Escaping Her Curse—Completed

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Not knowing how to respond, nor what Simon’s true intentions were with the information, Lauren decided to play dumb. She needed to figure out how this was going to play out and what Simon wanted from her. He seemed livid.

Lauren curtsied anyway. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken, m’lord.”

Simon scowled at her as she rose into the standing position. “Oliver knows.”

“Knows what?”

“Cut the act, please. There’s no one else here. It’s just you and me. Can’t you be truthful with me? Don’t you know that I would upend my world for you?”

Lauren remained silent, her eyes downcast, as was proper for a person of lower standings.

“The letter you left for him. Apparently, there was something only Everlyn wrote in it. Something about being his greatest supporter? He didn’t forget. Why did you run the first time? And why are you doing it again? Why can’t you just look at me?” Simon asked, on the verge of shouting.

She watched from the corner of her eye as he stared at her for a few seconds longer. He then sighed, rubbed a hand through his hair, and sank into one of the few non-broken chairs in the room. It was dirty, though he didn’t notice it covered his pants with dust.

“Jessie–Everlyn, whoever you are, please,” he then said weakly, his voice breaking. “Please just give me some answers. I haven’t slept. I have eaten. I haven’t done anything except think about you, and how I can help you, and what you’ve been doing. Have you been alright? Can you at least tell me that?”

Simon had been nothing but kind to her, and it tore at her to see him in such a manner. She knew then that he was just as genuine as he’d always been. He, if nothing else, deserved her honesty, as he had always been honest with her.

“Simon,” she said quietly, walking over to him. “I have been doing well enough. I have access to food and clean water, and I get enough sleep.”

Placing a hand on his shoulder, he instantly grabbed it. She felt him relax into her touch. Without even verbalizing it, he relaxed. Their eyes met, and she was taken aback by how much love he poured forth to her.

“I’m glad to hear that, at least,” he said, placing her hand on his cheek.

Simon then closed his eyes and smiled, and she couldn’t help but soften at his expression. Though he had come to their meeting upset, it was evident that his anger was already gone. He now seemed content to just be with her and know that she was safe and unharmed. Simone was a good man, and she knew she didn’t deserve his friendship, let alone anything further. She decided to tell him the truth. She believed he deserved it.

“Hypothetically speaking here,” she began, causing him to open his eyes and look at her. “Let’s say you have a friend who found out information that changed her life forever. And in this process, she put everyone she loved at risk of getting hurt, especially since she had already hurt people before without realizing it. She didn’t know what to do and felt like she couldn’t ask for help, so she ran away from everything she knew. After some unexpected events, she finds herself in the same predicament, though things have escalated. What if she chose to run away again to keep those same people safe from her? What would you do?”

Simon was quiet for a moment, though his hand never left hers. “I would want my friend to know that I’d always be there for her. No matter what.”

Lauren let out a shaky breath and whispered, “What if the reason why she left was because she found out that she had uncontrollable magic that caused the deaths of her entire estate, including her own family members?”

Pressing her lips together, she quickly turned to the side, as far as Simon would allow her because of his hold, and squeezed her eyes shut. She’d never uttered those words out loud, and she felt the tears threatening to escape. A moment later, she felt Simon’s arm wrap around her and engulf her in a hug. Unable to control herself, she broke down and let her tears fall. Simon then turned her around and held her close to his chest. He gently smoothed out her hair and let his cheek rest on the top of her head.

After a few quiet moments of her sobbing into his chest, he said, “No matter what. From the moment I saw you, you had my heart. It’s yours if you want it, and I’ll never ask for it back, whether you are Everlyn Monroe or Jessie Montgomery. I will love you until my dying breath and face every obstacle by your side. Whatever you ask of me, I’ll give it.”

Once Lauren had let all her tears fall, she looked up at Simon, who wiped away the few remaining tears with his thumb. Both his hands rested on her cheeks.

“How can you feel this way toward me? I don’t understand.”

Simon’s mouth twitched into a grin. “And that, my dear, is precisely why I do. You put everyone else first, to the point that you cannot even see how incredible you are. If I listed everything I loved about you, we’d be stuck in the house for days.”

Lauren giggled, unable to stop herself.

“May I?” Simon asked.

“May you do what?” she whispered back, her heart fluttering uncontrollably.

“May I do something that I’ve longed to do since that first day at the party?”

