“I’ve got you,” Sebastian whispers before his arms areswooping me up.
“Bast!” I chide, “Your stitches!”
“I’m fine,” He grumbles, “You’re not.”
He walks us through the apartment and into the bathroom, depositing me onto the vanity unit to sit as he turns to the tub and plugs it before he starts running the faucets.
Steam instantly starts to rise from the hot water and then he’s rifling through bottles and pouring bubbles into the rising water.
“Let’s get some of this blood off first,” He turns back to me as the bath continues to fill behind him.
I feel the sting of tears immediately, at the care and the consideration he is showing. I always knew it, always knew who he was deep down but every time I see him like this, it takes my breath away. I don’t know how we got here, or how I got this lucky, but I’d be a dumb fucking woman to ever let this man go. Not like I would think of doing such a thing.
He wets a cloth in the sink before he lifts it to my face and begins to gently wipe away the blood there.
“Don’t look,” He tells me gently, “Let me take this.”
I dip my chin in a nod, watching him as he focuses his entire attention on getting my skin clean and when that’s done and the tub is full, he helps me down off the counter and undresses me so tenderly it feels as if my heart is swollen.
The water is the perfect temperature when I finallystep into it and sink to my chin beneath the water, listening to the bubbles pop around my ears. I want him in here with me, but I know he can’t submerge like this with the stitches in his side. I have my own hand resting on the rim since I can’t get it wet either.
“I’m going to grab a shower in the other bathroom and make you some tea,” Sebastian brushes my hair back gently, “I’ll be right back.”
I nod and let my eyes fall closed, listening to the bubbles and inhaling the lavender scent.
It’s over, I tell myself. Everything will be okay now.
But the guilt of killing a man, despite the circumstances is right there, wanting to drown me. I can’t let it. I had to do it. He never would have stopped, he would have kept coming for us, and what would have happened when our daughter was born? Would she have been a target too?
I couldn’t let that happen.
So yes, the guilt is right there, trying to eat me alive but deep in my heart, deep in my damn soul, I know I did the right thing.
Bast brings me in the tea, blond hair damp from his shower and dressed in a fresh pair of sweats, chest bare and still a little damp. My eyes lower to the bandage covering the stab wound and my heart twinges. He places the steaming cup of tea on the side before he takes a seat on the edge of the tub.
“I love you.” He closes his eyes as he says it, blowingout a long breath.
“I love you, too,” I tell him back and his eyes open, staring down at me in the bath.
“I know the right thing to do would be to send you away, somewhere new where you can be safe.”
My heart speeds up, “Bast…”
“I know that’s what the right thing would be,” He continues, “But I can’t do it, Red. I can’t be without you. I’m so fucking sorry that this happened, I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“It isn’t your fault,” I sit up in the bath.
“It is, Red but still, I can’t let you go.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I promise.
He suddenly drops to his knees, cradling my face, pushing back the wet strands of my hair, “Marry me, Red. Right fucking now.”
A watery laugh bursts from me, “Well maybe notrightnow, but I will marry you.”
“You will?” His eyes light up.
“Yes, Bast,” I grin, “Who else would I marry?”
