Ruthless Love

Chapter 37 - Flint

I change into the black sweatpants and white t-shirt they've left for whilst Sydney changes in the bathroom.

This isn't an ideal situation to be in—I'm well aware of that, but I'd rather be safe than use unnecessary means to get us out of here. I'm a businessman, not a criminal. And whilst it might be easy to be trigger-happy, that's not who I am. I can't get blood on my hands like that.

I know I calmed Sydney down when she freaked about that car flipping but deep down I know I'll have their deaths on me. It's not something I can reverse. If I was alone, I could have taken a different approach but that's not a risk I will take with Sydney. It's become very abundantly clear what she means to me.

The door to the bathroom and Sydney slips out. I don't want to stare but that silk nightgown is doing things to me. I clear my throat and look down as she uncomfortably readjusts the straps.

A small smile plays on my lips. I'm here covered in head to toe and she's literally in a nightgown that is quite short, leaving nothing to the imagination and as if that wasn't enough, the slit that almost stops just below her underwear makes me want to rip the nightgown off her body. I'm thinking they've intentionally given us these clothes and I don't mind one bit.

I turn away from her and head towards the bed. "We should sleep."

As I approach the bed, I watch her. She pulls the nightgown down to cover her thighs but it's no use.

"Umm," she says getting closer to the bed. "Which side?"

"Doesn't matter," I reply and seeing as I'm standing on the right side, I pull the sheets and get into the bed. Beside me, Sydney does the same.

"Are you sure we're safe here?"

I nod as I switch the lamp off beside me. Sydney mirrors me with the lamp on her side. "I'm sure."

"I'm glad one of us is," she whispers.

Deadly silence hovers around us and neither one of us says a word. There's this awkwardness surrounding us and I'm not sure how it got there. Neither of us are sure about the other. And neither of us knows what the boundaries are. Can I grab her and pull her against my body? I so desperately want to feel her body against mine. I want her body heat penetrating mine. I want to run my tongue down her neck as I feel pepper her with kisses. The thoughts are driving me wild.

She's so silent, I can't even hear her breathing which makes me think she's not actually sleeping. She has her back to me and hasn't moved since she got in the bed.

If I'm to fix what's going on between us, I need to make a move. I'm aware this could go either way but that's a risk I have to take.

I slide my hand across the bed until I reach her back. A small gasp escapes her making me aware that she's in fact awake. However, other than that gasp, she gives me no other signs. I run my hand up her back and to her waist, and pull her body to mine. Her back to my chest.

"You fit better here," I whisper in her ear.

A small smile covers my lips when I feel her body shiver against mine.

"What are we doing, Flint?" She asks.

"We're finding love," I tell her because I don't have another answer.

"And did we find it?"

I place a kiss on her should as my finger draws circles on her hip. "I did."

She sighs and turns to face me. "I'm scared," she tells me and I pull her into me, forcing her to rest her head against my chest as my arms wrap around her.

"Scared of what?"

"Of finding love," Sydney replies.

"But have you found it?"

She closes her eyes as if what she will say next is physically hurting her. "I found it at one point. Or at least I think I did. Then I got caught in a web of lies and I'm now not entirely sure what it was to begin with."

I miss the tip of her nose. "It was love and you just have to find it again. Now go to sleep."