Justin drove to Rosalie’s office to fetch her before she knocked off.
He drove very carefully and slowly, doing all he could to prevent any accidents.
Justin suddenly noticed a car following behind him.
Whenever he turned a corner, the car would do the same. Whenever he slowed down, the car would slow down, too.
Justin started tensing up. He furrowed his brows and tightened his hold over the steering wheel.
Just then, the car turned a corner and drove into another road, disappearing into the sea of cars.
Justin started to relax.
Perhaps he was overthinking things. He kept having this feeling that someone was following him.
He felt the same way in the cafe and on the road.
Perhaps it was an occupational hazard due to who he was. He always felt as though everyone around him was an enemy, and his guard would be up with any slight movement.
Now that he was in Blencalgo with Rosalie, he couldn’t be living in the past. He had to become an ordinary man.
After work, Rosalie left the office and saw Justin crouching on the steps outside the building, smoking.
Rosalie heaved a sigh of relief at his back view. It was great to be able to see him right after work.
She ran toward him, wanting to scare him for fun. When she neared him, she slowed down and then suddenly hugged him from behind.
Justin reacted fast as he stood up, all ready to fling Rosalie over his shoulders. But upon smelling that light fragrance from her, he pulled her into his embrace quick as lightning, right at the moment she shrieked. He had almost thrown her on the ground.
Rosalie’s face went deathly pale with shock. “Justin.”
Justin was at a loss for what to do. He pulled her tight into his arms and gently rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. Did I scare you just now?”
Justin’s cigarette had dropped on the ground, long forgotten. It was still lit, the ashes flying southwards with the wind.
Although Rosalie was shocked, she could understand Justin’s reaction given who he was in the past. She had been too careless and forgot about that when she tried to scare him.
“Justin, I’m fine. So sorry about that. I wanted to scare you for fun, but I didn’t think…I won’t do that again.”
“No, Rose, it’s my fault,” Justin said as he buried his head in her neck. “I
overreacted and almost hurt you. I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time.”
He would try his best to correct his aggressive stress response. He didn’t want to hurt Rosalie. If he kept reacting this way over the littlest things, it was only a matter of time before Rosalie got hurt.
“Justin,” Rosalie said as he pushed him away gently and cupped his face in her palms. “You no longer need to live that life of the past. You’re with me now and I hope feel a sense of security. I’ll give you everything I can.”
Rosalie’s heartfelt confession touched Justin. “Silly, why are you so good to me? You’ll spoil me, really.”
“That’s what you do to me too,” Rosalie said as she leaned her cheek against his chest. “You’re mine from now on.”
Justin smiled tenderly and caressed the back of her neck. “Yes, I’m yours. You have to take responsibility for me.”
“I will,” Rosalie looked up and smiled playfully. “I’ll take responsibility for you daily until you can’t stand it anymore.”
Justin pinched the tip of her nose tenderly. “I’ll see how you do that.”
He hauled Rosalie up in his arms. “Darling, let’s go home.”
Rosalie curled up in his arms like a babe, feeling safe and secure in his embrace. “Yes, let’s go home.”