Lauren nodded, the words afraid to leave her mouth. Without delaying another second, Simon’s lips gently pressed to hers. He was sweet and tender, though there was a growing hunger as he continued. Her heart was beating rapidly, and her body was acting on its own. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss and losing herself in him. She wanted this more than she’d ever thought, yet she couldn’t understand where this need sprang up from. His hands wandered from her cheeks to her neck to her back to her waist. She was kissing him faster, with more desire. He was letting her. They broke apart for a moment before his lips were on her neck, sucking gently. She moaned, her body reacting to his touch. Her hands were pulling up his shirt and were soon under, feeling his muscled torso. Her lips were on his once more, tongues dancing.

And then he pulled away. She felt confused. Both were breathing heavily. Her body wanted his, and she’d never felt that type of need before.

“W–why?” she asked in between breaths.

He gazed at her with longing still in his eyes. “Oh trust me, I don’t want to stop. But, if I don’t, I won’t be able to control myself.”

Lauren chuckled, trying to hide her blush. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to stop either. She knew she had liked Simon, but after that, she understood that it was much more than that. It was such a different feeling than when Oliver had kissed her.

“So, now what?”

Simon nodded. “That’s an excellent question. Obviously, the entire palace is up in arms about you leaving. King Tyson is both livid and almost relieved at the same time. However, if I bring you back–”

“I’m not going back, Simon,” she interrupted.

He frowned. “What? Why not?”

“I can’t. If–if anyone finds out.”

“No one will,” he quickly reassured. “I won’t let it.”

“But how can you be so sure?”

“You’ll be under my protection. You’ll have my name. No one would dare mess with the Ponce family. You’ll be safe. I’ll keep you safe.”

Lauren’s mouth dropped, comprehension filling her. “Are you…?”

“Yes,” Simon replied immediately, stepping up to her and taking both of her hands. “Marry me.”

“I…”

Lauren was stumped. She knew that only moments ago she was kissing this man, and enjoying it, but the thought of marrying anyone while she was in the middle of figuring out what to do overwhelmed her. She had left to keep people safe from her magic, and now, Simon wanted to bring her back into the situation that had caused her to run. She couldn’t endanger others. Her powers were too reckless and unpredictable.

And yet, there was a small part of her that wanted to just say ‘yes’. She really needed to figure out her emotions while she attempted to figure out the rest of her life.

Simon was searching her eyes, no doubt seeing her hesitation.

“I’m not saying ‘no’,” she began.

“But you’re not saying ‘yes’ either?” he finished for her.

Lauren nodded, hating to see the hurt flash across his face before it was gone a moment later.

“So, there’s still a chance?”

Smiling, she replied, “Yes, there is still a chance. I wouldn’t have kissed you like that if I didn’t feel something for you.”

“Alright. At least I now know you’re interested in me,” Simon laughed. “However, this means that I can’t convince you to accompany me to my home, doesn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so. There’s still a few things I need to do here.”

“He’s looking for you, you know.”

Lauren sighed and looked down at her fingers entwined with his. “Is that so?”

“Yes. He swears he won’t rest until he finds you. He’s going to tear this city apart until he finds you. Wouldn’t it be better to show him that you’re safe?”

Lauren abruptly looked up at him, fear in her eyes. “No! I can’t. He can’t know where I am. Promise me, Simon. Promise me that you won’t tell him you saw me.”

She desperately clung to his hands, and he easily gave in. “Alright. If that’s what you wish.”

“It is. He cannot find out that I’m actually still alive. I shouldn’t have written that letter, but…”

“But you love him,” Simon said, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

“Yes, a part of me will always love him. Everlyn loved him dearly,” she said, looking off to the side.

Her eyes held a faraway look as her memory attempted to bring up the past. But she quickly shook her head, forcing them to remain buried in the deep recesses of her mind.

“You really are her,” Simon breathed, and she could only nod, unwilling to face the truth any longer.

“But I am Lauren now.”

“Lauren,” he said, letting the name roll off his tongue. “Why does it feel like our time is drawing to a close?”

“Because it is. I’ve already been away for too long.”

“When can I see you next?”

“In two weeks.”

Simon pouted, clearly against waiting that long.

“That is what we agreed upon. I don’t know if I can come any sooner. It’s best if we limit our contact until I have things more sorted out. Don’t try to follow me, please, Simon. I’ll be back, alright?”

Sighing, he agreed. And then he watched as she quietly left the building and disappeared into the night.

He didn’t understand why she was choosing to do this, and why she didn’t want to leave with him; however, he knew he would respect her decisions. He loved her for who she was, and this was part of who she was, so he’d wait for however long he needed to. Simon vowed to help her in any way that he could, which meant that he needed to reign in Oliver in order to keep her location a secret.

Picking his way through the city, Simon made his way back to the palace, still thinking about the kiss and grinning to himself the entire way home.