Fire - Betrayal (39 page)

She released her hold on me, and moved back slightly, looking into my eyes and smiled.  Then she kissed me lightly on the lips again, but did not say a word. She walked around the other side of the wooden table and sat down to eat.  I sat opposite her, mesmerized by her beauty.

Occasionally, she would look out over the vast blue ocean, with a distant look in her eyes. I sat back and watched her.  I wondered how she had coped while I was in Une Autre Terre – the parallel world again. I wondered how she coped with my false denial of my love for her seven months ago, something that I was forced to do to test her.

I wondered how she had met Nic, and what he meant to her. I wondered not, if she still loved Nic, but how deeply she loved Nic, and how it would affect our relationship in the long term. I wondered if Nic would still be in contact with Cate, if at all.

And, if he did, how close he would try to stay to her. 

For the first time since the unpredictable evening before, I felt a little unnerved, and a little insecure, even though Cate had chosen to marry me.

Then she looked at me. 

‘Ben, thank-you for making this, our first night together perfect, the beach, the rose petals, the storm – how did you do that? - this amazing breakfast, and you – it couldn’t have been more romantic – thank-you, ‘ Cate said quietly.

I leaned over the table and kissed her tenderly, then sat back in my chair and looked out over the ocean.  I was waiting for her to tell me that she loved me, but she hadn’t yet.

‘Cate, would you have married Nic if he had asked you?’  I asked, not wanting to look directly at her. She looked up at me, obviously considering my question.

‘Yes, I would have married him if he had asked me,’ she replied truthfully.

I felt jealousy arising in the pit of my stomach.  I wanted Cate to love me, and only me.  But, I had pushed her away in Une Autre Terre, under the order of The Council Elders.

‘Ben, I didn’t think it was possible to love two men at the same time, but I do, and I feel really rotten for Nic.  I could see how much he loved me
, by the look in his eyes.  He would look at me the same way that you do.’

I hated hearing the words that Cate had just spoken, but at least she spoke the truth.

‘Then why did you choose me over Nic Cate?’ I asked, wanting to be sure that I knew exactly where I stood, and trying to defuse the green eyed monster inside of me.

Cate closed her eyes.

‘Ben……when I look at you, my heart skips a beat, when I look into your cerulean eyes, my heart beats faster, when we touch, the electrical jolt that you give me makes me feel alive as I have never felt before, when you kiss me, my body aches for you, and when you hold me, I feel as if I will melt into your body with you, safe and protected from the world. I may also love Nic, but I will never love him as deeply as I love you. I only hope that I can make you as happy as you deserve to be.’

I looked deeply into her eyes as she spoke, reading her emotions, reading the truth as she spoke.  Though, I still couldn’t shake off the feeling that I was in competition with Nic. I knew I would have to watch my step, and wrap my powerful wings of love around her, shielding her from Nic’s desires.  Of that I was sure.

Restraint   Goodwill

Cate was dressed in her beautiful off-white ball gown
from the night before
, while I wore my tails from the Masquerade Ball when we returned to Cate’s house that morning. Together, we got out of the yellow taxi and stood facing Cate’s new house.

She looked up at me, I’m sure to watch my reaction at what she had built in place of Grandy’s house that had been burnt to the ground. I knew that she was waiting for me to say something.

‘It’s so you Cate – amazing, uncomplicated yet complex , outstanding and elegant !’ I commented.

‘Do I take your words as…… a compliment?’ asked Cate, unsure about my observations of her new house, now to be m
ine as well.

I looked down at her, standing bare footed in her stunning ball gown, her shoes in her hand, her hair gently blowing in the cool breeze, and smiled shyly at her.

‘Everything you do is incredible Cate,
you
are incredible,’ I said adoringly.

‘Well then, welcome to your new home Benjamin Adams,’ she said dramatically, smiling and bowing at me.  Then she turned on her heel and skipped happily down the garden path to the front door, with me in tow, in awe of her addictive personality. 

I had been away from her for too long again.  I would never leave her, not now, nothing would keep us apart – except death – and that was definitely not in the plan of our lives together.  We would grow very old together, we had a lifetime to live.

Cate placed her hand on the panel beside the front double wooden doors.  It was a handprint scanner, checking her identification. Then quietly and slowly, the door opened so that it was slightly ajar.  I watched on in fascination by the security measure that she had in place at her new house.  I was very impressed with her choice of security.

As she started to walk through the front door, I caught her by the hand, and pulled her back to me.  In one smooth sweeping motion, I lifted her up into my arms and then walked through the front door, carrying the love of my life.

She placed her hands around the back of my neck and looked into my eyes.

I gently pushed the front door closed with my foot and placed her gently on the floor and slowly brought my lips to hers, kissing her with yearning.  Then she pulled away from me, her breath taken away.

‘Welcome home Cate and Ben,’ said an unwelcoming sarcastic voice coming from the sofa in the sitting room.

I was taken aback at the intruder in the house, and positioned my body in front of Cate’s to protect her.

Then
he
stood up. It was Nic.

He looked as if he hadn’t had any sleep, and the emotional strain showed in the dark circles under his eyes. A deep sadness oozed from his spirit and through his deep blue eyes. 

Nic looked at Cate, and then me, and then he looked to the floor, putting his hands into his pockets.  He looked uncomfortable being here in Cate’s house.  But I know that he couldn’t help it.  He had to see Cate again.  He loved her so deeply.

Concerned, Cate let go of my hand and walked over to Nic. I was feeling nervous.  I could not predict what Nic was about to say or do.  And he certainly wasn’t in a sane frame of mind at the moment.

