Chapter Sixteen.

I wake up and look around to be met by the same black themed room. I try to struggle, but I am too weak. Immediately I turn around, I am met by Raul's cold eyes. He released an aura of anger and it made me shake vigorously. It was only us in the room, and he stood over me as he locked his eyes with mine.

"Why did you do that. And where were you going." he hisses.

"I...I...I saw what you did to that guy. It reminded me of who...what my parents wanted me to become. I don't want that. I was scared. I still am. One day, you might end up doing that to me. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can get that out of my head." I say, in the middle of a breakdown.

"I made a promise to you Iris. I will keep it." he says coldly.

"I expect humans to keep promises, not animals." I whisper to myself.

"An animal. Is that what I am to you?" he asks, hurt and pissed.

"What else would you call that?" I ask him defensively.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the house. Nobody dared question him because he was angry with the world and nobody wanted to get on his angry side.

He dragged me to a fighting arena where I saw bears ripping the hell out of each other. I saw what animals really do. As they ripped each other apart, I tried to look away but then Raul pulled my hair hard and forced me to watch every part of it. I now disregarded the thought of what happened, this was a whole new level of trauma. Raul gave the guy a break, but these creatures tore each other limb to limb without a second thought.

"Tell me now Iris. Am I an animal? These two have done each other no wrong. As for me, that man betrayed all of us, nearly killed my brother, and put my family's life at danger. Tell me. Was I wrong?" he asks me. That was when I actually thought about it. All he was doing was protecting our home. And I called him an animal for protecting me. How could I judge so quickly. Every time my parents would do that, I wouldn't even object. but now when my husband is doing it, I judge him.

He walks out and I follow him. He takes fast steps and I run to catch up. I then grab his arm, turn him around and hug him tightly.

"I'm so sorry Raul. I will never fear you again. I swear." I say. He just pushes me aside and heads to our room and I follow him.

"How can I make it up to you?" I ask him.

"Show me that you trust me." he says.

I take a knife, put it in his hand, then place it on my neck. He clenches and unclenches his teeth and moves closer to me. I just locked my eyes with his and I don't even flinch when he softly presses the knife on my neck. After a while, he drops the knife, grabs my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. I kiss him back, as he pulls me by the waist with his other hand.

"I love you with my heart and soul Iris. If you leave me, I will lose my sanity. I have fallen so deep I don't think I can live without you. Please never leave me again. Promise me." he says, with a touch of love in his voice.

"I will leave you only in my death. I promise." I say as I laid my forehead against his.

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I purred into Raul's arms as he stared at my face, caressing every part of my face with all the love I could ever feel.

"What is wrong Raul?" I ask him.

"Today, I almost lost you. And that was when I realized my worst fear has come true. You are my weakness Iris. You can bring me to my knees with just a mere word. The thought of you not coming back to me got to me. And for a split second, I lost all my sanity. As much as I thought it would never happen, I love you more than how I have loved anyone and anything in this world. I can't loose you Iris. I will burn down the entire world to find you."

The tone was what scared me. He said it lost in me, with a psychotic sincerity as his hands claimed every part of me and I let him.

"I will never leave you again Raul. But you have to promise that you will never hurt me. Because I will never hurt you. Promise never to keep secrets from me. Promise to protect me and our children when they come. Promise to include me in your family and to always respect me and be loyal just as I will be to you." I say back as I traced my fingers across his face.

He looks at me with love in his eyes. Just then, we hear a gunshot. We both jump up and he grabs his gun while I grab my dagger. Just then, people barge into our door armed with riffles, but before they. could make a

move, Raul shot them dead.

"Stay here." he says wearing his bulletproof shirt and slacks, then armed himself to the tooth, kissed my forehead than left. I stayed there as the sounds of guns filled the air. After

a while, the room fell silent and I heard Raul.

"You thought I was not prepared for you, you put on a mighty fight and I'm pretty sure you've lost a lot of men, so if I were you, I would go back to my boss and tell him not to waste his time." he says. The guy hysterically laughed, that was when I felt a gun on my head.

I was dragged downstairs by the person who held me hostage. I didn't even look back.

"It was not you we came for." the guy said as the other dragged me down. Raul looked at me with fear in his eyes as I locked eyes with him.

"No..no....no.... Please let her go." he begged. I can't let him beg like that. I need him to be an animal. Not a softie.

"Listen to me Raul, you don't beg you take. And I am confident that you will come for me. Don't ever beg again if it's note you're begging." I say as they drag me away. They throw a bag on my head and spay me a substance that made me pass out.