53

 TOB 53 ETHAN'S POV Over time, I had developed the habit of not leaving her side. It wasn't just a controlling trait—I felt like something disastrous would happen to her if I left. Rose looked exhausted; her eyes heavy with fatigue. She said she was a bit tired and wanted to go home. I insisted on dropping her off, despite her guards following us.  I couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something from me. I didn't know what it was, but it was there, lurking in her bright gaze sometimes. I was determined to figure it out, even though Rose always had her walls up around me.  Her memory loss hadn't changed her personality. She didn't spare me a glance during the entire ride, focusing on her phone, replying to work emails. Her workaholic nature was still the same, even with lost memories. As soon as we stopped in front of her house, she climbed out without saying a word. I followed her and gently grabbed her arm. She spun around so fast that her hand landed on my chest for balance. "What?" There was a subtle wariness in her tone that I wouldn't have noticed if I weren't so attuned to her physical reactions. It was almost as if she was scared, but of what? Or who? I cupped her cheek, and she remained as still as a statue, her breathing shallow before she whispered, "What is it?" "Do you remember when I told you there are times when you must make drastic decisions?" She gulped, her throat moving with the motion. It took everything in me not to grab her by the throat and kiss her until her delicate lips were bruised.  I deserve a trophy for abstaining this past week. Having her by my side and not touching her felt like torture.  She had been weak and wasn't eating properly, so I would wait until she was in better shape. Because the next time I made love to her, she would be all in, just like usual. 'I don't. I have no memories, remember?" The f-cking memories. I tried to convince myself that I would make her learn everything about us, and with time, she would remember me. But the truth was, I loathed this feeling. I had been a nobody in Rose's life, even when we lived continents apart. Being a nobody to her now felt like a black hole.  With every passing day, that hole grew larger, more profound, and it would eventually drag me to its bottom if I let it. That's why I had been telling her pieces of my life I hadn't shared before. I even mentioned my real parents when everyone thought Nathan was my father. My logic was simple: if she got to know me better, she might understand my motives and eventually remember me. 'I once said that when you're cornered and have no way out except to hurt others, that's exactly what you should do, Princess." 'What made you have that philosophy?" "I've been in such a situation before, and I figured the only way to get out was to fight my way out. Sure, I could've devised a more traditional method, but that's not how the world works." 'So you solve all your problems using that philosophy?" 'Most of the time." "But there are some times when you don't use it?" Yes. There were times like these when I wanted to throw everything into the air, carry her in my arms, and go far away from this world and all its tragedies.  Instead of telling her that, I briefly brushed my lips against hers before claiming her mouth. Her taste was both an aphrodisiac and an adrenaline wave. She made me feel like anything was possible, including whisking her away once my mission was complete. Rose didn't kiss me back or wrap her arms around me, but she opened her lips slightly, allowing me to taste her and breathe in her scent. Jesus f-cking Christ. She was the best thing I'd ever had the pleasure of tasting, and if the bulge in my trousers was any indication, I was more than ready for more. I pulled away to avoid making love to her over the hood of the car. While I was okay with the public setting, I might have to gouge out the eyes of every guard who looked at her, and that was just extra work with no pleasure. Rose stared at me as if she were searching for something on my face or relearning my features. I allowed her explorations, but only because I wanted to study her and engrave her expression into my memory. Whenever I thought of her or craved to touch her, I would have this image of her in my mind. "Don't you have to return to the company?" she murmured. 'One more moment. I haven't gotten my fill of you." 'Do you ever?" 'Nah, not really. So stay still." I brushed her hair behind her ear, letting the golden strands fall between my fingers. She had been wearing it down lately, probably because she didn't remember her cold, stern phase. While I loved how she looked, I constantly felt the urge to snipe down every f-cker who looked in her direction. 'How long am I supposed to stay here, Ethan?" 'As long as it takes, wife." 'Aren't you tired of calling me your wife when I said I don't remember the marriage?" 'Aren't you tired of denying it when it's the truth?" 'I can never win with you, can I?" 'You can try. I love it when you try, especially that time when you... well, you know." Her cheeks heated. 'I did not." 'Yes, you did, and it was hot as hell. Thinking about it makes me hard." I pressed the evidence against her stomach. 'How are you going to deal with it, Princess?" 'If by dealing with it, you mean I'll get rid of your, um, issue, then sure, I'll deal with it." I laughed, my head tipping back with the motion. 'You're crazy." 'And that's funny because..." 'Because you're only this way with me, whether you have memories or not." I brushed my lips against hers one final time. 'Rest well and wait for me." 'Why would I do that?" "Because I'm staking my claim tonight." I winked, and she swallowed, heat rising to her cheeks before she turned around and headed inside. After I ensured she was safely in the house, I returned to my car. Peter, the useless guard  planted at my side, tapped on my window. I lowered it and stared at him, not hiding my irritation. He was holding a weird gun, twirling it between his hands as he spoke. 'You want me to come along?" 'No. Stay put." 'You never take me with you these days." 'Because you're useless." 'Not so useless." He pointed the gun at me. 'You know what this is?" 'No, but I'm sure you'll bore me to death about it." "It's an anesthesia gun. It can be compelling." "A bullet is more powerful, kid." I put my window up and drove out of the property. I had some sort of company meeting, but I didn't give two f-cks about V Corp and their nonsense strategies. My actual meeting was with Fire.  We needed to plot the next attack, which would be the last if all went well. At this point, the Russians and the Italians had lost many soldiers and exhausted their powers. Even the Pakstan, who thought he had endless destructive energy, couldn't be on the attack forever. He was a bull who wouldn't stop unless he was dead. If this were an ancient war, he would be the general who wouldn't raise the white flag, even if all the other units did. But even he couldn't make one consecutive attack after another. At this rate, Evie or Uncle Raven needed a large-scale attack that would wipe out the other party's army. I knew exactly who I wanted to lose the most in this war.