ONYX(unedited;1st draft)

Can I Ask You Something?

61. Can I Ask You Something?

  Ace and I were laying on our backs, staring up at the sky and talking about anything and everything.

  He didn't seem to be in a rush to leave and I didn't ask. He was still in his formal clothes minus the suit jacket, so I had a feeling he should be going back soon but I wanted to keep this for a moment, knowing that when he goes back to work, it'll probably be for a while.

  The sun was almost setting and the trees were casting a shadow over us and the river.

  Feeling a bit guilty, I finally said, "You can go back. I promise I won't get angry about you working anymore."

  "You don't get angry about me working," He said, "You get angry because I work too much," He took my hand, pulling me over until I was flushed against his side, then he started running his hand through my hair messily, "But I'm done for the day."

  My face distorted against his chest and I tried to pull away but held me tight against him, messing up my hair even more.

  "Stop!" I screeched, reaching up to grip his hand to stop it from moving through my hair.

  He laughed heartily and I tilt my head back to glare at him. He grinned down at me as he started running his fingers through my hair again, gently this time, to tame it or make it look somewhat normal from the nest that he just made of it.

  "You're so beautiful," He said, smiling.

  I narrowed my eyes even though my heart rate picked up, "Don't try to butter me up," I said lowly, watching his lips twitch into a wider smile.

  "Can I ask you something?" I asked after a moment of us staring at each other like weirdos.

  He nodded, his thumb running back and forth across my jaw with his hand rest on the side of my neck.

  "When I told you that someone asked me out, a couple months ago, why were you so okay with telling me to go?"

  It bothered me. I never said anything back then, because my pride wouldn't let me. I didn't want him to see how much that had affected me. It made me feel as if he didn't care. I'm supposed to be his and he was okay with giving me away. I didn't like it. But now that I've gotten past that stage of my pride coming first when I'm with him, I'm ready for answers.

  His thumb still moved along my jaw and his other hand ran up and down my back, "I wasn't," He said briefly and I frowned at him. He lets out a long breath, "Syl," He whispered.

  "What?" I said, confused. He was looking at me all weird.

  "When you told me how you grew up," He paused, his eyes bouncing over my face before he met my gaze again, "I wanted to give you everything. I still do. You were isolated and abused. You had nothing and I can't imagine that, because I had everything. I went to school, I had friends, girlfriends. I went to parties, I've traveled the world and you..." His hand slid down and his held my chin gently for a moment, "You didn't have that. So I had to say fuck it with my feelings because it wouldn't make me any better than them if I kept you isolated and dictated your choices. I've made mistakes growing up and I wanted you to live and learn like most people do. But it doesn't look like you want to," He had a smug smile on his face at the last part, but that didn't stop the smile that was breaking across my face.