The Phantom's Princess.

Ch. 9 - The Baker

For the first time in Thomas' company, Alexis felt fear as he glared at her with his steel grey eyes.

Should I not have said that? she wondered, instantly regretting her lax in safeguarding that one secret she still kept.

"Well?" he asked when she didn't answer.

"Nothing. I don't know," she answered sporadically.

Thomas' gaze was interrupted momentarily as he looked back to the road. Silently, he stared ahead seemingly watching the street, but there was the motion of thought apparent in the way his eyes darted in different directions; a movement not necessary on such an empty road.

After a few moments, he pulled the car over and stopped the engine, taking a deep breath before turning back to Alexis.

"You're not in any trouble," he said, his voice soft despite the rage that was evident in his eyes. "I just want to know why you would say that."

"I guessed," she lied.

"No, you didn't." His answer was straightforward as always, and Alexis could tell, from the way he always read her, that he already knew exactly what she had meant. "Is that why you used to hide? Were you hiding from someone in particular?"

"No," she continued on her pretence, regardless. "I just liked hiding."

"Alexis," he said, his hand quickly reaching for her chin, gently lifting it so their eyes met. "You trust me, right?"

She nodded, the unspoken trust between them stronger than words.

"Then I want you to answer me ... truthfully. Can you do that?"

Alexis hesitated, biting her lip. "Not if you're going to ask about ... that," she mumbled.

Thomas sighed, cursing softly under his breath and turned away, resting his head against the seat - the frustration evident in his expression.

"Women usually like doing that because they like the man, and they've agreed to let him do it, you understand?"

Alexis stayed silent, puzzled by why a woman would agree to something like.

"But no man should ever do something like that without the woman's agreement, but you're not even a woman," he continued with a shiver in his breath as he held back his anger. "It shouldn't have been allowed to happen at all."

It wasn't a direct accusation, but his words cut deeper than intended, and Alexis, hurting, whispered, "Will I still be the Blackthorn Princess?"

"Huh?" Thomas turned to look at her. "Of course. Nothing can stop you from being our princess. You didn't do anything wrong."

He reached for her face, wiping away a tear she hadn't noticed. "I just want to make things right," he said. "Can you tell me who did it?"

Alexis hesitated, torn between saying the name and shaking her head.

"Close your eyes," Thomas calmly suggested.

Alexis obeyed.

"Now take a deep breath, and just say the name. It'll be over quickly."

Will it though? She wondered, but under Thomas' soothing instruction, she complied and took a deep breath before uttering. "The baker."

"The baker?"

"The bakery in Primrose Avenue," she continued before reopening her eyes.

Thomas offered a soft smile. "That wasn't hard, was it? Do you want to tell me what happened?"