"𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚, 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙙?" he asked me sweetly, and I could not remain silent with his lips near my ear.
"On yours..." I answered under a whisper, still looking at the floor.
With the gentle brush of his finger...
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༻𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨༺
News never wavers me. I've seen death, I've known suffering, both of which I could dare say I've grown more numb to. Yet, seeing Liara weaken with her visions, along with the now-burned thought in my brain that her father is in motion with his plan, scares me. I know I'm capable of protecting her. Everything in my will is to prevent her from harm. But there are these what ifs battling with me.
I can't lose her to a mishap.
I can't lose my wife by any means.
I pull Ziad by his shoulder to face me, "Have I made a mistake in choosing you?"
Ziad brushes my hand off him quickly. Those green eyes hold a glint of vengeance I have left behind long ago.
"Me?" he asks, "a mistake of a choice?"
"She could have hurt herself!"
He nearly spun Liara into an episode earlier. Seeing her fight herself completely broke me. I brought my cousin here- an FBI agent and the golden warrior of the most dangerous alliance alive, the Black Snakes- to help me train Liara in the right ways. I did not expect him to be so quick to terrorize her.
He raises his red blindfold to my face. It is stained with the blood of many enemies. In the Black Snakes, all warriors are trained to brutally kill anything their eyes lay upon if necessary, otherwise they "kill with a calm mind." Most times, to prevent unnecessary murder, they fight blind which gives them grace.
"Do you know who I am?"
My fists ball in my pockets, "She is my wife, Ziad!"
"And she is my family just as much as you are!" he shouts over me.
My heart starts pulsing through my chest, and I shake my head, "You'll ruin her-"
"I set Cidarville on fire!"
My mind stops roaming, watching his mood shift.
"I set this very damned city on fire for my stepdaughter! She may not have been of my Rosé name and Loveday blood, but she is mine regardless! I'd do the same for Liara!" He presses a cold finger to my heart, "I fought things I'd never imagine to protect my very own wife and child. Never once did an innocent person get hurt and have to suffer from the flames I caused."
My stomach twists.
"Not like you with your rage," Ziad whispers before backing away, "I'm not like you!"
Tears form in my eyes.
"Wake up, Ramerio!"
I look into his gaze again, seeing it's softer than before.
"Liara needs this," he tells me. "Teach her easy and she'll never be prepared for any horror her father brings along with him. Trust me."
I hear him, but it's hard. "Ziad, I just don't want to make a mistake..."
