Hold Me


    “Wee back home, Miss Natalia. Greetings, Master Zak,” Reiner said professionally before he


    offered us a bow.


    “Take care of Natalia,” Zak said briskly before he ced his warm hand on the top of my head.


    Before I could say anything, Zak turned to leave and soon I was alone with Reiner in the doorway.


    “You shoulde inside. Frankly, you look half dead at best,” Reinermented as he pulled me by


    the arm inside the mansion after him.


    …


    I don’t know how many times this scene has taken ce before, but I was sure that it has happened


    oftentely, I thought as I nced over at Reiner who was sitting on the side of my bathtub. Reiner had


    prepared a warm bath for me, and he had decided to keep mepany while I soak in the warm water.


    I felt so tired, but the peaceful silence was helping heal my disturbed mind.


    “Natalia, is everything ok?” Reiner spoke up softly. His voice full of worry and concern for me.


    “Yea,” I replied emotionlessly as I closed my eyes.


    “Sorry, wrong question. You can let me know if something is troubling you, I may not be able to help,


    but I’m willing to listen,” Reiner kindly offered.


    “Thank you,” I replied as I offered him the best smile I could muster up at that moment.


    Without the will to carry on the conversation Reiner had put in the effort to start, wepsed back again


    into silence. Once more I closed my eyes as my mind wandered around touching various thoughts on


    its own.


    I think I must have dozed off in the bathtub because the next thing I knew, I was being scooped up into


    Reiner’s strong arms. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around his neck as I leaned my face against his


    strong chest. Feeling his familiar warmth and scent filled me with positive energy and a sense of peace.


    “You should not sleep here for too long, I’ll take you to bed so you can sleep properly,” Reiner coax


    softly and sweetly into my ear before he carried me all the way to my bed.


    I felt the softness of the bed against my naked back when Reiner carefully ced me onto the bed. I


    offered him a weak smile as thanks and was rewarded with his warm smile. Having Reiner here with


    me was much better than being all alone, especially in times like these.


    “It’s ok, R. I’ll sleep naked…” I told him softly when I figured that he was going to grab my clothes to


    dress me for bed. I honestly didn’t have the physical or mental strength to deal with that task right now.


    “Alright,” Reiner readily agreed. I guess he could sense my exhaustion.


    “Thank you…R…” I whispered as I felt my eyelids grow even heavier and I closed my eyes once more.


    “Good night, Natalia,” Reiner said before cing a tender kiss on my forehead.


    …


    When I woke up it was still dark. ncing at the clock showed that it was early in the morning a little


    before the break of dawn. Unsurprisingly, Reiner had fallen sleep in his seat next to my bed while


    holding my hand. I smiled a little at the sight of his handsome sleeping face that I could make out in the


    dim light.


    It didn’t surprise me anymore that he would be by my side, and I had to make sure that I appreciated


    his care for me every time. I refused to take his kindness for granted. I must have stirred around too


    much when I woke because in the next instant, Reiner was already fully awake and alert.


    “Morning, Natalia,” Reiner greeted me with a smile as his long fingers caressed the back of the hand


    that he held in his.


    “Good morning, R,” I replied, offering him a sweet smile as I squeezed hisrge hand back.


    Reiner got up from his seat enough to switch on themp on my bedside to give us more light to see


    each other.


    “You look better than when you got home yesterday,” Reinerment with relief in his voice.


    “It was a rough…couple of days…” I confessed with a huge sigh. I didn’t know I had been holding in a


    sigh that massive.


    “I won’t push you if you don’t want to talk about it. Just rest, ok?” Reiner said as he kissed the back of


    my hand and then my fingertips. I found this gesture of affection so touching.


    “Hold me…” I pleaded softly as I looked directly at his handsome face.


    “Now?” Reiner asked a little taken aback.


    “Yes. Hold me, R. I have some things that I want to tell you…” I said sweetly as I pulled lightly on his


    hand.


    Reiner got into bed with me and positioned me so that I was sitting in between his legs with my back to


    him. I loved this position because I could feel his warmth and I could lean my head back on his broad


    chest. His arms hugged around me loosely and I could hear the steady sound of his heartbeat.


    “Don’t push yourself,” Reiner said warmly as he kissed my temple.


    I had so many bombs in my arsenal that I wasn’t sure which one I wanted to drop first. Maybe I should


    just do it in chronological order?


    “Edward proposed to me. I mean, he’s done it once before as well, but I think this time he’s very


    serious…” I told Reiner, a little surprised at how steady my voice sounded.


    “I see…and?” Reiner replied with no hint of surprise. His long fingers toying with strains of my hair as


    he listened to me intently.


    “Lucien…also proposed to me. The night of his wedding. Honestly, I don’t know what to make of it,” I


    said without bothering to hide the frustration in my voice.


    “Do you want to marry him?” Reiner asked after a slight pause.


    “…I’m not sure…” I replied honestly.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Marry Lucien seemed like aplicated business, and I wasn’t sure if that was what I wanted even


    though, I thought that it had been my dream all along. Now that the opportunity was staring me in the


    face, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to marry him. Worst, I couldn’t imagine what marrying him would be


    like.


    “Hmm…and?” Reiner continued with his prompting. I guess he knew there was more because I did


    return home with Zak despite leaving from the wedding venue with Lucien. I sighed.


    “Zak…told me that he has decided to marry Annie,” I said in a deted voice.


    Arranged marriages for the Rosenhalls wasmon or even mandatory. However, I couldn’t imagine it


    ying out well for Zak or for Annie. Then again if both of them consented to it who was I to intervene?


    By this time, I should know better than anyone that people can get married for many other reasons


    besides love.


    “It’s unfortunate but I’m sure you and everyone else saw thating,” Reiner replied tly. It was true.


    We all saw iting.


    --To be continued…