The Price of Protection

Chapter 17~ Chilly Greetings

MARIUS:

She is pressed up against the opposite side of the SUV and I wonder why she's acting like this. I just saved her from a true villain and she's acting like I'm the villain here.

I watch her stare out the window and realize that her stone face is her trying to conceal some emotion threatening to escape. She is a complete mess. Dirty, snarls throughout her hair, dark circles under her eyes, a defeated sort of look in them that's left her usual fire dulled. She's incredibly resilient. I can only imagine what she's been through and if she knows about her father. I'm not sure if it's the right time to bring it up or not.

"Céline..."

"Don't!" She responds quickly and quietly.

"Don't what?" I raise a brow. What have I done now? I only said her name.

"Don't... Don't speak...please."

Ah. I see the tears start to silently fall down her face. She was trying so hard. It was unnecessary. Does she think she isn't allowed to cry?

"Céline..."

"Marius," her voice breaks, "please, I don't want to talk." The crying becomes heavier and her arms hug herself tightly pressing the large coat towards her body. She's trying and failing to contain the build up of trauma she's experienced.

"You know?" I ask, turning my head out of discomfort to look out my own window after a quick glance downward.

It's that question that breaks her resolve and she gasps in a sob. She pulls her arms up in front of her face with clenched fists to cover the flood seeping from her broken eyes. Maybe he did break her after all. I reach out grab her arm firmly and pull her towards me.

"No! Don't!" She screams, "Don't say it, don't say a fucking word, Marius!"

I know this is her grief, so I pull her against me and wrap my arms around her. She slams her fists against my chest several times before the exhaustion of her emotion sets in and she melts into brokenness in my arms. I let her gasps and screams of grief wash over me. I don't believe I've ever felt something quite this extreme and it makes me ache for her as anger boils up inside of me at Mesrine. I hate that this is not something I can fix or solve for her. I don't dare display what I feel for her, but it doesn't change that I would end anyone without a second though if she wished it. For Jacques? I will have to plan a special sort of hell for what he's done.

~

By the time we make it to the mansion, about an hour and a half later, she has fallen asleep from crying so much and is laying on my lap in a deadweight. I have just been responding to work emails and messages needing attention over my phone since she fell asleep. I pause and rub my eyes from staring at the screen. Glancing down, I see that she still has part of my shirt clenched tightly in her fist- a sort of safety feeling, I suppose.

Another buzz on my phone signals an incoming message and I decide to answer one more releasing a low grumble of dissatisfaction as we follow the driveway towards the 4 door garage.

Bastian: I heard of the move. What the hell happened? I expect a very good explanation for all of this!

Me: You'll get your answers, Uncle.

Bastian: It had better not have to do with that girl. You are better than wasting our resources and changing a very well-detailed plan simply to rescue your whore! I can't even leave for a short time before you throw our entire empire into the gutter. What a disappointment you would be to your father.

I feel my chest constrict at his words and I push away the things I plan to say to him later on. He can wait for his answers until I'm ready to deal with him. Another buzz and I groan causing Céline to stir slightly.