Survival Under Protection - Book One

40: The Truth Unfolded

Updated - 28 June '19

RECAP:

She dozed off. What a perfect timing she chose to doze off! I chuckled looking at my little sleepy angel. She looked so peaceful and innocent.

'Tomorrow I will meet your family Ria. No more hiding from anyone. You are mine, and I am yours.' I promised to myself and to her. I brought her back on my bed and snuggled beside her.

Ria's POV

It was a Tuesday morning, meant to be boring and as normal as it could be. But maybe even Tuesdays didn't agree to be boring when they got linked to me. I was supposed to be lying peacefully inside my sweet cozy room in deep sleep. And alas, here I am roaming in the silent city beside the closed shops at 5 AM sitting inside Daniel's jeep and begging him to death not to call my brothers and take me to Sally's home as soon as possible. It was very difficult for him or even anyone else to understand that it was a very, very big deal for me to be outside my home for the whole night and be scared to death as to how my brothers were going to react to that.

"Ria, why you are so afraid of them? You are not a 5 years old kid. You can tell them you were with me." Daniel was trying to make his point but he had no idea what he was saying. I just gave him a really? look.

"Daniel, I already told you everything about me, about my family history, about my aunt and still you insist on telling everything to my brothers! Danny, please take me to Sal's place and she can explain to you everything in details. Being out of home for the entire night is already giving me fits. I can't keep my phone switched off any minute more. Else John's going to call Jack! Oh, my God! What if he calls Logan!! No, God! Please no no no!" I was already freaking out, holding my hairs on my punch grip.

"Well, then we can run away and escape from this city!" Daniel chirped and got a deathly glare from me.

"Ok, I won't joke anymore. I know, Ria that your aunt too ran away so you always feel that pressure on you that you should not hurt your family like that. But you need to realize that the incident took place nearly 25 years ago. Time has changed, Ree. And... and the most important reason is meeting you in secret and not able to talk to you freely in public is killing me already."

"I wish I didn't booze last night," I said with a sad sigh. Even I wanted those things so badly, especially after last night. I don't remember the idiotic things I blabbered last night. But I do remember that Daniel was there with me for me the entire time. He didn't even take a short nap and sat beside me the whole night, took utmost care of me when I felt bad or even puked.

"No, Ria. Don't say that. I am so grateful and so happy that that happened last night and I got the chance to spend an entire night with you. All this time, I was scared to commit to you because thoughts of my first love haunted me. But I didn't feel even a bit of doubt for you, for us." Daniel said as his eyes looked shining and he held my hand with both of his, "I wanna stay with you every moment, Ria. I am going crazy about you. I think... I think I.. am in love with you, my Ria."

Those words stole my heart, my ability to think straight. "You love me.." I whispered in disbelief, the sweetest one though.

"Yeah, Ree. I love you." Daniel said holding my hands.

"I love you too Dan. I... I never thought I would be living this experience. I love you so much, Dan." I said with a smile. I was so happy.

Daniel kissed on my lips just for second and said, "Ria, I am so, so happy. I can't explain you in words. I thought that falling in love for the second time would be impossible for me. But I was so wrong. It's so very easy being with you. I want to make this official, Ria. I can't keep this hidden anymore." Daniel looked on cloud nine, but his last sentence gave me shivers through my core.