“Yes, you’ve let me down. You promised me you would protect yourself, but it seems like you keep running into danger wherever you go. I’ve even thought about how I won’t have a reason to live anymore if you die.”
Christopher stared deeply at me. There was a flicker of pain in his eyes, mixed with a shred of overwhelming anxiety and fear.
I could tell that he was really afraid. Otherwise, how could a man as tough as he was—a man who would not even blink in the face of a gunshot—bear such a panicked expression on his face?
“Don’t say that!” I covered his mouth. “If it helps, I promise, the next time I sense danger, I’m going to avoid it like the plague. I won’t go charging in again, guns blazing.”
“You mean there’s going to be a ‘next time’?” Christopher raised an eyebrow.
“No! Absolutely not! This is the last one.” I quickly waved my hands to show that I had learned my mistake. In my mind, I used to think Christopher got mad because he saw Lyle and I in each other’s arms. He might have thought we still kept in touch. Hence, his disappointment turned into rage.
I had never once considered that he was furious because I did not know how to protect myself.
How am I worthy of this man’s attention?
“The next time you see me angry, you should come forward to coax me, comfort me. Don’t get all tensed up and go off the deep end on your own. If you see me on the streets, you should stop me. Treat me to a meal or grab me a cup of coffee as an apology. Don’t act like you don’t know me.” Christopher began to list out my faults one by one.
Not to be outdone, I snapped back, “Well, next time you see me in a bad mood, you are not to ignore me. Talk to me if you have any issues. It’s not like you don’t know I can be as stubborn as a mule. The more you rage, the more persistent I get. Can’t we just talk things out?”
“Are you reasoning with me?” Christopher brushed my nose with the tip of his finger lightly.
In the end, both of us promised that whatever happened in future conflicts, we would reflect on our mistakes and communicate nicely. No more cold shoulders. Problem resolved.
We still had other issues to settle, but as long as he would listen to me, the rest did not seem as important as I thought they should be. I did not ask about Monica because I did not want to ruin a good moment.
Christopher did not mention anything to me either. I stayed at home to rest for the whole day. When I went outside for a short walk, I felt completely alive. As I walked, I massaged my sore neck. Even with clothes on, I could see the dense row of hickeys Christopher had planted there. My mouth twitched at that. It would be a few days before I would dare to go out in public.
Plus, I did not own a turtleneck sweater high enough to hide all the hickeys. People would notice them eventually, and that would certainly be embarrassing.
Christopher, on the other hand, seemed to be full of vim and vigor. After walking a certain distance, he pummeled his back and sighed, “Gosh, my back is killing me!”
Rolling my eyes at him, I mumbled, “And here I thought you’re as fit as a fiddle. What’s wrong? Is too much sex taking a toll on you? Figures.”
The man smirked. He raised a brow proudly and said, “Worry about yourself. My goal in life is to conquer you.”
What does he mean by that? How disappointing. If that’s the way he sees it, his mission was completed right after we had a one-night stand. Why does he have to call me his lifetime goal?
“That’s a lousy goal. Can’t you think of something else, like conquering the sea of stars, for instance?”
“The sea of stars cannot compete with your beauty. I’m sure of that.”
“Oh, bother! Just shower me with praises, why don’t you?”
After a day spent loitering in the house, I waited for the sun to rise. I sat in front of the dressing table, staring at the faded hickeys in the mirror. They looked like a dense bush; Christopher had planted them so close to one another. Gah, I’ll stay in for one more day.
“Why don’t you take a day off? You’re just going to get a telling off if you go anyway.” Christopher grabbed my waist from behind.
At that, I giggled. I had already been dismissed, so applying for leave was moot. “No need for that. I don’t want to work there anymore, so it doesn’t matter if I don’t go. You said you’ll take care of me for the rest of my life. Does the offer still stand?”
Christopher shot me a knowing look. “Are you being bullied at work?”
