For You? Anything
1131 Words
Max glanced between me and Eros, his brow furrowing. "I had plans to make, but you can understand my hesitation leaving her in your care, Adrian. You are the one that delivered her to me, and yet you've changed your mind."
Eros adjusted his glasses and gave a mild smile to the other man. "I understand your concern, however, I do believe it would be Coral who makes any ultimate decisions, and I just heard her agree to marry you. So despite my interest, it looks like she has already chosen."
Max's guard relaxed. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed with a hint of a smile. "Very well. I'm trusting you, Adrian."
A soft cough outside the door interrupted us. "Master."
I tensed and leaned past Adrian to see Quix scowling at me. His eyes were as cold as ever and I dropped my chin to my chest. Eros's hand rubbed a soothing path against my back, though he was careful to keep the motion out of Quix's and Max's sight.
"Ah, Oliver. I was going to need to talk to you." Max greeted his butler with a bright smile. "Listen, we have got the quest to go on, and I'm going to need your help every step of the way. There's no way I can do this without you."
Quix's eyes locked onto me, burning as if he could see right through me and see Eros's gentle touch. "A quest you say? Would it happen to involve your little purchase?" he sneered.
"Oli," Max warned with an exasperated sigh and glare. "That's enough. I've already told you, I won't allow to you to say anything negative to Coral."
Quix jerked his head in a nod though his eyes still burned. "As you wish, Master."
"Please, none of that." He nodded to me and Eros. "I'll have a talk with Oli about all the particulars. You two get ready."
Eros stared. "Me?" he blurted.
Max chuckled. "Yes, you. I hate to admit it, but no one knows more about all of that," he nodded to the map, " than you. I'll do anything to make this little adventure of ours successful."
"As you wish," Eros agreed. His light touch continued to tease me and I was certain that with every second his teasing would be discovered.
Max turned his attention to me and smiled. "I'll be back soon, Coral. Your time is almost up. I'll leave it up to Adrian to get you back to your pool." He focused on Eros. "Adrian, I'm counting on you."
Quix scowled. "They'll be fine, Master. If you're set on this, then there's a number of things we need to prepare. I need complete details so I can set everything up."
Max shook his head but with one final smile my way, he followed Quix out of the hallway and they closed the doors behind them.
I whirled on Eros and glared up at him as he gave me a perfectly innocent smile. "What was that about?" I hissed.
"What? I haven't got to touch you in years, Holly. You can't blame me for being unable to stay away. Even your scent calls out to me. I don't know how Adrian felt about you, and I don't care. This is my life now, and I'm going to spend it being with you."
A better person would have pointed out that what he proposed was wrong and it wasn't fair he was taking the life of someone else away.
But I couldn't do it.
His light touch on my back had done nothing but tease me. A mere reminder of who we had been before. "I told you I'd find you again, and this time, we can be together." his fingertips smoothed over my cheek and he nuzzled against my neck, leaving soft kisses in his wake. "I found Quix for you, didn't I?"
I couldn't stop the bubbling laughter escaping me, and leaned against him until he held me against his chest again. "You did," I whispered. "Eros, I still don't understand everything, but if this journey can get everyone's memories back, I'll do it."
Eros glanced down at me. His usual smile was gone and he stared seriously down. "You know, Holly, you have the men you love back, do you really need their memories as well?" he motioned toward the map. "I've got a bad feeling that all of that isn't going to be the easy out we're hoping so desperately for."
"Nothing has ever been easy for us, and a new life isn't going to change all that." Eros chuckled. "But no matter what, we'll make it through, if its really what you want, you know I'll always help you. Just, think carefully. You got everyone back, are the memories more important than their lives?"
I winced. "You think it'll be that dangerous?"
Eros looked back toward the wall as if he could stare through the map. "Adrian has a very rich mind, and he's done extensive research on a number of things. He doesn't know much about the island besides the legend, but what he does know is that there's a reason it's just a legend and not something verified. Thousands have walked this path, but of those that actually came back at journey's end? Less than a handful at best. We could all die, Holly."
My heart clenched. I had my doubts, but hearing him say it made all the more real. "I understand," I whispered. He was right, even if he wasn't spelling it out. I was being selfish by wanting to go on this adventure. For the chance of getting memories back, I was willing to risk mine and everyone's lives.
I had no right to this.
Eros took my hands in his and gently kissed my forehead. "Forget it," he whispered. "I'd walk into hell for you, Holly. If this is what you want, nothing is going to stop me from doing it. Sure it's dangerous, but I'll gladly give my life for you time and time again, because you are the reason my heart beats. The only life that's important to me is yours. It's okay to be greedy, we'll go do this quest, and we'll get them all back. Every single one. I'll be with you for every life until you're mortal again, just like I promised."
I frowned but hid it from him. Wait. What was he talking about? I remembered a lot of promises he'd made to me, but something like that? It didn't feel real. Maybe he had gotten confused and blurted a promise he meant to tell me now? Because I didn't have the best of memories, but there was no doubt he had never told me that in my previous life.
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