the nurse spoke.
       "It's not your fault," he whispered, climbing into the bed with me and holding me against him.
        "I'm always so careful, I don't go out, I pour my own drinks when I'm at people's houses," I cried.
      "That's more vigilant than most people are. This isn't your fault. What happened to make you blame yourself so harshly for everything?" he asked quietly.
      "I deserve it," I muttered.
      "No one deserves to suffer the way you are. Does it have to do with that scar on your shoulder?" He asked and my whole body froze. "I could see it through the lace on the upper part of your back and sholders."
      I relaxed a little. He must think that was the only scar. He hadn't seen the others. He didn't know he had 'bought' a 'defective product.'
     "I-I can't talk about that right now," I cried.
     "That's alright. I understand. I think I'm finally ready to listen when you're ready to talk about it," he whispered against my hair wiping my tears.
      "I thought I was ready to talk about it, but now, this has brought back alot of those memories and I'm not sure I can do it yet," I cried. "I really wanted to. You hate me so much, but I just needed you to know why I am the way I am and what happened. I just need time."