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I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to steady my racing heart. "Yeah, I think so," I replied, my voice coming out more composed than I felt.
He smiled wryly. "You did good out there."
I couldn't help but grin back at him, despite the gravity of the situation. "I had a pretty good teacher."
Drake chuckled, and I felt a warmth spread through me. I knew I shouldn't be feeling this way, not when my life was in danger, but there was something about his calm, confident demeanor that was hard to resist.
"So what do we do now?" I asked, breaking the moment.
"We need to head back to the house," he replied, reaching for his coat. "We've got some planning to do."
Drake
Tonight had been close. Much too close for comfort. We needed a moment to catch our breath, to regroup, and to figure out our next move. I never thought I'd become the kind of guy who drew baths, but Daphne had a rough night and needed to relax.
Or you like her.
As I ran the hot water and bubbles, I smiled to myself. For a moment, all the danger had been forgotten. I was just happy to be able to provide Daphne the simple luxury of taking a bath.
With a shy smile, she dropped her clothes and threw a robe on, and all my worries came back. I was a man with no nation and no friends, and that could have gotten her killed tonight.
I watched her from across the room as she closed her eyes in relief. She looked so peaceful, and for a brief moment, I wanted everything this interlude promised. The quiet, the peace, the intimacy. In our own secret hideaway with no one else around.
Except this isn’t a hideaway. She’s here because you lied, used her desperation, and kidnapped her.
Reality came crashing back in, reminding me that we couldn't stay here forever. We still had to figure out what to do with all the information we had gathered.
I poured some of her favorite bath salts into the water, and the lavender scent quickly filled the room. I dimmed the lights and lit a few candles, creating a soft, romantic glow. I had to admit, I was pretty good at this pampering thing.
I walked over to Daphne, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, deep in thought. "Hey, beautiful," I said, trying to keep things light. "I've prepared a little surprise for you." I extended my hand, and she took it without hesitation.
She looked genuinely surprised as she stepped into the bathroom. "Drake, this is amazing," she said, her eyes shining. "Thank you."
I grinned. "You’ve had a long night. I figured you could stand to relax. The driving probably made you tense." We undressed and stepped into the bath together, the warm water soothing our tired bodies. As we settled in, I could see the tension in her shoulders start to fade.
We sat there in comfortable silence for a while, letting the steamy water work its magic. But eventually, I knew we had to talk about the elephant in the room. "Daphne, I've been thinking," I began, hesitating for a moment. "I'm going to turn all the information we have over to the Rogues."
She looked at me, her brow furrowing. "You're serious?"
I nodded. "I started this with my own agenda, but now all I want is you safe. Tonight, you were almost taken, and I can't risk that happening again."
Daphne reached for my hand, her fingers lacing with mine. "And what about you?" she asked softly. "I want you safe too, you know."
I couldn't help but smile at her concern. "Don't worry about me, kitten. I've got a knack for getting out of tight spots."
She raised an eyebrow, and her voice took on a teasing tone. "Oh, really?”
I snorted. "Okay, so maybe I've had a few close calls. But hey, I'm still here, aren't I?"
She laughed and splashed water at me playfully. "True. But seriously, Drake, we're in this together. I don't want you taking unnecessary risks for me."
I sighed, knowing she had a point. "I know, Daphne. But I can't help it. I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone."
She leaned in, pressing her lips to mine in a tender kiss. "I care about you too, Drake. We'll figure this out together."
As we kissed, I could feel the weight of the world lifting from my shoulders. With Daphne by my side, there wasn't anything we couldn't handle. We had each other's backs, and that was all that mattered.
We spent about an hour in the bath, letting the warm water envelop us as we talked, laughed, and shared stories of our pasts. It was the first time in a long time that we'd allowed ourselves a moment of respite from the dangerous world we'd been navigating.
