Loving Hero

Too late.

I wake up to a soothing hand caressing my hand.

“Hi.” a familiar voice says. I look around and I'm in an unfamiliar room. This is not my hotel room.

“I know you have questions.”

I do but I don't know where to start or if I have the strength to look at him.

“Hey.” he makes me look at him and my breath hitches in my throat. He looks different. He is more handsome and built. I subconsciously lift my hand to his face and he put his on mine and closes his eyes in satisfaction. His touch is like a jolt to the buried feelings, emotions and pain. My heart is in pain. I have no idea how to explain but I can feel the pain. I can feel tears building up behind my eyes.

“I missed you.” he kisses my palm repeatedly and tears fall down my cheekbones.

Memories of me being dragged from him and the heartbreak I suffered and I pull my hand away and sit up.

“How...how...” I sniff and wipe off my tears. I can feel snot in my nose and about to come out and as much I want to stop it I can't. I can't stop the tears. He gets up and walks to a round table and grabs a box of facial tissues. I yank it from him and blow globs of snot into the tissue and hand it over to him. He pulls his lower lip between his teeth to keep from laughing but I don't care at the moment or if I'm being disgusting.

The doorbell rings.“It's open.” a few moments later a girl walks in wheeling a food cart.

“Is that anything I can get for you, Mr Morgan?” the girl asks and he politely refuses with a smile.

But Mr Morgan? When did he become that?

“Enjoy the rest of your night sir.” he nods and she walks out.

“What’s going, Kane?”

“Where is Stella? And where am I?” he sighs and walks to the bed and sits.

“You need to eat first.” I glare at him.

“Stella is probably at the after-party,” he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.“When you passed out I got scared, and we all couldn't the launch so I came back with you back to my hotel room.”

“I had to convince Stella to let me take care of you. That girl is sure stubborn.” he groans as if remembering the interaction. He caresses my cheekbone with his thumb.“You have changed.” he comments.

“And you are still an asshole.” he chuckles and gets up and picks up a tray of food. He puts it on my lap and picks up a fork. I turn my head to the side when he tries to feed me.

“You gotta eat Thea.” I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. Who does he think he is telling me? He doesn't have the right to demand that of me.

“I don't have to do what you want.”

“True but you are risking your health for what?”

“To spite me?”

“When did you get released?” he sighs in defeat.

“First you have to eat, and shower then we can talk." it's final. I can feel it in his voice and I hate that. I hate that he still gets his way after all these years. He tries to feed me again but I take the fork from him.

“I can feed myself.” he lifts his hands in the air and gets up and walks to a table and an office table. His laptop is open and he sits and looks at me. We stare at each other, and neither of us is willing to back down. He leans back in his chair and glides his thumb over his lower lip and smirk. I can imagine his thumb over my lips, caressing them, sucking his thumb full of my juice.

Fuck!

I clear my throat and eat.

“So, where is your girlfriend?” he chuckles.

“I have no idea what you are on about.” I lift my head to glare at him but he is looking at his laptop.

Does he think I'm stupid?

“Sure you don't,” I say hurt.

I didn't mean to sound hurt but I couldn't help it. I mean I'm hurt that he has a girlfriend but that he lied about it.

Why would I be hurt when I have a boyfriend? Which I need to call.

Kane is nothing to me.

What he does or do doesn't affect me.

He is a free man who just gained his freedom.

I don't care.

Yes, I don't care at all.

Yes, there was a time I would have been upset but now it's history.

“She is a friend.” I nod without looking at him and continue eating.

A phone rings reminding me I haven't seen mine.

“Yes?” he answers.

He is so rude.

Who answers a phone like that?

I finish eating and climb off the bed.

“Schedule a meeting for tomorrow at 10 am and...” I walk into the bathroom.

I take off my clothes and turn on the shower tap. As the water cascade down my body, thousands of thoughts run through my mind like what am I going to do if Kane what to get back together with me? Am I strong enough to reject him?

Mom's advice runs through my mind.

There's a difference between loving and being in love with someone because being in love with someone is addictive. A feeling no one will be able to make you feel but them and no matter how they hurt and break your heart you will always take them back because they are your fix. So, do you love him, could he be someone you can love or are you in love with him? Because one day Kane will come back and he didn't look like the type to let the things he loves go.

Pain. Heartbreak. There are millions of songs about it but a few about the cure so how am I supposed to unlove him?

Can you unlove someone? Or

Learn to live without them?

For the past 3 years, I have been happy. Sincerely happy. Am I willing to risk that for someone who doesn't have a direction? And doesn't treat me like I deserve to be treated?

I loved him too early back then and he loved me too late. Even now, he came back too late.

I turn the tap off and wrap a towel around my body and walk out.

“The market will open tomorrow at 9 am. You going to have 30 minutes to get me those shares before the meeting,” he listens to the other person.

“They are going to sell as soon as the market opens and I want those shares.” I clear my throat and he turns around.

“I have to go.” he ends the call and walk to me. I tighten my hand around my towel as he gets closer.

I should have stayed in the bathroom.

He runs his fingers up my arm to my neck.

“Fuck! I missed you,” he says against my lips. He rubs his nose with mine and fans my face with his breath.

“Kane!” I say out of breath and in anticipation.

“I know princess.” his fingers move up my inner thigh.

I'm wet.

For him.

I'm opening my legs for him.

Just like I did all those times.

My ringtone breaks the intense moment and I step away from him. He pulls my phone from his back pocket and the name that flashes on the screen has me filled with guilt.

Nick.

My boyfriend.