"Where is she?" Ian mind-linked Murray to ask as soon as he stepped out of the receiving room.
"In the parlour, Your Highness." Ca the answer. It wasn’t surprising for Ian though, as Shelby had been spending a lot of ti in there. Drawing gave her relief, and Shelby had been turning to that a lot.
"Is she alone?"
"No, Sir!"
"Make sure that she is by the ti I get there."
Ian cut off the connection without waiting for an acknowledgent and hurried off to her. By the ti he pushed open the door, he saw Shelby with her brother, deep in a conversation.
He did not even bother looking towards Murray. The ti was indeed short to get the kids out of there, but Ian expected nothing less of Murray.
Ian cleared his throat and called out, "Elvin?"
Both she and Rocky turned to look at the giant-like man who filled up the doorway.
"I’ll leave you to it," Rocky quickly said and then exited the room without sparing a glance at Ian. Ian seed to be doing the right things on the surface, but anyone with a keen eye could understand that he still had so strings tying him to Aliya, and that is why he let most things go.
For a man, who absolutely wants his wife, he should be able to put a firm foot down on certain things. Despite this, most people would also understand that he was in a slightly difficult situation.
Ian could not just drive Aliya out ... and this was mostly because of the children. However, leaving Aliya as she was would beco a ticking ti bomb for his marriage. This was also rather obvious for all as well.
Rocky only thought of his sister’s best interest but at the sa ti, he did not wish himself to ever be in that situation!
Ian briefly glanced at Rocky’s retreating back and then turned his full attention to his wife.
The parlour was bathed in a warm, golden glow from the outside and through the wide glass windows and door that led to the patio, but the atmosphere was anything but serene, and Ian did not notice anything else but his wife.
She sat on the plush sofa, her posture regal yet distant, her fingers nervously smoothing the folds of her dress, a gesture he had co to associate with her nervousness, especially when she was trying to hide it.
Shelby’s gaze lingered on a fluffy animal skin carpet that was in front of the sofa on which she sat. It was as if it was the most interesting thing in the room, as though afraid to et the intensity of Ian, who then stood a few steps away, his towering presence like a storm ready to break.
Ian stopped a few feet from her, his chest tightening at the sight of her.
’Gosh! She is a true beauty!’ His Elfin’s beauty, her grace—it never failed to pull him in. But on this day, the air between them was heavy, and his feelings churned like a restless sea. He knew that he had caused it.
Ian opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated. How could he explain the confusion in his heart? Aliya’s arrival had cast a shadow over his certainty, yet his love for her shone through, unshaken, a guiding star in his turmoil. He knew that they would never be severed, but ....
Shelby finally looked up, her eyes searching his, her expression unreadable. He saw the flicker of doubt there, the shadow of questions she didn’t dare voice. She had obviously still blocked him from her mind, so Ian had to resort to reading her face to understand her mood. His throat tightened.
’Say sothing! —anything— you need to bridge this widening chasm between you two!’ Ian found himself blanking out. The man who could destroy a whole business with a few words, could not find the appropriate words for this.
"I..." Ian faltered, running a hand through his long hair. "I don’t know how to put this into words."
Many people knew that Ian was the most powerful but there was a doubt that anyone knew his wife had this hold over him.
Shelby decided to wait it out for him to complete his statent. Her brow arched slightly, but she said nothing, waiting. Her silence was a challenge, and her stillness was unnerving for him.
Ian finally closed the gap between them, his voice softer,
"My Elfin, you must know—you an everything to ."
Ian stretched out his hand towards Shelby’s face but dropped it.
"Whatever’s happening, whatever questions you have, I need you to believe that... I’m yours. Completely. Always."
For a mont, Shelby just examined his features. Ian lowered himself to share the seat that she was on so that Shelby did not have to stretch her neck to see him. Even so, Shelby still had to angle her head up to see him.
Her breath hitched, and she looked away from him as if his words were too much to bear.
