Thirty-nine - His woman

"Who is Tate?" A clueless Lucille asked.

"Oh. I forgot you... Tate is the man in that tape," Amir replied Lucille whose eyes glared on hearing his words.

"That very...?" she asked quietly. "Where is that bastard now?"

"Okay Lucille, deep breaths. We are following a plan here and I promise you, I want everyone involved in this nabbed as soon as possible. So, just keep calm, okay?"

"I am going to try." She sighed. "Gosh, I guess all that meditation didn't help. Look at me getting all angry again."

"If is okay to be angry Lucille." Amir faced Chloe. "We will be leaving in an hour to meet Sebastian. So, be ready then."

Chloe nodded, her eyes traveling towards the dining. Only Kate was in sight. She frowned.

"Am I coming too?"

"If you want." Chloe had to give it to Amir. He had learnt to be calm about the whole issue, it almost looked like he was not concerned. "Be ready in an hour." He repeated and walked away.

"Do you need my help?" Lucille offered.

"No. Madam Lugi might though."

"That woman still comes here?"

Chloe shook her head amusedly. "Who do you think cooks the meal we eat?"

"It's just that she is so quiet. Too quiet." She went on to lean on the closest surface. "The last time I was here, I was working with her and I noticed the knife she was holding cut her on the hand. She didn't even give a low yelp and the cut was quite deep. She is so weird."

"Are you going to help her or not?"

Lucille snorted. "I knew you would never be a good gossip partner."

"Gossips are so lame."

"Yeah, yeah. It is good to be back though." Chloe's brow went up as she looked up from the artwork she had started to clean. "Alright, I will leave."

"See you in an hour," Chloe said sending her a smile.

As she raised the duster's handle to continue what she was doing, she felt a pull on her arm and after she was being dragged gently to God knows where.

As she turned her startled face to see who the person was, she was pulled up the stairs and by his hold which had gone to her hand and the back of his head, she could tell who it was.

On getting to level ground, he walked them a little more distance before stopping in front of an empty corner.

"Come to my front," he said without taking a look at her.

"I am fine here actually." He sighed and brought her to his front himself.

Blue eyes wactched her without a word escaping into the air.

"How can I help you?" Chloe was trying so hard to not recall the face of his visitor. The very one he had been chatting with all morning.

"We never finished our talk," he said heavily.

"It was interrupted."

"That it was. "He finally let go of her hand and she immediately consoled herself by holding it herself. "We should finish our conversation."

Her lips scrunched, her eyes everywhere but on him, she said, "Actually, I think I made a mistake yesterday. I shouldn't have-"

"You can't take back those words Chloe. Especially since hearing them repeatedly in my head makes me happy."

"I don't-" She could not even retort. He was just so good at making her feel good.

"So..." He separated her joined hands and took them in his huge hands. "Don't even think of telling me off. Hmm?"

"I just-" She breathed hard as his hand went on to feel the side of her face.

"Just what?"

"I don't want to be hurt." It was then she realized how selfish the statement was. Once everything was finally over, Nathaniel will be the most hurt.

But at that stage... with what she had already decided recently, she didn't want to back out soon. It just felt so good. Being with him, thinking of him.

Maybe being selfish would not turn out to be bad after all. Maybe.

She was such an emotionally confused person. Deciding this then deciding that.

She sighed and then she realized Nathaniel had been talking and she had turned his voice to some kind of background music.

"Nathaniel?" She almost laughed as she thought of his reaction to her zoning out.

"Yeah?"

"I-"

"Oh wow. This is quite a sight."

"Kate," Nathaniel said and pulled his hand away from Chloe. Then, without haste, he had his hold around her waist and brought her close to his body heat.

"She is the maid, isn't she? And Gabriel called her a friend." The woman who was wearing a red tight fitting gown with tassels at the end raked her eyes through Chloe who found her self snuggling into Nathaniel's hold. "This is so funny."

"What is?" Nathaniel asked Kate who was wearing a shocked look.

"Nathaniel, if you are going to replace me with someone, let it at least be someone with a little... class," she said, her eyes not leaving Chloe's.

"When were we ever together that I would replace you?" He had his serious face on.

"Uh?"

"You have always been like a sister to me Kate and over the years, I have ignored how clingy you tend to be. But don't act like that now or else you won't ever see me till I die."

Kate's lips played as she tried to find a reaction.

"So, Kate respect yourself and stay in your lane. And never badmouth my woman again. If you do, you will know what I am really like angry."

Chloe felt a tickle inside at being called his woman.

"I just want what is best for you. I don't approve-"

"Since when do I need your approval? Once again, respect yourself. We have had enough talk after a long while, try to steer clear of me as long as you are here. Chloe?"

"Yes?" Chloe took no joy in seeing the woman that way, rejections could hurt. But Chloe could boldly deduce that she brought it upon herself.

"Let's go." Without letting her go, he started to walk.

"Where are we going?"

"Your room."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"I need to finish what I started yesterday," he said, looking down at her mischeviously, making her cheeks grow hot.