CHAPTER 534: JUST SAY YOU LOVE HIM

Abrielle’s face was completely flushed, her jaw clenched then she did the unexpected. Her hand ran across his cheeks

Slap

Cedric was stunned. "Why didn’t you answer me? You really thought of leaving, didn’t you?" She barked at him.

Cedric was stunned at first but the shock slowly turned into another emotion. He smiled at her.

It was a perfect smile, all teeth grinning at her. She didn’t know if she had ever seen him smile so wide.

Her eyes narrowed, why was he smiling?

Her emotions were a complete mess.

A chaotic cocktail of excitement, relief, happiness, anger and annoyance. She was more than relieved he was fine and within her reach but then, Abrielle was beyond furious to see him.

He was the one she saw. He had seen her earlier.

This man had been watching her for god only knows how long and yet he refused to appear before her.

Why?

Even when she threatened to forget him he did not move like he wanted her to forget him.

Not even when she was in danger. He saw it all. What made him think it was finally time to end her mystery and appear before her like a knight in shining armour?

Abrielle stood up, her eyes still glaring at him. She wiped off her tears. Her hands were clenched by her side.

She was trembling with fury. Cedric understood her emotion and reaction. It would be even crazier if he said he could feel it in his heart..

Her trembling fists betrayed her fury, but his infuriating smile deepened it.

His perfect smile didn’t falter, "You can slap me. If that will quell your anger." He offered. But he didn’t have to.

Abrielle was going to do it anyway. Her left hand struck against his right cheek hard and filled with her fury. He didn’t even flinch, which infuriated her even more, looking at his red cheeks.

The knight’s eyes went wide, too stunned to even move. He might not recognise Cedric, but even he, as a capable knight, would think twice before slapping a man that huge.

Abrielle was pretty small compared to him. He could easily break her and yet she was fuming in front of him. It even looked like she was the one in control while he was helpless in her palm

What were they watching? Some time of lovers’ quarrel.

"At least pretend that it hurts." She barked at him knowing her slaps didn’t even hurt the slightest on his skin.

This man was annoying. Smiling at her so perfectly like it could easily quell her anger.

The more annoying fact was, it was hard to be truly mad when looking at his smile.

His charms were working on her again. "Slapping you isn’t enough to quell my anger and stop smiling at me like it will help you." She stuttered pointing at him.

His smile didn’t fade. How long has he thought of this moment? The slight stinging sensation on his cheeks meant one thing to him

He was delusional, yes, he knew that, but he was right this one time. He wasn’t the only one; he felt the void, and she was also hurting by his absence. His little ginger missed him.

Besides, she had every right to be mad. Why did he ever think he could live without her? If she wanted to even whip him, he would be angered. As long as it eased her fury and the guilt eating him up..

Cedric held her hand. Abrielle was wearing a long-sleeved dress, but her outfit didn’t have gloves, which was weird in this weather. His brows furrowed then deepened in concern remembering how vulnerable she was to the cold

His palms felt warm against her cold skin. She felt those sensations. The sparks his touch always gave her.

Cedric held her hand and placed it on his chest directly above his beating heart. She could feel its rhythm and subtle warmth under her skin.

She glanced at him, more confused than surprised by his actions. His wide smile softened to something more tender, which tugged her heartstrings.

"My cheeks might not hurt, but it hurts here, and I have been hurting for a while now, even before you slapped me." Just like that her anger was almost quelled

Almost, emphasised that.

"You are heartless," she hissed at him.

"I know dear, I already gave my heart to you." He shrugged like it was nothing, almost leaving her dumbfounded by his reply.

Her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. The knight was still watching. Public affection wasn’t common at this time.

"You are the worst husband ever." She blurted out in retaliation. Even when she was flushed she was still devastatingly beautiful although he could notice

Her dark circles and sunken cheeks. She had lost a comparable amount of weight. His heart squeezed knowing it was his fault. "I know that’s why I am on my knees in the cold snow begging for your forgiveness." He replied, sounding almost pitiful.

"I know you love me enough not to leave me in the cold." He added, watching how bashful she became, unable to hold his gaze, she started to avert her eyes.

"Forgive this man and teach him how to be a proper husband." She closed her eyes and drew in a very long breath.

What type of apology was that? She hated to admit it but it was working. She was trembling, her words breaking, her eyes refusing to meet his.

Abrielle wanted to play the game a bit longer. Her head snapped at the knight glaring hard at him. Cedric noticed her discomfort, and one good look from him was enough to send the soldiers running with their tails between their legs.

He glanced back at Abrielle, a soft smile replacing the cold look he gave the knight. "Where were we?" He chimed in at her. Her brows twitched with annoyance.

Abrielle jerked away, yanking her hand from his hold. " We weren’t anywhere. Where did you get the idea that I love someone as annoying as you?" She said in a fit of anger.

It was amazing how she was both angry and happy at the same time. Despite her harsh words a smile hung on her lips without her even noticing.

Cedric was dumbfounded for a moment. He was still kneeling in the snow. Not that the cold bothered him. "You said so earlier." He blurted

A mischievous smirk graced her lips. She crossed her arms under her bosom. "I didn’t say I love you but I missed you."

"In the past tense because I thought it was my kind husband, not a heartless man, who watched me suffer." She sneered at him, then to piss him off she added

Maybe she should have thought twice before she said those words in fury remembering all that happened

She should have thought that maybe there was a reason he didn’t appear before her earlier. She was blinded by fury at the moment and assumed he wouldn’t mind.

"I don’t care if you get an ice bite from the frost or just go back to where you are hiding. I don’t miss you anymore." She snapped. Cedric scoffed, then stood up his frame shadowing her.

It was hard to know, per se, if he was angry or not. His face had a smirk while his eyes had something in them that almost made her trip to the ground if he didn’t catch her on time

"You don’t miss me anymore and want me to go." He asked her. She glared at him, still acting stubborn, probably caught in the moment.

"No one is stopping you." She stubbornly said. Cedric let go of her waist and stepped back with a taunting smile.

"As you wish, dear wife." Then in the blink of an eye, he was gone, and Abrielle was the only one left in the alley.

She blinked twice then rubbed her eyes. Disbelief was written all over her face. Abrielle smacked her face because that’s what she needed.

Why was it so hard to admit to his front that she loved him? And he stubbornly left. "Cedric," she called out. Fear was slowly creeping in on her.

She was already missing him all over. He didn’t take her joke seriously and really left.

Or did he?

Her face drained of colour at that thought.

"Cedric," she whispered this time sounding genuinely scared. The cold whisper of the wind came again. She held her hand, then nervously swallowed.

"Please, I am sorry. I did not mean it. Please don’t leave...." She pleaded to the wind.

.

"I still miss you, now more than ever." She finally said.

"I know," she heard his voice clearly from the side. Her head darted towards those gold eyes. He held her waist then pushed her back against the alley wall

Her plea broke the last of his restraint. In a blink, his warmth pinned her against the alley wall.

"Enough of the banter, let’s skip to more important things." He said, something in his eyes changed, looking almost predatory, which made her stomach flutter, and she grew more nervous.

As soon as he was done speaking, his lips claimed her, shutting up her stubborn mouth, pouring out all his long and absorbing her.

He kissed her like they were the only ones in their world, hard, rough, fiery and possessively right in the middle of a public alley. He established his apology and claim.