The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 108: Solicitude (1)

Chapter 108: Solicitude (1)

"Do you mind telling me where you snuck off last night?" Madeline questioned the young lad who had freshened up and changed his clothes for the day. He joined her on the bed, lying beside where she sat. His placid gaze was fixed on the ceiling as he released a deep breath from his parted lips, remembering the disturbing discussions he shared with Elijah, and he says,

"It’s nothing for you to worry about, I just needed to meet someone." Came his vague response with his serene gaze unshifting, and Madeline’s brows wrinkled dubiously as she placed a pillow on her thighs, still not satisfied with his answer.

"But... Who did you meet?"

"A very unpredictable vampire." He clicked his tongue in obvious resentment. He pushed himself up and locked gaze with the concerned Madeline. "I needed answers regarding the missing people case, and I had to meet with someone who I was sure would be aware of where their hideout would be."

"You’re doing your job and I completely understand that, but what I don’t understand is why you chose to go alone." From her tone, Madeline still found it totally absurd and extreme that he decided to go by himself. "Have you forgotten what happened the last time you went off at night? And you didn’t tell anyone."

"I know what you’re thinking." He brushed his hair to the back, averting his gaze. "It was a very stupid idea and I agree with you, but I had to do it." He sounded firm, not feeling guilty about his choice. "I saw who I wanted, he didn’t give me the answers that I needed, but he made something clear to me."

"What?" Madeline’s attention was immediately piqued as she waited for what information he must have gotten.

"The...." Before the words could slip from his mouth, he suddenly remembered Elijah’s words about knowing too much, making him seal his lips as he averted his gaze, feeling perplexed. The last thing he wanted was to get Madeline involved in something dangerous, and he has no intention of making her join if it involved risking her life in the process.

"Nevermind it." He suddenly brushed it aside, to Madeline’s bafflement. "You don’t have to worry, becoming a vampire has its own benefits, and they’re very hesitant to harm me. The killers of your parents will be found, I promise you this, but in return, I need you to stay out of it."

"We’re in this together Cassian, we agreed to get to the bottom of this together, remember?" Madeline shook her head in disagreement. "I want to find out for myself what exactly happened that night, and if you intend on helping me, then I say we do everything together, but don’t leave me out of it."

"Don’t be stubborn, up there...at William’s study, you saw what we faced, that fiend would have killed us for merely snooping and we managed to make it out alive. This case, it is obvious that it doesn’t involve only the physical, it’s something relating to spiritual methods, more deadlier than we can imagine, and I don’t want you getting involved with something life-threatening."

"I am not concerned about the dangers, and I don’t need you to make decisions for me." Madeline asserted with a serious expression. "I will not stop until I find out the one person who haunts my dreams in a shadow. Whoever it is is responsible for my parents death and nothing you say will make me change my mind."

"Madeline...."

"No." She interrupted him and scrambled out of bed, not willing to hear Cassian persuade her from finding out the truth. "If you don’t want us to do this together then just say it, I will go on my own, I will dig up clues myself and I will_"

"And I am your husband." He got out of bed to block her path. "Contract or not, we got married legally, and I have a say in whatever it is you plan on doing. Listen, I want you to stay out of this case. I have my reasons, you aren’t allowed to know more than what you know cause it’s dangerous out there, they’re watching. Let me handle this."

"I am not stopping you." She quipped in a pained voice, instantly remembering the horrible nightmares that she had to wake up to last night. "You don’t know how horrifying it is to have the same tormenting dream over and over again, you don’t, and I had to live with it while growing up as a child, hoping that I would bring justice to my late parents. I’m not stopping you from doing what you wish but I hope you can respect my choice and let me do what I want."

"Maddie..."

"I’ll be stepping out this evening, and don’t ask me where I’m going."

"Maddie wait..." before she could step out of the room, he grabbed both her arms from behind, pulling her close till her back connected with his chest, and his arms went around her as he rested his chin on her shoulder - an action that made Madeline freeze against the comforting warmth of his sudden embrace.

"I’m not saying this to upset you or remind you of something tragic." He clarified softly before pulling back and gently turning her around to look at him. "I don’t know what it must have felt like for you, and I can’t say I understand what it means to be taking pills in order to feel stable. And I’m sorry you had to face it alone."

He smiled at her before gently wiping the tears that she didn’t even know was starting to drop from her eyelids. "But there is one thing I’ve promised myself, and that is to keep you safe from everything that’s happening. Let me protect you."

Staring into his vehement eyes, Madeline could see for herself that his every word was sincere, and that made her feel a sense of guilt, followed by strange warmth that reassured her she could trust him.

"But why are you doing this? I don’t want to expect too much, nor I don’t want to owe you any debts." Her uncertainty was clear in her voice, and Cassian didn’t know why, but he just pulled her into his arms when he couldn’t bear to see the look on her face.

"Think of it as me repaying a debt instead." He said, but Madeline felt too choked by her own emotions to ask what he meant by repaying his own debt.

They remained that way, and he felt relieved that she made no attempt to pull away? But can he call that progress?