CHAPTER 91: CONTRACEPTIVE PILL

The room was silent except for her soft, steady breathing. She lay curled beside him, her skin marked with the traces of his hands and mouth, her hair spilling over the pillow in disarray. Four in the morning and she was finally still. After he’d pushed her past the point where she could resist, past the point where she could even speak.

Theo’s gaze lingered on her face, unreadable in the dim light.

"I want to be so deep in your life you can’t pull me out," he murmured against her skin. "To take root... to grow into something you can never let go of." The words weren’t meant for her, they were a promise to himself. If she carried something of him, if he wove himself so deep into her that she could never cut him out, then no reason, no lie could make her walk away.

His fingers brushed over her stomach, a fleeting, almost unconscious touch, before he pulled the blanket higher over her shoulders.

He slid out of bed, careful not to wake her, and padded into the bathroom. The sound of water soon filled the silence, steam curling into the cool air.

As the heat soaked into his skin, his mind drifted back to the afternoon before the call from the maid, before the long drive to find her at her old house. He’d been standing at the edge of the hill, the wind tugging at his coat, staring at the sky above Julian’s grave.

It was where he always ended up when the weight in his chest grew too heavy. No one knew every time he went there, and he intended to keep it that way. Out there, surrounded by quiet stone and open sky, he could think without anyone watching, without anyone asking questions.

Back under the shower, water streaming down his face, Theo tipped his head up toward the spray. He’d thought enough. One truth remained clear, he had to keep Daisy close. Right now, losing her wasn’t an option.

It wasn’t just about her smile, or the way she filled a room without even trying. It was quieter than that, something in her that stilled the noise in his head. Around her, the heaviness in his chest didn’t vanish, but it loosened just enough for him to breathe.

He shut the water off, dragging a hand down his face. She wasn’t supposed to be his anchor. He’d told himself that a hundred times, maybe a thousand. But anchors weren’t something you chose. They just were.

And that was the problem.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, toweling his hair, the first thing he noticed was the faint shift under the blanket. Daisy stirred, her brows knitting slightly as her lips moved.

A quiet mumble slipped out, half-formed words he couldn’t quite catch. He paused, the corner of his mouth lifting despite himself.

Having her sleep beside him a few times now, he’d noticed something, she only talked in her sleep when she was exhausted. Bone-deep, lights-out kind of tired. And when she did, her voice was softer, unguarded, like she was speaking from some place far away.

"What is it this time?" He whispered to her ears the moment he reached beside the bed, crouching down he continued, "Tell me the truth, you love me right?"

Her lips moved, a faint sound slipping out, something that might’ve been his name, or maybe not.

Theo leaned in, close enough to catch the warm rhythm of her breathing. "I knew it," he murmured, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You can’t hide it from me, even in your dreams."

She gave a tiny frown in her sleep, like her mind was trying to piece together a reply.

Theo chuckled under his breath. "Go on, admit it. I’m irresistible."

For a moment, she stilled again, the quiet settling around them. He stayed there, crouched beside the bed longer than he meant to, watching her face in the soft light. The teasing grin faded, replaced by something quieter, something he didn’t like putting into words.

Finally, he straightened, pulling the blanket a little higher over her shoulder. "Sleep, Daisy," he said softly. "I’m not letting you go."

=====

The next thing Daisy knew, she was blinking at sunlight cutting across a ceiling she didn’t recognize. Her brow furrowed, her eyes still heavy.

She turned too quickly and winced in pain. "Ackk..." Closing her eyes, she gritted her teeth, one hand clutching her waist. "Damn Theo Kingsley..." she muttered under her breath.

"You know, talking bad behind your husband’s back is not very nice."

Her eyes snapped open to find Theo strolling in from the other side of the room. He sat casually at the edge of the bed, his voice unhurried. "Good morning..."

Daisy’s cheeks instantly flushed. Her gaze dropped to her body as flashes of last night rushed back.

"Oh, thank God," she breathed in relief—only to whip her head back to Theo. "We—"

"Yes," Theo cut in, nodding. "It wasn’t a dream..." He cupped her cheeks just a little too firmly, pushing her lips into a duck pout. "A very good morning." He sealed it with a light peck.

She frowned, glancing down at her nightgown before her gaze darted around, only to realize they weren’t in the same room as last night. "Where are we?"

Theo rubbed his earlobe and gave an awkward smile. "Hmm... the bed was too messy, so I brought you here. Change your clothes. Cleaned you up a little..."

Daisy immediately held up her palm to stop him. "That’s impossible. I wake up easily..."

"Maybe..." Theo leaned in casually, tapping the tip of her nose. "I exhaust you too much?"

Her cheeks flared instantly. She ducked her head, fumbled for the blanket, and pulled it over herself in a flustered mess.

From under the blanket, her thoughts scrambled, until one question hit her like a bolt. She peeked out just enough to eye him suspiciously.

"Wait... you didn’t wear anything last night, right?"

Theo blinked, then a slow grin curved his lips. "Of course I don’t wear anything. Why would I?"

"No, no— I mean protection!" She threw the blanket aside, her brows furrowing.

"Why should I wear one?" he asked back, almost casually.

The moment he said it, Daisy bolted from the bed. She dashed toward the main room, but Theo caught her wrist mid-run.

"What are you doing?"

"Move!" She slipped from his grasp, darted into the room, and yanked open her little pastel-colored medicine box she had brought from her old house.

Rummaging frantically, she finally found what she was looking for. "Got it!"

She grabbed a glass, poured water, and swallowed the pill in one go. Only then did she finally turn to face him.

"What are you doing...?" His voice was low now, his gaze sharp, his breath flaring with barely contained anger. "What did you just take?"

"Contraceptive pill," she replied casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"And why?!"