Chapter Twenty-Four
You don't know the half of it, Aziel.
"What tells you that?" I asked instead, settling my fingers gently along his shoulders.
"Your eyes...your voice..." He lifted his head back and offered me a smile, a smile that made my toes curl. "Your very soul speaks to me, Romina." He took my hand and placed it above my breast, right above my pounding heart. "You feel that?"
"Yes," I replied, swallowing slightly. I could feel my heart pounding beneath my hand—hell, I could feel it in my entire body at this point, a distant drum in the background.
"That means you're alive."
I tried to press my own hand over his heart, but he caught my hand, face hardening. "We're taking care of you tonight. Not me."
"Are you alive, Aziel?" I forced myself to ask. It was a stupid question, of course he was. Stupid Romina. Stupid, stupid—!
"Only at times." He pried himself from me and the wall, leaning back to regard me with a distant look. "I feel alive with you."
"And the other times?"
He rose a brow, amused by my questions. Aziel slumped a hand into his pocket. "Dead."
Something about the seriousness of his tone unsettled me. I averted my gaze and focused on the floor.
"Don't worry, baby." I lifted my eyes to meet his. He smiled again. What was I, some angel? What did I do to deserve his smile? "It's only a joke, lighten up."
I frowned, making him laugh. It was a rebellious noise, as if the sound wasn't supposed to leave his lips. But he laughed all the same, short and loud, deep and rumbling.
"Your father said you're not allowed to go horse riding anymore, is that correct?"
My frown dropped further. "Yes."
"Well, let me live." He held out a hand. "Come ride with me, Romina."
"I-I can't." My eyes widened fearfully. What if he ever found out? What would he do if he found out I was gone? "Father will—"
"Never know." Not waiting for me to take his hand, he grabbed my good one and began dragging me down the hall.
"Aren't you supposed to be working?" I asked desperately, trying to escape. But even I knew if I truly wanted to leave, I'd have left by now. Something about him made me want to stay. Something about him...made me want to live.
"Yes," he replied honestly.
"Then—"
"Romina, do me one favour?" He stopped in the middle of the kitchens. At this time of day, they were empty. There were no witnesses to bear what was happening but the pots and pans.
"Anything."
"One day. Give me one day. Let me take you out."
A date? My cheeks reddened.
"Oh, please, we've done far worse," he teased darkly, pressing a finger to my chin. I was hesitant to meet his eyes, knowing how the darkness in them would consume me. But I met them anyways. If I were to break the rules for one day, I might as well break them all.
I chewed my lips nervously. "Well..."
Aziel waited for me to finish.
"I don't want to go riding again. If I'm...if I'm really going to going to do this today, I want it all." Straightening my shoulders along with my resolve, I took in a breath, trying to loosen the knot building in my chest. "Let's go swimming."
His lips tugged. "Do you have a bathing suit?"
"A what?"
"All the better." He snatched my hand again and pulled me to the back of the kitchens, right where the servant's exit was. With one push to the door, and one step forward, we were outside.
And I...had never felt more free.
(a/n: cringe but that's how we like it)