Chapter 33

The month long process is almost over and only a few more days are left, I notice. Things have changed between Keith and I, but will they change on paper?

Gosh, what am I thinking?

I'm letting doubt creep into my mind and the next thing I know is, I'll start questioning the time I've spent with him here. No, I can't be thinking like this.

" Hey, you're finally awake." I'm pulled close, receiving a kiss to the temple.

I close my eyes to the feel of his lips on my skin. This is what I need, being in his presence and being in his arms.

' Am I saying this now because I'm in his arms?' My conscious asks.

Oh my word, what is going on with me this morning?

" Are you okay?" I'm knocked out of my thoughts and look up at Keith, who's eyes show concern.

" I'm okay, when are we leaving?"

" In two hours time. Come, I made you breakfast." He pulls me towards a tray full of food, that's been placed on the bedside table. A white rose is placed in the middle of the tray.

I smile at the sweet gesture.

" This is lovely thank you." I tell him, admiring his efforts.

"Please, take a seat." I nod, settling down on the bed, my back against the headboard. He places the tray on my lap and instructs me to start eating.

I don't have to be told twice because I dive right in, sneaking a glance at him a few times. I try feed him, feeling awkward, having to be watched while I'm eating.

" No sweetheart, I already ate. This is for you." I smile a closed lipped smile before continuing.

" I received word this morning that Riley is okay and that she leaves for home today." He mentions some time later.

"That's good. What about Bella and Mrs Davies? "

" Bella is doing good and I gave Mrs Davies a few days off. " I nod, feeling relieved.

" Did you hear anything else about Riley, did she say anything else maybe?"

" She would like to see you, but I said no."

" Keith."

" No, she put you and Bella's life in danger, I almost lost you because- ."

" I'm here and fine." I place the tray aside before pulling his hand onto my lap." I know what happened, I was there remember?"

" Yeah and- ." 

" I'd like to see her please, before we go." I say, looking him in the eyes.

He sighs, caving in with a nod.

I lean forward, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him to me for a kiss. Instead of a short one, he gets right into a long and slow sweet kiss where I'm pushed back onto the bed, letting him hover over me.

Gosh, I could never get tired of his kisses.

" Damn, what am I gonna do with you." He breathes, having come up for air, forehead against forehead. A smile threatens to come out, only to disappear when one question lingers in mind.

" What happened to the Jason guy?" Keith tenses above me, making me frown.

" We should forget about him," he tries pull away but I tighten my hold.

" Tell me." I press quietly.

" He's dead." Everything in me turns cold.

                             *******

" Are you sure about this?" I nod.

" I need words baby, or else we are getting the hell out of here," he tells me, being serious.

" I'm sure." He sighs before nodding.

I take a deep breath before opening the door slowly, walking in with Keith right behind. There she is, sitting upright as she is busy talking to Mrs Davies. Her eyes immediately find mine the minute I step in, her mouth opens to speak but shuts when she notices Keith right behind me.

Her eyes fill with fear as she stares at a blank faced Keith.

She's afraid of him.

" Mr and Mrs Salvatore. Hello, um what brings you here?" Mrs Davies speaks, now noticing us.

" Riley has asked to see my wife and here we are. I shouldn't even let you see her Riley, because you almost got her killed."

"I-I  know Mr Salvatore and I'm sorry." Her head hangs in shame, nervously playing with her fingers.

" Riley, you wanted to see me." I decide to speak up, so she won't get anymore intimidated.

Her head snaps up, her eyes pleading with me as she avoids Keith's gaze.

She wants us to be alone.

I take a deep breath before turning to face my protective husband.

" Keith, Riley and I - "

" No, nope, not gonna happen." He shakes his head in disagreement, throwing a glare at a cowering Riley.

" Keith." I place my hands on his chest. "5 minutes, that's all I ask." I plead with my eyes, hoping he'll grant me this.

After a minutes of silence, he sighs, caving in. He closes his eyes for a second, releasing a breath.

" Fine, 5 minutes and not a minute more." He says, pulling me close to plant a kiss on my forehead.

I close my eyes on the contact.

" I'll be right outside the door." I nod against his forehead before leaning back to look at him.

" Thank you." I murmur.

" Forr you, only for you." He holds up his finger.

I nod, taking a step back.

He gives me a once over before walking out, Mrs Davies trailing behind quietly. I turn to Riley, who's still looking at her lap.

I take a breath before pulling a chair close and taking a seat." Riley, we are alone now."

She picks up her head, her eyes connect with mine, hers filled with regret.

" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I- ." I lean forward, taking her hand in mine.

She gasps, looking at our hands.

" No more crying Riley, don't upset yourself anymore, just - just tell me what you need to tell me."

She nods after observing my serious face on, the same look that says, we don't have much time because Keith will make up to his promise.

" I didn't plan all of this, Jason did."

" Okay, how do you know this Jason?"

" I've known him for a few years."

" Riley's father?" She shakes her head no.

" He was my boyfriend's friend before he passed."

" I'm sorry." I squeeze her hand.

Thank you. Um, before my boyfriend died, Bella's father. They had a falling out because Jason was interested in me and had tried kissing me. Anyway after some time, Jason tried to be with me and it soon turned unhealthy."

" Did he abuse you?"

" Not really. He just slapped me twice but that's about it." She mumbles, avoiding my eyes.

My heart clenches.

" So what happened yesterday?"

She nervously wringles her fingers together.

" Dony't be nervous, just calmly tell me, I'm here to listen." I reassure her, pulling my hand back to my lap.

