Heart's Desire

Chapter 21

The pads of my fingers ran lightly against the stab wound that was on her cheek. It was below her right eye. That was definitely going to leave a scar. I let out a sigh as my eyes trailed down her arms, finding that the cuts and slashes were scabbing or starting to scab over. I reached down with my free hand and intertwined it with her large hand. I bent her arm so I could press her hand against my cheek.

"You're such a strong woman," I whispered. "So strong and yet you let people beat the shit out of you."

I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She stirred slightly.

"Y/N," she whispered.

"I'm here, Odessa."

"Lay with me."

"Of course."

I let go of her hand and she moved backwards onto the bed until her back hit the wall.

"Fuck," she hissed.

"Are you ok?" I asked, noticing what had happened.

"Yeah. Nothing I can't handle."

I crawled in beside her and curled up in her embrace. My arms wrapped around her neck and hers wrapped around my waist. I tucked my head into the crook of her neck, taking in that same lingering smell of blood, but it wasn't as strong as it was in the Colosseum.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the plan sooner," she whispered.

"It's alright. It was necessary."

"I didn't want to leave you in the dark was the problem. How you looked so scared when your father was taking me to the Colosseum and revealing me to the crowd. It just showed a different side of him. A side of him we need to have a trial against him."

"My mother also told me that your father kept the letters your father sent him."

"He did."

"How are we going to take care of Aetius and his father?"

"Your mother knows someone who is going to help."

"Who?"

"She knows one of the gladiators. Turns out the guard who took advantage of your mother had a son. He heard about what happened and came to your mother, apologizing for his father's actions. He said that he will do anything to help her. They kept in contact and he is going to be helping us whenever we're ready to sentence your father to a proper trial."

"Wow. Everything really is planned out."

"Your mother and I wanted to make sure there were no holes in this plan. That everything was going to go according to what we had planned."

"Dez?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to start a family?"

She smiled, "I'd love to. But I don't think we should do anything right now. I don't want to add extra stress to you and the little one."

"How do we even know if we can conceive?"

"We're just going to have to find out."

I smiled, placing my lips against hers. She removed her one arm that was around my waist and lifted it up, her hand finding its place resting against my cheek. My innocent kiss turned into a slow make out as we held onto one another, just being with one another in this moment. I had faith that she wasn't going to die, but how she lost so much blood, I was afraid she wasn't going to wake up this morning.

"Jeez, can you wait until you get your own privacy?" my mother asked as she walked into the house.

Odessa and I pulled away from one another. I looked over my shoulder to find her removing the cloak from her body.

"Where did you go?"

"I had to talk to that gladiator, Antonius."

"Is he on board with us?"

"Yes. He will be taking care of Aetius and his father whenever we need him."

"Good."

"But rest. Odessa needs it. We can't do anything until she is fully healed from everything."

"Mother?"

"Yes."

"Do you think we're going to have to kill father?"

"I don't know. If he threatens yours or Odessa's life, we're going to have to."

"Seems it should be Odessa since he was the one who revealed you to the entire empire," I said.

"If I do that," Odessa slowly rose, leaning on her right arm. "What would that do for the empire?"

"You'd be the next Caesar," my mother said.

"I-I would?" Odessa asked.

"Yes."

We looked at one another.

"It'd be the only way of ensuring we'd be together. And that no one would even think about asking for my hand."

Her lips tugged into a smile as she placed her forehead against mine, "If it comes down to it, I won't hesitate."

"Rest, Odessa," my mother said. "I'll make lunch for all of us soon."

My mother walked out of the door once more, but she stuck around the area as I could hear her shuffling about. The two of us went back to laying down beside one another. She reached over and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, her hand resting back on my cheek. The rough pad of her thumb caressed my soft skin.

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

I giggled, nuzzling into her closer, "You're gorgeous."

"You're the one with all the looks."

"And you're the one with all the muscle," I said, the tips of my nails ran lightly against her abs.

She chuckled, "Hey, don't do that."

"What? Someone ticklish there?"

"Maybe," she mumbled.

"It's ok. I won't do anything, for now. Not until your wounds heal."

Her arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me closer to her. She rolled onto her back and she let me lay on her chest. My arms wrapped around her neck and I picked my head up, finding her amber eyes staring into mine.

"I'll do anything to make sure we're not separated."

"I know," I looked at her with awe. "You're the first person who is willing to fight for me."

"I always will. No matter what I have to go through, nothing—and I mean nothing—will come between you and I."

I placed my hands against her cheeks and pulled her towards me. Our lips met one another's before I pulled away, placing pecks against her lips before I trailed over to her cheek and then her jawline.

"P-Please, Y/N," she said.

"I can't control myself when I am around you."

"I need to," she said.

I felt her erection growing in between my thighs.

"Shit," I whispered. "I'm sorry, Dez."

"It's alright, love," she said, pressing a kiss to my right temple. "I just want to be near you. That's all."

I went back to my original position, with my head resting on her chest and my arms wrapped around her.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too."