CHAPTER TEN
"Please don't be afraid of me, I will never hurt you. Ever. I promise" he takes a step closer and I would have moved away but my body was frozen.
"W-why?" I mumble
"Why what?"
I look up into his earnest blue eyes, all I can see is pain.
"Why did you do this? The tracking"
"I-I don't know"
I remembered Mrs. Rice’s warning and regret not listening to her. Henry sees the doubt in my expression and grabs hold of my hands and brings it up to his lips to place a soft kiss on them.
"I'm sorry, Alyx. Please, give me chance, I promise to be different"
"I don't want you to be different. I don't want you to be who you aren't" I state truthfully.
He exhales and kisses my hands again holding onto them like he was holding on for his soul.
"Tell me why, Henry"
He pushes away and stands up straight so that he is towering over me.
"Remember when we had first met in Argentina?"
I nod slightly.
"The bullet that you removed came from a Russian terrorist who kidnapped my family. We were having a family vacation but when I got there, no one came. I called them and no one answered. The Russian called me and told me I had to give him a lot of money in exchange for my family and when I met him, his partner turned out to be my driver. I was terrified that I was never going to see my family again and I experienced the same feeling when your car disappeared from my screen."
He moved closer to me as if testing my reaction. I had heard this story before at the family dinner I was invited to. That together with his pained expression both proves that this isn't a lie. I wasn't sure if I was okay with the tracking my movements part though.
When he was sure I wasn't going to run he closed the space between us and wrapped his arms around my waist pushing me against the counter. He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. I didn't know what to do, he was asking to be given a chance and that I couldn't deny him.
My arms were between us with my palms flat on his chest. I could feel his heartbeat, a soft thump every half-second. My breath was shaky and my actions nervous. I tilt my head up and close my eyes. His hands tighten around my waist and presses his lips to mine. The kiss was deep but I denied him access. My hands travel to his neck and I wrap my arms around it. He kisses me fervently, urgently and breaks the kiss when we both needed air.
We stood still, inhaling each other’s breath for a long time until the clearing of a throat makes me jump.
"Henry?" The voice is old and female. Mrs. Rice.
I pull away and look at the ground and Henry lets me go. I let my hair fall as a curtain between Mrs. Rice and me.
"Mrs. Rice. Did we wake you?" Henry asks her.
"Oh no, dear. I just came down for a glass of water"
I heard shuffling and I assumed that she was walking towards me because I was leaning against the sink basin. I shoved away and walked past Henry towards the breakfast bar where my phone was. I pick it up and stand waiting for Mrs. Rice to fetch her water and leave. On her way back to the staircase she looked at me and a shocked and disappointed look became plain on her face as I shot her an apologetic look.
When she was safely up the stairs I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Henry, I want to go home" I manage to say