" Well Jason has had it in his mind that he can make quick money and he will take me away. When I came back from the dance, he was at my house. He started asking me a bunch of questions, mostly to do with where my aunt worked.

I just talked not thinking much about it and yesterday morning, he came by and threatened me into going along with his plan or else he'd hurt Bella."

I frown at this, not liking one bit, the thought of Bella hurt or her life threatened.

" I love my daughter and so I did it. He was going to rob your family, luckily for him, Mr Salvatore was out and everyone got a day off."

" Your aunt told you, right?" She nods.

" So he had me trick my aunt into giving me her card and calling the security to let me in the house. I made up a story to her that we wanted to take you out for a walk, because you wanted to see Bella again. Long story short, we got here and the rest , you know." She trails off.

I sigh, having heard the full story.

" Have they told you about Jason?" She nods.

" I heard this morning, I know I shouldn't be feeling this but I feel bad."

A moment of silence passes between us before she speaks up again.

" I'm sorry Mrs Salvatore, I had no choice, Bella was- ," I quickly get off the chair and pull her in for a hug.

" It's okay, I understand."

" Please forgive me." I lean back, my hands on her shoulders.

"There's nothing to forgive."

" No, please just tell me you forgive me and I'll be at peace." I sigh.

" Okay I forgive you. Feel better now?"

" Yes, yes very much." She returns my smile.

Before I can take a step back, her hand grabs my one arm. I watch her curiously bite at her lip, frowning in thought.

" Riley?"

" I don't think it was his idea." She murmurs, more like thinking out loud.

"What do you mean?" She shakes her head, coming back to her senses.

" I think someone was behind this."

" What do you mean?"

"Before he dragged me to your house, I overheard him speak over the phone to someone. It was on speaker phone, he was speaking to a female, yes. She said something about getting the job done, that everything was all ready for him and that he just needed to get things done."

I take a step back, trying to process this new information. It's unbelievable that someone else could be behind last night.

" What if- "

" What if what?" I ask, needing something more, that I can work with.

" What if the female and her people, already made an easy way for Jason and I to enter into the premises, what if it's someone you might know?" She whispers the last part, just when the door opens and both keith and Mrs Davies enter.

I have to blink and compose myself, not let the shock I feel, show.

" Is everything alright?" He asks, pulling me flush against his chest.

" Yeah - yes, Riley and I talked, she knows I've forgiven her and we can move past this." I say.

" Thank you again Mrs Salvatore. Um Mr Salvatore I'm very much sorry about what happened, I'll understand if you want to stop helping me and my family, it's my fault your wife was in danger."

Keith doesn't say anything, making me to turn in his arms to face him.

" Keith, say something. " I whisper, looking at him, while he stares ahead.

" We need to be leaving now, Mrs Davies, remember what we discussed. Riley, get better and take care of that little girl. " Keith says.

" Yes sir." Riley says.

I'm soon led out of the room right after smiling my goodbye to both females.

" Are you okay?" He asks me outside by his car.

I smile in response, not wanting him to ask any further, I enter the car, Keith right behind me. The trip to the airport is filled with silence, I can't really wrap my head around what Riley told me. If her suspicions are correct, then someone had yesterday planned out. I don't even know their intention. Was it to hurt me or Keith?

That's the thing, I don't know.

" Kea?" I look at Keith.

" We're here, let's go." He tells me.

I nod, getting out from the other door and then walking over to join him on his side. I see him frowning abit.

" Are you sure you're okay?" He asks me.

" Yes, I'm just in my head a lot, sorry."

" That's okay, a lot happened yesterday and it's still hard to process.  I just - please don't shut me out, talk to me if you need to talk." I smile in appreciation, leaning into him and giving him a thank you kiss.

Before he can deepen it, I break the kiss, earning a pout from him which makes me to snicker at him.

" Come on, you big baby." I wrap my hand around his arm, leading him to his jet.

" Well I'm your baby." He declares proudly.

"Yes, my baby." I giggle, along the way.

A comfortable trip it is, in his jet indeed, with Keith's attention on me and work put on hold. We decide on binging on movies on our trip, eating all junk food, well more me than him, since he said that if I ate anymore, he'd literally force me to the gym.

I had teased him with a fake offended look, asking if he thought I was big and he stumbled over his words, trying to explain, reassure me that I was beautiful. I couldn't help but laugh at him, my sides were even hurting. Damn he was so cute.

Not wanting him to be mad at me, for teasing him. I kissed him, distracting him, I swear he would have kissed me for a long time if it weren't for his phone ringing every now and then.

Which reminds me, I need to ask for my phone back.

" Can't wait for us to finally get home?" He leans into me, burying his head in the crook of my neck.

I don't say anything.

My silence makes him to lean back and look at me.

" Kea?" I turn to him.

All he does is stare at my eyes, almost searching them for something, which I can't figure out.

" You're not ready to move back to the house are you?"

" I just need a bit of time, I hope you understand." I say, looking down at my lap.

My chin is tilted up and I look at him. He leans in, planting a small kiss.

" I understand."

"So you're not going to fight me on this?" I ask.

" No."

" Not even about me wanting my phone back?"

He hesitates.

" Keith, you had it the whole time we were in Aspen and I never once questioned you about it. I want my phone." I shoot him with a challenging look.

" Fine, fine. I'll give you when we arrive at your place."

I don't say anything but just nod.


Once we arrive at the apartment complex, Joe opens the door for me while Alex does the same for Keith. Stepping out of the car, I smile, knowing that things were going to go back to normal again.

Or not, when I see him.

London.

" I think we should rethink you staying here." He says, standing behind me.