’It’s going to take more than this, Ian,’ Shelby wanted to say, but she never got the words out. It was not like she could not, but Shelby did not feel the need to do that.
Even with this, Ian sohow deduced it. This was after he saw the way her shoulders trembled ever so slightly, and how she gritted her teeth to prevent herself from giving anything away. It was also from the way her fingers clenched the fabric of her dress.
"I know things might feel... complicated right now...." Ian continued, his tone desperate but earnest. "But there’s no confusion in my heart."
Ian did not know what was going through his mind and heart. Of course, there was a tiny part of him that seed to be influenced by what was going on around them. And another part that he had carefully placed hidden.
Ian knew that everything he was doing or not doing was for the betternt of his family. He did not know what the future held but one thing was for sure. His love for his Elfin was genuine and undying.
Even in all this, he knew for a fact that there was no going back with his Elfin.
"You are my choice, my beginning, my end. Nothing else matters."
Shelby’s heart did a small sumrsault. Her lips parted, but no words ca. Her emotions were a delicate mix of longing and skepticism, hope warring with caution. Ian studied her for a while and then dropped to his knees in front of her, his hands gently covering hers. "Please," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Say sothing. Tell you feel the sa... I am sorry that I am burdening you with all this... but"
Ian took Shelby’s hand and intertwined their fingers.
Their rings pulsed brightly from this, brightening up the room even further.
"Rember this?" Ian whispered and kissed their hands, placing it on his chest. However, he was referring to the white glowing rings on their ring fingers.
"I heard you back there. In that room." Ian said in reference to Shelby’s outburst barely monts earlier in the receiving room. I know that I have no right to say anything because I went back on my promise.
I promised not to let anyone co between us. I’m sorry about everything. Rember, I chose you! I an, even I, have no say here, Elfin. You were bestowed on by the heavens. We are bound for life and even beyond that. This oath is ours... is set in stone, and it’s not sothing that can be undone...."
"You a-n," Shelby finally spoke,
"You an that you are with because of the oath? That blood oath?"
"No! Never! My Elfin... it’ll never be like that. I, Ian Thornston, love you from the bottom of my heart, Blood oath or not. I just want you to know that the oath cents the deal...."
He looked deep into Shelby’s eyes, trying to find anything ....
"... and I want you... No, I need you to understand that no matter what happens, it will always be you! Trust on that!"
The two continued staring at themselves. Shelby could feel his heart’s steady thumping as her hand still rested on his chest.
Ian also left his mind and emotion path open so she could feel his strong sentints as well as that little confusion that kept bugging him.
"Tell that you still want ," Ian whispered and leaned closer to Shelby. He asked that because Ian could sense a small withdrawal from Shelby.
She t his gaze again, and this ti, the floodgates of emotion behind her eyes were unmistakable. Shelby could not hold them back. Despite this, the answer to his plea hung in the air, unspoken, as the mont stretched between them like the fragile thread of a spider’s web—easily broken, yet incredibly strong.
Ian leaned even closer and nuzzled her neck, his beard scratching her tender neck.
"Please?"
Shelby’s mind was in turmoil. She kept thinking back to when Ian had been in seclusion. The ’what if’s’ started piling in her head, making her frown.
’Let’s take each day as it cos.’ Shelby thought as she listened to Ian’s plea. She saw how Ian looked worried. His heart was in his throat and he did not bother to hide anything form her at this ti.
Shelby also knew that there was a tiny part of him that was still in a dilemma of a sort. She did not know what that was about, but in that mont, Shelby decided to go with the flow. She had the upper hand and if she let go, another person was ready and more than willing to step into her shoes!
Suddenly, Shelby tilted her down to et Ian. Their eyes briefly t, and then their lips collided in a kiss that stole their breath and crackled with energy. It was deep, consuming and sent shivers down their nerve endings! It was simply mind-blowing!
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