Bound by Law

Bound by Law || 35- Change of Heart

I unintentionally dropped the fork and knife I was holding in my hands onto my plate, causing an alarmingly loud clang to echo throughout the entire kitchen.

"What?" I asked, my eyes wide.

Jai stood casually next to me, leaning against the kitchen counter, his eyes watching me carefully. His comment only seemed to startle me whereas he didn't seem fazed by it at all.

"What do you mean 'what'?" he let out a brief chuckle. "You should sleep in my room from now on. There's no need for you to sleep in a separate room anymore since we're—" He abruptly stopped and his jaw clenched tightly.

Tilting my head, I observed him. I wanted him to finish what he was saying. I shook my head, scolding myself for getting distracted and looked up at him once again.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Jai," I said softly, trying to stop myself from quaking. I could feel the uncontrollable trembling that plagued my body just at the thought of sharing a room with a man. A man that could take advantage of me just like before.

I didn't want to risk that. Not again.

Jai crossed his arms over his chest, looking slightly dispirited as he stared at me.

"Right," he said sarcastically, "and why is that?"

"B-because..." I stammered, at a loss of how to explain without actually telling him anything important. "We've always been in separate rooms, so why now?"

Jai didn't look too sure but he quickly regained his composure, straightening up at my question.

"We've accepted each other as both husband and wife now, so there's no need for us to sleep in separate rooms like strangers."

"Oh." I reluctantly nodded my head. Even though he was rude at times, he didn't seem like the type to hurt me in that way.

As he turned away to clean up, he mumbled, voice low but soft. "This way, I can get to you when you're having nightmares."

Wait...what?

"Get to me?"

His whole body went rigid as if he was caught confessing something he shouldn't have. Clearing his throat, he turned around as he ran a hand through his dark hair slowly, looking as though he was contemplating on whether to tell me or not.

"Well, yeah. Every time you have nightmares and you begin to scream and kick, I come to your room to comfort you."

He didn't seem proud or arrogant as he spoke; he almost seemed sheepish.

But...does that mean the warmth I find in my bed from time to time, is because of...him?

"That was you?" I whispered to myself, trying to come to terms with it.

"Who else?"

I jumped at his unexpected answer. I hadn't meant those questions to be answered and judging from his expression, he knew that too and was just teasing me.

My heart constricted as a genuine smile formed on his lips, his stare lancing through me. I didn't know how to describe what I was feeling, but I always wanted to see that smile on his face now.

I liked it.

I liked how good it looked on his perfectly sculpted face and how I brought that smile on his face. I couldn't understand why or how I felt that way...I just did.

***

"To win this game, you need immense concentration and intelligence," Jai said, with a smirk. "Like I do."