The Bastard (Darling #2) [complete]

Chapter Twenty

L O U E L L E  W A S N ' T too certain about when she had fallen asleep, but she was later woken up by Thatcher crawling underneath the bed sheets beside her. As she stirred awake, he wrapped his arms around her to pull her into his chest.

"I am sorry for my tardiness," he whispered, followed by a tender kiss on the top of her head. "I tried my best to make it to you by lights out. I do not mean to wake you"

She hummed in contentment at the feel of his warmth invading her senses. "It is alright. I am only happy to have you here now," she mumbled her reply sleepily.

She did attempt to stay awake until he arrived, but after spending several hours designing and then redesigning the wedding gown she was also meant to sew for herself, her eyes grew heavy and began to burn. She only meant to rest her eyes for a brief moment to give them a break from air, and so she could attempt to dream up her perfect design. Instead, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep; cold due to the empty spot where Thatcher should have been laying.

Although she was mid-sleep, she was happy to be awoken by him. Louelle wasn't afraid that he wouldn't sleep beside her that night - she knew he would arrive. But something about him not being there while she slept didn't settle with her.

Firstly, she didn't dream. That was how she was able to tell his space beside her was unoccupied. Secondly, he wasn't there to wrap her in his warm, comforting embrace with his thumb rubbing circles against her hip, or his fingers combing through her hair and massaging her scalp. It was always her most favorite part of the day - to lay and unwind with him as they discussed each other's matters of the day.

She hoped she was able to always have moments like those with him, even if (God forbid), their plans didn't pan out in the ways they hoped.

"I thought you would never come," she fibbed.

Louelle knew that, without a doubt in her mind, he would come to her to lay and sleep. Ever since her return back to the castle, he'd made it abundantly clear that her security was of utmost importance to him; however, she was aware of a deeper reasoning for it.

It brought her great guilt and shame, but she knew the true purpose of him coming to her quarters each night was due to his fear that she'd disappear again. She did not blame him for those fears. They were valid feelings to have, and they were feelings caused by her and her childish act.

If the roles had been reversed, she knew she would have gone through the most insane measures to find him and bring him home safely. And when she finally had returned him home, she would have spent every moment with him - sleeping or awake. She wouldn't have taken another moment for granted.

She wasn't arguing that he was spending too much time with her, or that he was going out of his way to share her bed. She just understood, and was more than happy with his decision. As aforementioned, her bed felt empty without him.