BOUND BY DUTY CLAIMED BY DESIRE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN

Bound by love,freed by truth

Was this another trick? A trap like the one that had brought her to the palace, with one objective only,to take Ben from her?

‘Don’t look like that’. His voice was low, but it penetrated her panic.

Her eyes snapped up. Locked with his, It will be alright. There's no need for you to be afraid of anything now’.

She felt her throat tighten unbearably.

‘Trust me’, he said.

His dark eyes were looking into hers. ‘I promise you’, he said slowly as if he was talking to a frightened child,‘ that I will keep you and Ben safe together, for as long as necessary.

I will never allow you to be separated from him, you have my word.

And slowly, very slowly, Elena felt the panic leave her. He held her eyes for one moment longer, and then with a slight twist to his lips,he turned to Ben.

‘Breakfast , young man’, he said.

He looked across at Elena who was sipping her orange juice. ‘I’m having some new clothes sent up to the villa ,They should be here soon.

‘Oh, please I'm sure I can cope with what I've brought’, Elena said hurriedly.

‘That will not be necessary’, His expression stilled for a moment.

‘I know this is hard for you, but everything is different, however his voice changed. ‘we shall spend time together,in order to get used to what has happened.

I think we deserve some calm after the storm.

So, tell me , what do you think about the villa?

‘It’s unbelievably beautiful’, Elena said.

Rafael nodded.

He glanced across across at Elena , ‘I think we will like it here's.

She met his eyes. It was getting easier,not easy.

‘Thank you’, she said in a low intense voice.

‘We did what we had to do. He grinned suddenly, and yet again Elena felt that hopelessly inappropriate reaction. How was she going to cope? It was impossible, just impossible.

‘What will happen today? She ventured.

Today,we will take things easy.

He smiled at her again, then turned his attention to Ben.

‘How are you building your sandcastles?’ he asked him.

‘Really good’, said Ben enthusiastically.

Rafael's eyes suddenly flicked to hers.

‘One day at a time', he repeated, for us.

For a long moment he held her eyes, then Ben reclaimed his attention with yet another question.

She needed time , Rafael knew. So much had happened to her since he'd showed up at her ramshackle cottage.

The life she'd known had been ripped away, from her .for her ,there was no going back.

A surge of determination went through him.

I'll make that life better now,All the fear and trauma are over now.

His eyes flicked over her fleetingly, without her knowledge,as she poured herself more juice.

I don't believe she has to look this bad ,I just don't.

It was hard to see much of her figure, even with the hot weather,she was wearing a long sleeved baggy top that seemed to flow shapeleesly into long baggy cotton trousers.

Both garment's were cheap and worn ,she dressed for comfort,not style.

He moved on to try and evaluate her features. That was hard to do too.

The unsightly frizz of her hair which, even when tied back as it was now, still seemed to struggle around her face.

The heavy eyebrows didn't help,of course and not did the pale skin.

Would she look better with makeup? Surely,she must.

Well,now she could have that kind of money spent on her. Money was not going to be a problem for her now , he would lavish it on her.

His mouth tightened abruptly. In his head he heard Lucian sneering at the sight of her. Anger hit him.

I'll get her looking the best she can, because she deserves it .She needs all the reassurance she can get.

She'll feel a lot more confident,alot more comfortable about what we've just done,if she can wipe that vile word out of her head.

He heard it again, cruel

henceforth,he would never let her say it again.