Chapter 3
Ales
I couldn’t believe she called me Achilles. Everything seemed to go by in a blur after that. I let go of the idiot that seemed to not get the idea that Elani was mine. I ran to her and, without thinking, I scooped her up in my arms. I turned to walk away and Jace was there blocking the way.
“Where do you think you’re taking her?”
I didn’t have time to smack him like the little boy he was acting like, so I kicked him right in the damn torso. I knew precisely what it would do as he dropped to his knees clutching his midsection.
“Next time, you won’t be so lucky. Keep your filthy hands off her,” I growled as I walked past him and toward the door.
I didn’t bother going to the table to tell Patro I was leaving. I kept moving until I was outside. I knew he would see me; it was as if he had eyes everywhere. I heard his heavy footsteps as he came up behind me.
“What happened?”
I turned to face him and the serious look on my face wiped off his smile. His smile was now replaced with a forlorn expression as he looked at Elani in my arms.
“Is she okay? What’s wrong, Achilles?” I knew he was worried the moment he called me by my former name.
I sighed. “She’s fine. If anything, I believe she’s getting her memory back.”
Patro had a bewildered look on his face. “What do you mean? She remembers it all?”
I shook my head and looked away, not wanting him to see the yearning in my eyes for Elani to remember me.
“She called me Achilles. Other than that, I have no idea. Call me a car.”
“Got you. You need anything, boss?” he asked me as he pulled out his cell and typed a message to our driver instead of calling.
“No, I’m good. I’ll take her to my place. Call me when you get information on our mission.”
He nodded sharply as the driver came around in a black Lincoln SUV.
Patro walked in front of me and opened the back door to the SUV. I nodded at him and got in. I looked down at Elani as I settled in the car, but she didn’t wake up. Instead, she nestled into my arms. I groaned and threw my head back.
Patro chuckled and shut the door.
I looked down at Elani, remembering how much I loved looking at her when the sun was rising on her incredible face before I went out to train. I couldn’t look away from her face, even now, as she peacefully rested in my arms. If I had the choice to have her remember, I would want her to. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
***
The sun came in and shined on her face as I had my elbow propped up. I watched as she stirred and moved closer into my body to avoid the bright sun. Her nipples grazed my chest, and I groaned. It took only a few seconds for me to stand to full attention. Damn… I wanted her, even though I knew she hadn’t slept much. I was leaving soon, and I wanted to spend as much time in between her thighs as I could. I gently opened her legs and buried my nose in the crook of her neck. She smelled like wild flowers. As my lips connected to her skin, she moaned.
“I’m sorry, love,” I said as I lifted her leg and slid inside of her. I hissed as I slid in so easily. ‘So slippery’ was all that came to mind. I began to move in and out of her. She gasped, indicating she was awake now.
“My liege,” she called out to me, making me harder than I was before.
“Gods!” I proclaimed as my movements became quicker, more efficient causing her to grow louder.
I didn’t know when I fell for her, but I had, and there we were. Me losing myself inside of her, while she marked me as hers with her fingernails.
Her body was indicating she was ready for her release. Her tell was the way she wrapped her arms around me and whimpered. I loved that little sound, a sound I would never forget, even in death. I immediately slowed, and came to a stop, halting all movement right before her release.
“Why?” she asked frustrated.
I chuckled and looked into her eyes. We looked at each other with longing before I leaned in taking her lips captive. She constricted around my member causing it to twitch. I reluctantly stopped kissing her and laid my forehead on hers.
“You’ll be the death of me, love.”
She smiled and shook her head.
“I would never let anyone near you. I’ll protect you,” she replied with such innocence.
I threw my head back and laughed hard.
“You’ll protect the great warrior Achilles? A small, little thing like you?” I teased her.
She tightened her arms around my neck and kissed me senseless. She pulled my bottom lip into her mouth and sucked so hard that I moaned. She finally pulled away and smiled sweet but defiant.
“I’ll never leave your side.”
I smirked and continued our lovemaking.
“So, you promise to always protect me, Alana?” I asked.
She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and nodded. “Yes, my liege.”
“Then, it’s decided. You’ll train with me.”
“Hmm?” Her voice raised an octave as I quickened and hardened my movement, ripping her release from her, before she could question my demand again. She cried out her release as she dug deep into my back, breaking skin, triggering me to release inside her, filling her with the evidence of our love.
“I love you, Achilles,” she cooed.
“I love you even more than that…Now let’s get to training.”
***
I trained Alana for months before I finally saw progress.
She made an, ‘oomph’ sound when she hit the ground on her butt. I kept my face neutral as she looked up at me. She eyed me with such anger in her eyes I almost gave in and laughed, but I had to be the same as if I was training my men.
“Do you have to beat me every time?” she asked.
“I do it because I love you.”
“If you loved me… you would let me beat you,” she retorted.
“If I let you beat me that means I’ve taught you nothing, and I must teach you, love, I must.”
She must’ve noticed the weariness in my voice. She stood up and looked up at me with worry placed all over her face.
“What is it Achilles?”
I looked away from her and went to put our weapons back. I needed a moment to collect my thoughts and what I was feeling. For the first time, I didn’t want to leave her, not even for the war.
I am Achilles, a great warrior, and it is my duty to fight for my people, but she is my heart, and something keeps pulling me to not leave her.
I abruptly turned around, and she stumbled back at how fast I spun on my heel. I reached out, placing my hand on the nape of her neck. I stared into her eyes for what seemed like forever. She placed her small hand on top of mine. As she opened her mouth to talk, I beat her to it.
“Promise me something?”
“What? Anything?”
“When I leave, go to your village and don’t come back, until you hear word from me.”
She was weary and took a moment to answer.
“Promise me, Alana!” I said harshly.
She shut her eyes and shuddered.
“I promise, my liege.”
“Tonight, we attend the feast and say nothing to no one, am I understood?”
She nodded her head in agreement.
“I need you to say it out loud for me. I need to be reassured.”
“I assure you. No one will ever know.”
I pulled her in for a kiss with a dreadful feeling something would go wrong this time.