Flashback
"Nate where are you? You were supposed to be here 30 minutes ago." I answered my phone in a panic.
"I'm sorry love, I'm stuck in traffic, there's been some kind of accident but Damien is on his way. He is closer to your location anyway. Just wait in your car and keep the doors locked." Nate informed me.
"You called Damien! I don't really know him Nate and besides he kinda freaks me out." I groaned feeling abit uncomfortable that another man was coming to help me instead of Nate.
"He's coming to help you not kidnap you." Nate chuckle at my slight panic.
"Ok but are you sure he won't mind? I'm sure he has a million better things to do." I murmured.
"Love, you over think too much. Damien won't mind. I'll see you later at home ok." he shrugged me off.
"Ok, I'll see you at home. I love you." I smiled into the phone.
"Hmm, bye." he quickly replied before cutting my call. My smile fell instantly. He never says it back and I don't know why. It stung my heart everytime he did that, feeling some sort of unspoken rejection. Then again I may be over thinking things. Nate always tells me that I do that alot and maybe he is right but I never could muster up the courage to ask why he never tells me he loves me. Sometimes I wonder if he still does.
I sat in my car waiting for Damien with my head against the headrest. I closed my eyes, listening to the subtle pitter-patter of rain drops splattering against the windscreen. Relaxing in the ambience of the roadside forest. Nature aways had a way of calming my anxiety with it's euphony.
The sound of a car rushing past me caused my eyes to jolt open thinking it may be Damien but the car drove far ahead and pulled off the side of the road. The driver dumped a black bag and then sped off. I found that to be the strangest thing I ever saw. 'Why would someone dump their garbage in the middle of a forest?' I thought. Until I saw the bag move. My eyes flickered wider. The bag kept moving and wiggling, clearly it's contents were alive.
I got out of my car and ran over to the bag. The closer I got the louder the muffled sounds became until I could hear it clearly. It was tiny meows, I dropped to my knees realizing it was kittens, I ripped open the bag and my heart instantly melted at the sight of 3 adorable little kittens. I scooped them up in my jacket not wanting them to get wet and carried them back to my car. I placed them on the back seat before shutting the door. As I turned around to get back into the drivers seat, I knocked into someone and slipped, my behind aching in agony as it collided with the road.
"Ooowww!" I wailed while rubbing my backside.
"Need a hand?" a deep voice suddenly asked.
I looked up slowly, trailing my eyes up the figure before me. Damien stood there with his hand extended to me. My eyes flickered between his hand and his face.
"Well? Are you just going to sit there?" he asked again, snapping me out of my trance. I put my hand in his, allowing him to effortlessly lift me up. My face was level with his chest and I had to lift head to look up at him. His dark orbs appeared almost black as his gaze met mine, freezing me in place. His scowl made him look daunting and I instantly averted my gaze.
"Uhm, s..sorry." I mumbled, shoving my frozen hands in my pockets.
"Nate said you needed help. And the tow truck won't be here for at least another hour." he spoke as he turned away to look at my flat tyre, crouching down as he inspected it.
"You got a spare?" he suddenly asked without looking at me.
"Y..yeah. In the boot. I'll go get it." I walked towards the back of my car and opened my boot. I had begun to reach for the spare when I felt his large hand on my arm pulling me back, startling me by the sudden contact. He stood there for a moment with his head bent low, gazing at me with the same dark scowl as before.
"What are you doing?" he gruffly asked.
"Uhm...getting the...tyre?" I answered, sounding more like a question than an answer, not being able to look away. The way he peered at me was unnerving and debilitating.
"Let me." he finally said after what seemed like ages, before he broke eye contact and effortlessly picked up the tyre and some other tools he needed.
'What was that? Why couldn't this man just speak like a normal person. Was his vocabulary perhaps limited? If so, I am a teacher, I could always tutor him-argh Amelia! Your brain is speaking gibberish again. Leave the man alone.' I mentally chided myself.
I watched as he changed my tyre, his white shirt was wet as it clung to his back displaying his flexing back muscles with each movement of his arms. I've never seen a man more rugged before and his silence only added to his terrifying demeanor. I could only imagine how his enemies must feel.
"Why did you pick up the kittens?" his deep voice quietly asked out of the blue, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Because they're babies. I couldn't just leave them. They would've died." I answered, bewildered by his strange question. Who could have the heart to abandon innocent kittens?
"Hmm." was all he answered.
"So you like saving things?" I asked again after some time while tightening the next wheel, not looking up as he spoke.
"Well if you put it that way then yes. I can't bear to see defenceless animals getting hurt." I answered as I turned to face the kittens squirming on my back seat. I could hear their tiny meows through the window.
"Defenceless." he softly repeated, standing next to me causing me to jump at the sudden close proximity.
"So you would protect them if you could?" he asked in a low voice with the tiniest hint of suprise hidden in his tone. I kept my eyes on the window, not being able to handle his intense gaze on my lateral features.
"Yes. Of course. Wouldn't you?" I was surprised by his question. Isn't that the humane thing to do? I could see his brows knit together as if he were fighting some internal battle.
"Maybe the hardships they would face would make them stronger." he finally answered as he walked past me to place the tools back in the boot.
That was the most unusual answer I've ever heard. But then again, he was an unusual man. Shrugging my confusion off, I walked over to him to thank him before leaving.
"Well...thanks for all your help Damien. I'm sorry if I've caused you any inconvenience." I timidy expressed my gratitude.
"Hmm."
Was 'hmm' his only response to an expression of emotion. I swear this man's lack of vocabulary really made me feel awkward.
I offered him a tight lipped smile before I walked away to open my car door but Damien beat me to it. He courteously opened my door, stunning me with his kind gesture.
"Uh..thank you." I awkwardly smiled at him as I got in. His expression remain stoic.
"I'll drive behind you." he offered.
"Oh...no it's ok. I'll man.."
"I insist." he interjected in a low tone and in one swift movement he buckled up my seat belt and shut my car door. I sat there confounded by what just happened. 'Talk about bossy.' I thought. Shaking my thoughts of his intimidating presence, I started my car and drove off. I watched him follow in my rear view mirror.
He wasn't joking about following me home. He stayed close by all the way, never allowing another car between us. He waited till I pulled into my drive way and the security gates were securely shut before driving off.
