Free Web NovelChapter 37: Chapter 37
"Do you really wish to stand here and wait for him?" Theo asked Hera. "It will be a long time before he comes out, and I suggest that you go home."
Hera sighed. She knew coming out with Niko was a bad idea. "He brought me here; I have no carriage to go home."
"I can send you home, if you’d like," he said.
"I don’t know if that’s a good idea, my lord."
"It isn’t an issue for me, princess," he said. "No need to be polite."
She sighed. "Then I must trouble you for your help."
He smiled. "Please, after you."
They walked silently back towards the exit. The air hung thick between them as they could sense the other beside them.
Theo asked for his carriage to be brought around.
"Hera!" Someone called as she was about to enter the carriage.
She turned back around and saw Niko stalking towards them.
"I leave you alone for five minutes, and you’re already following another man?" His voice was loud.
"I would advise that you lower your voice, Nikolas Aetos," Theo said, dangerously low, "or I will help you."
Niko glared at Theo but stayed silent.
Hera scoffed. "You leave me in a place I am uncomfortable in and expect me to wait till you finish gallivanting? Is that what you wished I would do?"
Niko softened his eyes and took Hera’s hand in his. "I’m sorry, I was simply swept up in the moment. We were celebrating back there."
She tried to forcefully remove her hands, but he held them tightly.
"I’m sorry." Niko pleaded. "Please let me take you home."
Theo looked at Hera. "Do you wish for me to leave, princess?"
Her head fell slightly, then she looked at him with a tight smile. "I’m sorry, my lord."
Theo smiled. "Let us meet some other time." Then he left.
Niko asked for his carriage to be brought around, and they headed back to the palace.
Hera was quiet throughout the ride. She was fairly certain that a number of people saw the altercation outside the Colosseum. Now she would be tied more and more to Niko.
"What’s wrong?" Niko asked her.
"Nothing," she replied curtly. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
"Look, I’m sorry for what happened back there. I know I behaved irrationally, but I did not like the fact that you were entering someone else’s carriage."
"Is that supposed to be the issue?" Hera scoffed. "You left me in the dark to be with your friends. I had no idea where we were because I had never been there before, and a prison with rough necks was right around the corner. Don’t you understand how scared I was?"
"I understand that Hera, and I’m sorry. But you should have at least tried to wait for me." He said. "I would never have left you if I didn’t think it was safe."
Hera scoffed. "You better be joking."
"I’m sorry ok?" He pleaded. "Can we just put this behind us?"
Hera leaned against the carriage and watched the buildings that passed.
"Let me make it up to you?"
Hera remained quiet.
"Please, Hera, let me fix this."
"How do you intend to do that?"
"We should go back to my place first."
They made the detour to his house, passing the palace on their way.
When they reached, Niko guided her in and sat her in the courtyard. Then he went straight to the kitchen and began making a meal.
Hera heard the commotion and went to look. He was cutting up some onions and a few other ingredients for the meal he was preparing. She watched the beads of sweat fall from his face and travel down his chest. Every movement his arms made when he tried to cut something new.
Niko chuckled. "How long do you intend to stare at me?"
"I... I... I wasn’t staring," she stuttered. "I only came to check why there was so much noise out here."
"Well, this is the reason," he replied.
"Where did you learn how to cook from?"
"I always used to stay in the kitchen with my nanny when I was little. She taught me how to cook."
"That’s amazing," Hera said. "My parents would rather die than see me go anywhere near the kitchen. They were extremely overprotective in areas that made no sense to me.
I could ride horses with my friends around the town or swim in deep waters, but I couldn’t touch a weapon or go near the kitchen because they didn’t want me near a fire. It was really bizarre."
Niko laughed. "I wouldn’t call their fears bizarre. They’re quite literally real fears," he said. "Have you ever seen anyone burnt alive? Or stabbed and cut with a sword? It’s an ugly sight ."
"If it was so ugly, why did they let Astrid learn those things?"
"You mean your sister?"
"Yes."
"Well, everyone has their strengths. She wouldn’t be able to handle what you can, and neither would you with hers."
"Maybe," Hera said, "but I would have loved to have been able to decide that myself."
Niko walked towards her and looked into her eyes deeply. "You’re in the future now, Hera. Make good on it."
Hera studied his face. Her eyes trailed down his nose and lingered on his lips.
Niko took her face in his hand and kissed her, hungrily. His other hand was roaming down her body, finding her breast and cupping it in his hand.
"I’ve dreamt of this day for so long," Niko said, coming up for air.
Hera shuddered in his arms, her mind racing.
He kissed her again, this time parting her legs with his and rubbing against her slowly. His hands began to pull her dress upwards, until he found her ready for him. His fingers were soaked in her warmth. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Hera tore her lips away. His voice was raspy with need. "Niko, wait," she said.
He pushed his finger upward, and she cried out in pain.
"I said wait!" She shouted. This time, pushing him away.
"Hera..."
"I would like to leave, now."
