Fifty-two

It is early dawn, right before the sun crests the horizon. We haven't slept a wink all night, the craving to spend every waking moment with each other won this time around, like it had every time we had a moment to ourselves.

We stumbled into the bathroom, so caught up in each other, trying to take a bath and wash ourselves properly several times. We only succeeded the fifth time around, and only because Mason worried that there is a good chance we might die of dehydration if we kept at it.

Drained of energy, bodies loose from the intense sessions of love making, we finally succeeded in climbing into the luxurious slipper bathtub placed near a semiarched stained glass window.

The bathroom itself is nothing noteworthy, but the stained glass bathtub, vanity and toilet fully compensate for the darkness of the walls and floors.

Cocooned in his arms, holding me tightly against his body, I absently trace the corded muscles of his arm. Sometimes, I still find myself entranced by this version of him, the unpolished one. The one that only those close to him get to see. I get to see Mason for who he is, a high-value man with a heart of gold for his friends and family, and a man to be feared for his enemies.

" I'm scared," I admit quietly, a hum vibrates against my back, as the hand resting on the edge of the tub slips down, and settles on my stomach.

" I'm terrified," He admits in turn and smirks when I look up at him.

" It's not a competition, Mason," I playfully chide, his smile slowly falls, turning serious.

" I know," His eyes search mine for clues. I don't know what he is looking for, " We will deal with everything one day at a time, Lily," The use of my name gives me pause for a brief second, " There is no wrong answer. Only the wrong question," He provides enigmatically. To some degree, I know he is right. If you don't ask the right questions, then you'll never get the right answers.

" I'm terrified, that one day you'll realise that you are far too young to be married, I'm far too old for you. That scares me the most. Not Micah, and his acolytes. Not the mayor and the prospect of being strapped to his daughter in a loveless marriage for only God know how long. The thought of losing you, of losing what we have, scares me shitless.

I can deal with everything else but that," The pinch in his brow, and the downturn of his mouth are all indicators that he is telling the truth. His gaze never strayed from mine, unblinking.

Despite the severity of the conversation, a small smile blooms on my lips. He is being silly. I already know that his fears won't come to fruition. We are more than just an ordinary couple, we are partners in crime. And somehow, I pride myself on being different from everyone else. Normal is boring, anyway.

" You're right," I smirk, at him and watch as his furrow deepens even further while I struggle to keep my face as straight as possible, knowing that he will catch my lie the moment my nose twitches, even in the slightest.

" Who knows, I might grow bored of your flaccid cock, and find someone more virile," Thankfully I manage to push that sentence without a hitch, and succeed in angering him at the same time.

" Never, and I mean never," He emphasises every word as he speaks, " Use the term flaccid and cock in the same sentence when you are referring to my genitals," He glares at me playfully and pinches my belly. I burst out laughing, he tries to hold back but eventually, he begins laughing too.

" I can't believe you said that," He mutters under his breath, splashing some water on my face, " The audacity, " He grumbles, I chuckle again, and he pinches my belly again, only a bit harder this time.

I squeal and bat his hand away, wrapping it around my waist as I turn around to kiss his lips. He evades my lips, pretending to be upset about my brazenness. I kiss him on the cheek instead, watching his lips purse into a pout, like a petulant child. I thought he was supposed to be the adult in this relationship.

" You know, I love you," I breathe against his cheek, watching as his eyes roam around the room, unfocused," I would never fall out of love with you. Trust me I've tried," His body stiffens beneath me, as he slowly turns to look at me. All traces of annoyance long gone, replaced by concern.

" In the beginning, " I swallow the lump in my throat trying to put some order to my thoughts and the memories resurfacing from a time that now feels like a lifetime ago. A life that wasn't mine. He stays silent, waiting for me to continue.

" I questioned my feelings for you, a lot" Questioned is not enough of a strong word to comprise, how confused I was about the sudden development. At how fast my infatuation for Mason grew, sprouted wings and slipped out of my grasp, along with any common sense, and morality.

He eyes me carefully, taking my silence for what it is, a moment where I try to find the right way to say my peace.

" At first I was just infatuated with you. Puppy love, I believe they call it. I hoped it would go away, especially when you started to bring women home, " His gaze softens, and I've never thought his icy blue eyes could regard me with such warmth, and understanding, " It didn't. Despite all of that, my attachment to you only grew stronger. You'd think that alone would have sufficed to have any feelings I've developed for you wither away and die," A lazy smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and he bites his bottom lip to keep it from growing, " I think, you have nothing to worry about, Mase," He kisses the tip of my nose at the pet name and chuckles.

" I like it. I was wondering when you'd give me a pet name," He smugly smiles down on me, as his hands glide over my forearms. The water has gone cold now.

" You've always had a pet name," I mirror his smug grin, " Bastard, and prick were one of my favourites. Also, philanderer was among the top three," He laughs, raspy and deep, I can't help but watch him, the ease that we now share is much more fulfilling than anything I've accomplished along the way.

He shakes his head, silently chuckling, settling his hand on the side of my neck, his thumb dusting over my bottom lip.

With his gaze fixed on mine, any trace of amusement slowly leeches away, " I trust you, Lily. Don't break it. You have my heart in the palm of your hand, be gentle. And I'll do the same with yours. You have my word, and I'll do anything in my power to make you happy and stand by your side through every hardship, and celebrate every victory along with you," He sucks a deep breath, " That being said, I don't want to jeopardise your future. And if you think that making our commitment to each other official would put that at risk. I'll wait for as long as it takes. You're mine, and I'm yours in body and spirit, and no one else's," He tenderly presses a kiss on my lips. It is gentle and reverent. Unlike anything I've experienced before, it gives me confidence that we might make it after all.