Butterfly Effect

25. Tame

The world was crumbling into chaos, at least that is what it seemed like.

Hearing his harsh winces, Jana's tense gaze softened and she placed the ice bag higher up, careful not to put more pressure than necessary.

"Is that good or do you want it any higher?"

"No, no. That's perfect, mon ange. Merci."

His jaw was clenched, teeth grinding together as he shut his eyes, his hands coming to replace hers on the ice bag.

Knowing he was in hellish pain, she sat by his resting body on their bed, bringing her cold hand over his face. "Je suis désolé que tu souffres autant, habibi."

His smile was instant, eyes still shut. "Mm. You know how much I love it when you speak French to me, it's sexy. Avec toi à mes côtés, rien ne me fait mal."

Her fingers traced over his strong jaw, avoiding any visible bruising that was on his once imperfection free face.

She copied his smile, uttering, "You're in immense pain and you're really flirting with me."

"It's somewhat uncomfortable to breathe but it's not unbearable." He replied, moving his free hand up to take ahold of her roaming hand. He brought it to his lips, kissing her palm. "Nothing a days rest won't fix."

In an instant, her remorse transformed into a tender kiss that she pressed onto his lips.

"I'm so sorry, Ju," she whispered.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. All you did was open my eyes to the vile man I had let back into our home," he reassured her, not wanting her to shoulder any blame.

But deep down, she knew it was her fault. Seeing him in this vulnerable state tore her apart.

A wave of guilt washed over her, piercing her chest like a sharp blade.

He didn't deserve this. Not anymore. Not when she held him so dearly in her heart.

This wasn't the way she had envisioned any of this unfolding. Her thoughts seeped through her mind, bleeding into her consciousness.

She hadn't even bothered to get dressed yet, too worried that he might need her help. She had been glued to his side, offering him comfort. The doctor had left not long ago, and she still hadn't changed out of her dress.

He looked worse for wear, to say the least. Though cleaned up and free of blood, he had a bruise forming beneath his left eye. There were a few minor cuts on his bottom lip, likely from his brother's rings.

His chest was covered in bruises, and the skin around his ribs looked painfully tender.

She had applied some soothing gel, and now he was resting on the bed.

As they sat there in the comforting silence, the only source of light came from the side lamp. Its gentle glow cast a faint hue, illuminating the darkness around them.

"You know, it's strange," Julian finally spoke, breaking the silence. "I would've expected his reasons to be better than what they were."

Lost in thought, she hummed in response. "Really?"

"Oui. I almost thought it might be because of a secret devotion to you. Isn't that funny?"

Her jade green eyes searched his, but he still kept his eyes closed.

"Why would you assume that?" Her murmur was fragile, full of curiosity.

Julian let out a soft chuckle, his voice filled with a mix of sight pain and amusement. "Gosh, I don't know. Perhaps, I was seeing something that wasn't there. I guess he always had a way of being jealous, especially when it came to you. I thought maybe, just maybe, his actions were driven by some misguided affection for you."

She couldn't help but feel drawn to his comment, needing to know more. "You asked him if that was the reason behind his manic behaviour?"

"I did." He breathed a sigh, his brow furrowing slightly. "I suppose sometimes love can make people do irrational things. I thought this was one of those acts, where he thought hurting me would somehow bring him closer to you, or maybe he just wanted to assert his dominance over me. But when I asked him of this, his reaction said it all. He is just truly insane and doing all of this because he's clearly in pain."

She shook her head slowly, struggling to understand the complexity of human emotions. "It's hard to comprehend how someone could harbor such feelings and act upon them in such a harmful way."

"I agree," He replied, his voice filled with a mix of sadness and resignation. "But love, in all its forms, has a tendency to bring both the best and worst out of people."

"If a man in love behaves with such brutality, then that is a man scorned. He doesn't love me, he doesn't see me that way. I can assure you that."

"I know, baby. I wasn't thinking."

They fell into a contemplative silence once again, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air.

She couldn't help but feel a surge of protectiveness towards Julian, her heart aching at the sight of his injuries.

She wished she could take away his pain, make everything right again.

"I'm sorry," she said again, her voice barely audible.

Opening his eyes, Julian turned his head to look at her. "Why do you keep saying that like it's your fault?" His gaze was filled with warmth, despite the pain he was undoubtedly feeling. "There's nothing for you to apologize for. You've done nothing wrong."

Her heart swelled with gratitude, appreciating his understanding and reassurance.

"I just wish things were different," she confessed, a hint of longing in her voice.

Julian reached out and gently took her hand in his, his touch providing a sense of comfort. "So do I, my love. But sometimes life takes unexpected turns, and we find ourselves faced with challenges we never anticipated."

She squeezed his hand, her eyes filled with determination. "We'll get through this together, Julian. I won't let this break us."

A small smile tugged at the corners of his bruised lips, a flicker of hope returning to his eyes. "My brother being an unhinged bastard will never break of us. Believe me, there is a lot to Keenan than one brotherly quarrel."

Her frown deepened. "Baby, that was not a brotherly quarrel. He would have left you for dead if you hadn't called for aid."

"You're being dramatic now. Yes, he punched me a little too hard in the ribs, but I'm okay, no?"

"Julian..."

He cut her off, sensing the tone her voice was slipping into. "I said I'm okay, Jana. As long as you're safe and by my side, I will always be fine."

A huff left her lips, squinting as she studied his facial expression. "That still does not make it right. He's your brother, and you're the King for goodness sake, and he treats you like you're nothing."

"Exactly, he's my brother. If you think this is the worst of it, you would be horrified to hear how bad our fights can truly become." He let out. "Keenan still has a lot of pent of resentment that derives from our childhood and it's obvious to me now that it's only just coming to light. He's acting out like a child would, and this time, I won't let him take it out on us. It's trauma that he needs to deal with on his own."

For some reason, the first thought that entered her mind was one she knew not to say out loud.

I know he does and who's fault is that.

That was the thing with Julian.

There was more to him that what meets the eye.

And unfortunately for her, she knew too much about his past to view him as a complete saint.