Only You

Ch 7

“Now here’s the deal. You listen to me. And then you’ll be all fine and peachy. Like this never happened in the first place. Or at least, more durable,”

I wanted to protest the moment he said those words, but someone came in and asked for his presence. The officer sneaked a glance at me like I’m some alien. That is before Rowan said, almost rudely, for him to wait outside.

When he left me for, I don’t know, probably around thirty minutes, it got me thinking. What did he mean, ‘our marriage’? I thought I made myself clear months ago, I wanted nothing to do with him and his no-good of a brother.

But you were the one who clung onto him like a second skin just an hour ago… did you forget that? Did my conscience seriously reprimand me for that? Ugh! But then again… it had a point, why did I do that?

“Are you done daydreaming?” came his deep voice suddenly. I couldn’t help it, I flinched. “How long have you been there?” he had an unreadable expression, hands crossed over his wide chest.

Now… I remember Ryan being broad and tall, but Rowan was… buff, wide and tall. Wait… did I just compare these two again? Wow, maybe I am drunk. I should be erasing every bit of memory and detail of Ryan. He was the reason I was here.

Was he? Did you even truly see him? Hear his voice? Were you that sure it was his fault and not your imagination?

Yes she did! That’s why she followed those men. She knows what she saw!

But did I really? Did I? Or was it what I wanted to believe?

My consciousness, heart, and thoughts, are killing me, seriously! Like, can they get more complicated than it already is? Oh my god! I hate Ryan so much! Now my internal organs are having conversations and arguments among them.

“Long enough to hear you grunt and moan as if someone was torturing you,” his baritone voice made me shiver, almost. Damn, why did I find that… hot…? say it… come on... you know you wanna...

Sometimes, I hate my consciousness. Period. I am you. You can’t hate me because I am that voice, that you know, deep down is right. No matter how annoying…

Rowan looked at me, a mixture of amusement and boredom as he took a seat across from me. Hands folded in front of him and eyes trained on me. As much as I didn’t like him, there was something about his stance and aura that kept me on my toes.

“Back to our discussion before I was summoned, I have only one thing to offer you. Marry me, or I’ll send you away,”

“Excuse me!?”

“Calm down, hear me out,”

“No! You… you-!” he took the finger I accusingly point at him, in a split second, our proximity was inches. His breath fanning me as he leans over the table, “Listen to me first and then you can talk. I gave in to your request due to personal reasons, but since you oh-so-smartly got into trouble, I have no choice here,”

Gulping, my breaths grew shallow. His minty and masculine scent invaded my senses, his deep blue eyes staring straight as if he could see me bare. “Now sit down quietly and listen to me,”

As if I was spelled, my trance broke the moment his face was far away from mine, brooding now, no amusement left in his eyes. “Can you do that?” not trusting my voice, I could only nod. Not sure why but I felt my cheeks heat up.

“Since you are a witness under my case, ironically, you are my girlfriend in the eyes of my colleagues, thanks to the stunt that you pulled back there. Now you have two choices, and these are the only choices I can give you. There is no other way no matter how I tried to save you from this,”

“Save me?”

“Yes, since what you described to me, if correct, those men are dangerous. Not to take lightly at all. Both parties that you accidentally got involved with are one of those that I am searching for. And if my hunch is correct, they would send someone to kill you, at any chance they got,”

My mouth felt dry, what… he’s not serious, is he? “So… so…” he seems to understand my non-ability to form words as he continues, voice a bit gentle this time, “My choice as a cop would have to put you under a witness protection program. Send you somewhere you’ll be safe with one of my best men to watch over you… make sure you are far off with a new identity and away from their eyes,”

“But…” I had a feeling he was going to say it and Rowan raised an eyebrow yet said nothing as he continues, “But since you are my so-called girlfriend as we have established, marry me. It would be easier to keep you safe here, no complication as well,”

“Wait… what does marrying you have anything to do with this? Can’t I just stay? And if I have to be sent away under this witness protection program… for how long? For what? And what about my friends and family? My job?”

“Well, to answer you. The program would be for as long as needed. There is no fixed time since we don’t know how long your life would be jeopardized. And yes, that would mean you will have no contact with anyone here. Only me and my team, but that too would be limited. You would have to quit your job as well,”

“What…”

“That’s why I said marry me. Marring me means you can be here, keep your job and see your friends. But having to send you away means total isolation, it’s your choice,”

***

“You did the right choice Sofea,” he said as the car’s engine died down, we are in front of my shared house and it didn’t feel right for me to enter. I’m still scared shitless since he claimed that I could have a gun pointed at me soon.

“Sofea,” he touched me lightly, but I jumped, surprised. “Yes? Oh my god! I’m sorry,” shaking his head, Rowan exited the car and rounds this way to my door. Opening it, he crouched down on his knees and looks up at me.

“Are you okay? Do you need anything else?” blinking down to his blue eyes, they seem to be bright under the lit moonlight. “I… I’m just jumpy since you said I could be dead if I don’t watch out. I mean, I don’t want to leave LA but to think I would be in danger if I don’t, scares me,”

“I told you I’d keep you safe, didn’t I? We’ll get married soon, and then you won’t have to worry about anything,”

Hearing the word ‘married’ made my tummy queasy. “Is there really no other way? I mean, I get that you can keep me safe, but why marry me? Can’t I just move in with you or something? Why must I marry you?”

“And I thought I made it clear? Your parents were asking me why we aren’t married and all, especially after two years we’ve been together, according to you. They were worried I might knock you up or something,”

“Sometimes I think my mouth would bring me trouble, and I guess it has. Twice now,” pouting, I throw my eyes away from him and gesture to exit the vehicle. “I’ll be picking you up to and from school starting Monday. Send me your schedule tomorrow so we won’t have any trouble,”

“Would I be safe? The people around me? Would they be safe too? Am I making the right choice? Or should I just leave and follow that program you said?”

I know it was stupid, I had already given him my word that we will marry as he planned. I will move in with him soon but I can’t help second-guessing it. Now that I’m home and could almost see my friends, I can’t help but think again.

“They will be fine. I can’t guarantee 100% but, if I know those men when they have one target set, they will only focus on said target. The people around you are meaningless and would only cause complications,”

Standing in front of his car, face to face, I can see that he is promising me this. Even if unsure, he was sure he’d keep me safe no matter what. “Are you doing all of this because of Ryan? Or because I’m a witness under your case?”

He looked almost taken aback by my question but composed himself quick, “Because of Ryan’s request. He didn’t ask me to marry you though, that was your parents request. Ryan only wanted me to keep you safe no matter what measures I had to take. So this is it,” I was about to open my mouth and continue but shrieking voices cut us from our serious conversation.

“THERE YOU ARE b***h!”

“I WAS WORRIED SICK!”

Behind Rowan, stood my best friends who looked furious and worried altogether. Besides them are males, males that I can recall one being Tessa’s boyfriend, Wren, while the other being a guy that always had this one-sided crush for Brie, Beck.

Wren held onto Tessa when she looked close to killing me with her eyes while Beck said something to Brie that made her sigh in what I could tell, relief. “I guess I should get going. My friends looked close to blowing up but also not, thank you Rowan,”

Then for the second time in my life, I did something I thought I’d never do to the person I claimed to hate. Pecking him softly on the cheeks, I zipped past my friends and into my house.

“SOFEA!” they yelled and I tried to tune out everything afterwards. Calming my beating heart, I just hoped Rowan took that as a thank you gesture and nothing else.