In His Arms

Chapter 36

You need to tell him the full story, my inner incubus states immediately as we watch his retreating figure, her hands resting sternly on her hips. He has to know what he's getting himself into by loving you.

Hey, now, he didn't say he loves me...I warn her but my subconscious chips in rudely,

What if he falls out of love when he learns the full story? My subconscious argues, looking at me pleadingly as I avoid her gaze by looking down at my knotted hands on my lap. Not only have we already put him and Danny in danger by being with them but we won't be able to protect them if it boils down to a situation like that. He even drugged us for Christ's sake! What if we're asleep when someone attacks?

We don't even know exactly why he drugged us, my subconscious adds softly, reminding both my inner incubus and me that Alexander left out that piece of information. He must have had a good reason. Men like Alexander don't do things without reason.

Blinking a few times as a bowl of warm shredded chicken congee with a century egg that is cut into quarters sharing the space of the small plate with some sliced red apples and bacon slices. A small smile pulls at the corners of my lips as I use my fork to poke the clear jiggly black membrane of the familiar breakfast item from my pre-teen years.

"Janie, food is meant to be eaten and not prodded," Theo snorts with his mouth half-filled with half-chewed food about two seats away from me.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to talk and eat at the same time?" I retort, glaring at him.

Raising his hands up in surrender, the cheeky smile on his greasy lips doesn't faze as he continues to stuff his face. Biting the inside of my cheek, I glide the ceramic spoon on the surface of the hot porridge, blowing on it to prevent burning my tongue.

How about we set a deadline for ourselves? My inner incubus suggests after a brief amount of silence and a few mouthfuls of the flavorful porridge. Isn't that how we've saved so many children before? We always set a deadline to get the deals done.

That was before we had a price on our heads, my subconscious snaps, crossing her arms. Besides, it's not like we'll remember it anyway, not when we have to look out for kidnappers at every other corner of the street.

Good point...

"Janette?" Someone across the table calls me suddenly, causing me to drop my spoon into the bowl.

"What?" I gape, looking at Alexander confusedly. "Huh?"

"I said, I won't be going into the office until later today so I'll be able to take you sightseeing while we're here."

Oh...

"That's nice..." I trail off not really comprehending the meaning of his words since I only took in and processed the first part of his sentence, my eyes returning to gaze at the spoon that I had replaced inside the bowl of porridge. "I guess you'll be able to catch up on some sleep..."

My heart skips a beat when his fingers that he places under my chin gently nudges my face upwards so that I have no choice but to look at him. The sounds of the breakfast goers and my bothers' ceaseless chattering melt into white noise the longer Alexander holds my gaze with his.

"What?" I breathe shakily, turning my head to the side effectively breaking our eye contact. "Is there something on my face?"

"You think too much," He responds softly, leaning back into his seat. "I don't mind staying in the hotel until it's time for me to go to work and there is also the function later this evening but I do want to give you a chance to tour Taiwan with me, perhaps we could try out some of the food here? Taiwan is known for stinky toufu."