Enraptured

Chapter 89

"Metri?"

"Yes, love?"

"Um... W-Would it be alright if I went o-out today?"

I paused mid-twirl, making her loose strand of hair slip out from between my fingers. With my head still propped up against my arm as I laid next to my little wife on the bed, I glanced down at her, noting her fiddling fingers.

Looking up at me hopefully, Belle continued, "I-It's just I haven't left the estate for several weeks a-already a-and your mother invited Theo and me on an o-outing for today s-so I thought it would be nice to do something d-different for once..."

I pursued, hesitating on agreeing outright. The people who wanted to kill her were still out there, and I didn't want to risk the possibility of losing her so soon after getting her back.

Noting my hesitation, her face immediately fell. "I-I g-guess it's still too much to ask for right now... I-It's probably still too d-dangerous, and I know that you're still working very hard to find the people w-who tried to hurt me... I'll just tell them that I'll h-have to take a raincheck..."

I sighed as I took in her crestfallen expression.

Maybe I was just being too overprotective. Nothing had happened over the last couple of weeks, so it would be alright for her to go out for a few hours, right?

I didn't want her to keep caged in like a prisoner.

Reluctantly giving in, I told her, "Watson and your personal guards will accompany you, and you have to send a text every thirty minutes, letting me know that everything is alright. I'll personally come to pick you up if you miss a single check-in."

She beamed at my words and eagerly nodded.

Unable to withstand her innocently pure radiance, I defeatedly laid back down next to her and curled up around her little figure. I tightened my arms around her waist as I snuggled up her bosom and softly reminded her, "Just please be safe, my love. I don't think I would be able to handle seeing you in the hospital again..."

She laced her dainty fingers through my hair, raking her fingertips soothing along my scalp. Pressing a kiss to the top of my head, she reassuringly replied, "Please don't worry too much, Metri. It's only going to be Isabella, your mother, and her friend, Odette."

No matter how much I tried to reassure myself with her words, I don't think I would ever be able to forget the fear I felt after nearly losing her once.

She felt so small against my body that it felt like she could slip out of my arms at any moment. If I could, I would've chosen to bundle her up and tuck her away from the rest of the world, but I knew that that wasn't a viable option. I would only be doing more harm to her than good.

I sighed at the thought. I reluctantly unlatched myself from her body and rolled out of bed in one swoop.

She sat up with an adorably confused expression, clearly worried that she had done something wrong to offend me.

But it was nothing like that. I just didn't want to give myself the chance to change my mind and decide to tie her up to our bedpost.

I pulled the bedsheets back over her bare shoulders, not wanting her delicate skin to be too exposed to the cold morning air. Then, I leaned down and cupped her plump cheek, lovingly placing a kiss on her other cheek. "Take your time, love. I'm getting up first, so I can at least talk to Theo a bit before I have to leave since I haven't been home much recently."

She meekly nodded in reply.

I let my hand drift down her slender neck and brushed my thumb over her sweet spot, teasingly skimming over the fresh mark that I had left at the base of her neck last night.