She wasn't sure she'd ever been taken care of. Not without the price of being controlled.
"I would like that," she said with a smile as he took her small hand in his. "And we will talk before the delicious reasons," she added with gumption.
She felt it, that boldness that had started disappearing a few weeks ago.
"Mhmm," was his reply with a dimpled smile. It was hardly an agreement, but she knew she could trust him. And she also knewshe wouldn't be able to change the order of things if this man kissed her again.
"So, Rob is in jail?"
He nodded as they walked. He took hold of a thick branch hanging in their way, holding it up for her to walk under. "Crystal had one hell of a group of lawyers at The Pink Farm who took on Jessica's case. They should not be trifled with," he chuckled.
Tilly frowned. Then she laughed at the realization. "She knew he would do something wild at the town hall."
Another slow nod. "Physically removing a person without reason and then detaining them," his stoic face gave away how he felt about that. "Battery at best for him and the men who followed his orders. False imprisonment at worst."
"God, I hope he doesn't slip out of those charges," she said. Watching him be arrested felt like watching good win at the end of a beloved book. She could only imagine how it made Jessica feel.
"And Astra?"
He was silent and thoughtful for a moment before he answered. "They have been charged. Whether it sticks," he lifted a hand in the air.
That was enough for now, at least.
"Why do you like me?" she blurted, then stopped walking, her hand slipping out of his. He turned slowly, facing her. "I..." she licked her lips, trying to find words. "I guess, I'm not sure if I trust it."
He looked at her and then closed the distance between them. His hands lightly grasped her face. "You've got this fight in you that isn't born of insecurity, Tilly. It's born from having battled and won against insecurity. From the moment I met you, I could feel it, and it drew me in." His fingers lightly brushed her jaw."And you're beautiful and also kind. You're odd. And that's all I know. But I'm asking you to trust me."
She did.
Maybe it was the witch's purple moon, or something far more human.
"Okay," she whispered.
His eyes lit at that one word. "Okay," he whispered back, leaning down to seal this moment with a kiss on her forehead. "Let's get you to bed."
The quick flash of a smile made him laugh as he took her hand again. "Not that kind of bed, dirty woman. Sleep and rest."
Her lips formed a pinched pout at the disappointment as he walked her up the steps of The Lost Souls House. Lady Macbeth and her little ones were playing with bubbles there as Sulphur watched from her spot on the wicker chair, and Casper lay a willing victim of being jumped off of. He smiled and shook his head at the scene.
"This house is odd."
She smiled as the door opened and Bess wandered out with a bowl of popcorn, followed by Eloise and Ursula, all wearing pajamas and face masks, making them look like green ghosts. "Hey, hottie!" Eloise called. "Popcorn, cheese, and wine on the porch to celebrate cutting down our enemies. Want to join, chief? We've got extra face masks."
"I'll pass tonight. Maybe next time," he replied with a smile in his voice.
"Yeah, this house is odd." Thank God for that.
He pulled her in for a short, but delectable kiss, followed by a whisper for only her ear that heated at his words, "Tomorrow night, a different kind of getting you in bed."
She smiled dreamily.
"Night, handsome."
He stopped; they all looked at Portia, who watched him from the rail.
His smile was beautiful. "Goodnight, fierce Portia," he replied, dipping his head.
And then he was off.
