Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 25

Lucien's P.O.V.

As I walk toward the river to collect water for Bella's bath, I think about the past twelve hours, and try to understand how she invokes these feelings in me. Bella looks at me like I'm her savior, and I admit I like the thought of that. Cleaning up the campsite and hanging our food is not a big deal, it's something we should have done before I started rolling joints, but to Bella, it was a monumental undertaking. It's fascinating the reactions I get from her for doing menial and boring tasks, and I will continue doing them if it means I can see that expression on her face again.

When she reached for my hand, I felt my heart stutter. She wants to be around me, is willingly touching me without my instigation, and an emotion sweeps over me which pushes out the anger and discontent that have been my contestant companion for centuries - admiration. I admire this girl. She suffered a violent, heinous act, which will undoubtedly bring the perpetrator to my door one day, but has the guts to rise above it. She's touching me, allowing me to caress and kiss her when her past has probably instilled an innate distrust in men and an avoidance of intimacy. Her instincts are probably telling her men are cruel and heartless, and twenty four hours ago if you called me cruel and heartless I would have wholeheartedly agreed with you. I only wanted women for what they could give me - a small moment of pleasure and release, but not for any type of emotional connection. Somehow, Bella has changed all that. She showed me her vulnerability and fear, admonished me when she thought I was being reckless, comforted and took comfort from me, and showered me in her humanity. She makes me want to be a better man, to be someone she can turn to and depend on. I head toward the bank of the river where I cleaned her up last night to collect the soiled strips of my shirt we left lying on the ground. I fill the pot with water and start heading back toward the camp, thinking about all the ways I want to try to make Bella smile today. A nagging worry worms it's way into my consciousness because I know I'm going to have to tell her about myself, but I shove that thought away for now and look forward to spending the day with her.

When I get back to the campsite, I see Bella and Trish's silhouettes in our tent, and I can hear the soft cadence of their voices. I put the pot over the campfire and dust my hands off, waiting for Bella to grab her toiletries. Ryan and Daniel approach me, thanking me for hanging up our food. I remind them we should be doing that every night, and they both agree. Mick and Jeff walk over to us, and we stand in companionable silence for a moment before Daniel says, "Dude, we want to thank you for taking care of Bella last night." I look at him and all the other guys huddled together who start nodding. Ryan says, "She told us she almost didn't come here this weekend because you were going to be here."

I look at him, my brows furrowed. They probably think I don't know what they're talking about, but I am keenly aware I had plans to torture their friend all weekend, and it makes me feel like shit.

"Don't break her heart," Ryan continues, "she's had a rough couple of years."

I nod and tell them I have the utmost respect for Bella and do not plan on hurting her. I guess my platitude was enough to convince them because they all wander away to check on breakfast and to set the table. I stand there for a moment, thinking about the kind of love and support Bella gets from these people. I've never had that kind of allegiance, the knowledge that no matter what, somebody always has your back. I'm stunned at the epiphanies which keep beckoning me and smacking me in the head. My father is wiser than I give him credit for. This feeling...this...connection is what I have been missing in my life and now that I have felt it, I never want to lose it. When Bella slips out of our tent, her eyes catch mine and I smile, heading over to the now steaming pot on the fire.