Zaynah ✓

xxix

~ Z a y n a h ~

"I missed you."

I lied.

But he didn't know. He was never gonna know.

It took everything in me to get intimate with him but it looks like my shivering appearance didn't make him suspicious.

He was too blinded by his obsession with me.

I wouldn't call it love.

"You kissed me?" His lips quivered and his eyelids were droopy as if he were possessed.

I nodded and smiled, "Should I have not?"

He shook his head, "No no that's not what I meant, I-I just couldn't believe that you actually did it without my compulsion I- "

I placed my finger on his lips, "Shh, I understand." I suppressed a victorious smile.

I was getting to him. I was breaking down his walls. I was winning finally.

For once, I felt like I had the upper hand.

But I wondered if I moved too fast. Should I have waited longer before I tried all these? Will he catch on to what I was planning?

His adam's apple moved up and down as he visibly gulped and I removed my finger.

I hope he didn't expect a lot from me physically because I didn't know how I'd react to it. Then again, was I in any position to deny or defy him? He always got what he wanted and he never cared about my consent.

"I-I have something for you," He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out something.

He took my hand in his and slid on the wedding ring while I was shocked.

How did he have it with him?

Did Icarus return the ring to him?

He kissed my hand and smiled at me brightly, "Don't let anybody take this away from you again, ok?"

What was I supposed to do back then? There was nothing I could've done to prevent him from taking the ring.

Yet I nodded, "I'll take care of it."

"I know you will." He engulfed me in a hug.

"Desmond?" I asked as I was pressed against him.

"Hmm?" His heartbeat was more rapid than every other time he had hugged me.

"Why did you kneel in front of him? A king would never do that." A king should never do that.

His chuckle resonated through his chest and I was being suffocated by this proximity, "I didn't think about anything during that time. Neither my royalty nor my pride stopped me from doing that because all I could think about was you. I couldn't watch him put a knife close to you and I couldn't stand the sight of him kissing you- " He sighed, "I did it once and I'll do it again if that's what it takes to save you." His hold on me got tighter.

I was speechless.

My eyes burned and my throat constricted.

I wish you were sane, Desmond.