Reign (Book 2)

11

Ramsay held Ava in his arms. He inhaled her scent and closed his eyes. He didn't want to leave her. But he had to. He had to stop the people who wanted to hurt her, because of him. He had to end them. He had to keep her safe, that was all that had ever mattered to him. She was his best friend, his wife and the love of his life, but most importantly she was his soul mate. Ava was the reason he carried on breathing. In his own twisted, fucked up way, Ramsay loved her, and he would do anything to make sure she lived. Even if it resulted in his own death.

After their children followed Septa Courteney inside, that's when Ava cracked. She didn't want him to go, she wished he would have just sent the whole of their army to kill them all, they outnumbered the group of 50 men easily, it would be impossible for them to fight back. There was 3000 men in the Bolton's army, they would be outnumbered 100 to 1.

"Don't worry about me lover." He let go of her and pulled out of their embrace. "I need you." She took his gloved hand in her own. The thought of Ramsay's death was enough to send her spiralling. He was all she had ever known since she was a teenager. Ramsay was a little older than her, when she was 18 he had turned 23. She had never spent a day of her adult life not knowing him. He was familiar and her light in the dark.

Ramsay was born out of rape, he had grown up viscous and savage. He was a psychopath, a sadist even. He never knew what love was until he met her, he never thought it was possible for him to feel the way that he did. She was everything he didn't know he needed. He had tried to tame himself, but he never could. His cunning and manipulative side always won in the end. He was dangerously charming and it didn't take him long to knock Ava's walls down. Since the beginning of their relationship, he had her under his thumb, first through fear, but then through passion. Their twisted love had become what he had always known. Violence, sex and control. But to him? It was perfect.

"I need you too. I always will." He kissed her again, but for the last time. "I'll be home after I've ripped them all limb from limb. Wait for me." Ramsay said those three words whenever he went away. It had sort of become their tradition. "I love you." The tears spilled down Ava's cheeks, she wanted to feel safe again, and it felt impossible if he wasn't there. He backed away from her. Their eyes meeting as one, taking one last look at each other. Ava loosened the grip on his hand, but Ramsay held on, until the last moment, he only let go when their arms were stretched out as far as they could. Ava wrapped her arms around her body. She already felt cold and missed his touch, Never mind the sickening feeling of him never coming back. Ramsay mounted the horse with a smooth jump, landing perfectly on his saddle. He was calm and collected, but he was ready for a fight. He couldn't wait to kill them all.

He urged the giant stallion forward. "Move forward men! I want to set up camp by sundown." He boomed. Ava watched him ride further away from her, the troop of men ahead were moving fast. Ramsay couldn't turn around, it would make him want to ride right back to her. "Your grace, are you sure you don't want to stay with her? Thomas cautiously asked. He knew Ramsay was a loose canon when it came to Ava. "Why would I want to do that?" He snapped. "Saving my family is more important than getting my dick wet." Jon glanced at Ramsay, unimpressed by his comment.

Thomas raised his brow, he could see through the act. "Come on Ramsay, you know that's not what I meant." The pair had become good friends since Thomas became the military commander for the Bolton's just over 5 years prior. "I can't save her unless I kill all of our enemies." Ramsay's tone wasn't as defensive this time. "I can kill them all for you. Me and your army." He shook his head. "Ava is my wife, Eleanor is my daughter. I'm going to crush those cunts for what they have done."