‘Nic,’ Cate whispered, and then took a step closer to him and hugged him.  I looked on from the entrance of the house, feeling jealousy arising in the pit of my stomach. Nic wrapped his arms tightly around Cate, and buried his head in towards her neck. 

‘Nic.’
Cate whispered his name again. I felt rage that he was holding my wife in his arms….
my wife
.  But I stayed where I was, even though I wanted to tear him away from
my
wife.

‘Nic, please stay, but I need to go upstairs to get changed.  I’ll be as quick as I can,’ I heard Cate say compassionately.

Nic nodded, and then he looked at me, sort of.

‘Ah Ben….’ Nic
winced as he said my name.  ‘When I arrived at the house earlier today, these clothes were left on the doorstep for you.  I’m guessing that your mum dropped them around.’ He picked up the clothes and walked over to give them to me. 

I watched Nic intently as he approached me with the clothes.  I could see that
he had taken a heavy beating with Cate’s decision to marry me last night.  He was obviously gutted.  I knew how that felt, and I took pity upon him. I tuned into my Terrean blood, and found compassion for him. I took a few steps to meet him to take the clothes and looked him in the eye.

‘Thank-you Nic,’ I said with sincerity, and watched as he dropped his eyes and his head to the floor, the sign of a broken man.

Cate gently placed her hand on Nic’s shoulder.

‘Please Nic, make yourself comfortable and wait.  I”ll be back down soon, after I shower,’ she said. Nic looked deeply into Cate’s eyes and then closed his eyes.  He breathed out deeply, and then nodded quickly, and turned to sit back down on the sofa, while Cate and I headed upstairs to get changed.

Out of the view of Nic, I grabbed Cate’s hand again.  How I loved her warm soft skin, and her delicate fingers in mine. She turned her head to smile at me as we entered the doorway of the master bedroom.  Then she turned her whole body and walked backwards facing me as we went deeper into the room. My eyes were fixed on her.

Then she stopped, st
anding very closely to me.

‘Ben, help me out of my ball gown’ she whispered, as she ran her hands over my abdominal muscles, and chest. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her.  Then I pulled away and held her gaze.  ‘I love you Cate, forever.’

‘And I love you Ben, forever.’ I kissed her again.  I really needed her to say those words to me.  But I was still worried about the relationship that she had developed with Nic when I was in Une Autre Terre.

As Cate showered, I stood by the large window, looking out at the gardens below.  My mind filled with questions - so many questions.  I felt as though I wanted to wrap my arms around her and protect her from everything in life.  I felt as though I wanted to have Cate all to myself, and never to share her with anyone, ever.

But then, she would become my prisoner, and she would want to escape from me, and I did not want that. 

I had to trust her.  Trust that she wouldn’t end up in the arms of another man. 

She
had
chosen to marry me.  I had to keep reminding myself of that.  She was
my
wife, and our love was a bond that could never be broken.

Emerging from the bathroom in a light summery cotton sleeveless dress, Cate caught me in deep
contemplation by the window.  She walked over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, brought her lips to my neck and lightly kissed me.

‘I’ll see you downstairs Ben,’ she said.

As she turned to leave the room, I caught her by the hand and pulled her back to me, my face serious, brooding.  I kissed her deeply and emotionally. I left her breathless.

‘I’ll see you downstairs very soon,’ I said quietly.

I didn’t want to leave Nic alone with my wife.  He was in an irrational state of mind at the moment, and I didn’t trust him in his desperation to hold on to Cate.

I
changed quickly and followed Cate out the bedroom door soon after she left.  I managed to see her as she was at the bottom of the wooden staircase, her facial expression showing a mind that was burdened, guilty even. I assumed of how their relationship had ended abruptly and devastatingly the night before.

He
stood there too, at the bottom of the stairs, watching every step that Cate took as she came closer to him. His eyes were full of pain. I knew that he would never stop loving her.  At least, that is how he felt now, if he loved Cate as much as I loved her, I knew that he would never stop loving her, and it worried me.

As Cate came to the last step, he held out his hand for her to take. She took it.

Nic stood calmly, connecting his eyes with Cate’s.  Then he led her through the sitting room to the kitchen and beyond the french doors into the back garden.  Cate held onto his hand, her head bowed. 

She still loved him.  And I didn’t trust him.

I followed them from a distance, unknown to them, and watched as Nic stopped under the ornate french gazebo, and turned to face Cate, his eyes focused on the ground. Slowly, he closed his eyes, and then opened them again, looking into Cate’s eyes. Cate gently touched his chest, and then ran her hands around him to hold him close to her. I
know
that she wanted to comfort him.  I
know
that she would want to take away the pain that he felt from her choosing me over him. But did she have to touch him like that?

Nic wrapped his arms around her. 

‘I never want to let go of you Cate’ I heard him say in low tones.

I stood at the french doors and watched every move that Nic made. I saw how Nic held
my
Cate in his arms, and I was not happy.  I fought the urge to go out to Nic and attack him physically, but, I knew that they needed this time to say a proper goodbye to each other after last night’s unexpected twist in their lives.

Then I watched on helplessly, as Nic placed his hands on either side of Cate’s face, and slowly brought his lips to hers
, kissing her deeply. And I watched on helplessly as Cate did not pull away. 

I placed my hand over my heart as I felt a sudden jab of pain at the sight of Nic and Cate together.  I closed my eyes.  I did not want to see anymore. I could not
bear
to see anymore.

My beautiful, beautiful Cate
….

But Cate had married
me
.  I told myself.  She had chosen me over Nic. I must remember that.  And I will have her in a way that Nic will never have her.  I must remember that.