CHAPTER THRITY-ONE

"Thomas," I stare at him with wider eyes than saucers. I can't believe he is here. I never thought he would come. Why did he come? I place my trembling hand on his face to ensure he is real. I won't be surprised if I am hallucinating right now. I hear you see the person you love the most in the world before you die.

"It's me, amore," He says, placing his hand above mine. I feel the warmth from his hand penetrate mine. I quickly remove my hand from his face like his heat burns my skin.

Thomas is here, oh my God, Thomas is here. He must be furious with me for running away. I begin to back away from him and put as much distance as possible between us, even though that's hard since I am already backed up by the wall. Thomas is here to kill me.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to run away; I had to."

"I know, you don't have to apologize" Thomas tries to touch me as I try to force my body into the wall behind me.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to. I needed to."

"I know Mi amore; I know everything" Thomas gently strokes my hair as I bury my head between my legs. If there is anyone I fear more than James in this world, it's Thomas. I know the torture I faced at the hands of James is nothing compared to what Thomas would do to me now that he has found me.

"Please lift your head, amore" Thomas uses a tone to speak to me that I haven't heard in months. It was how he used to talk to me when we were together. I lift my head and stare at him. His eyes show no trace of the usual hatred I have become accustomed to these past few months; instead, they hold something different. Something I haven't seen since the day I left him. They hold love in them. How is that possible?

"How?" I ask, confused about what is going on

"I will explain everything if you would come with me" He puts out his hand. I look between his hand and eyes. His eyes are not lying, and he is not forcing me to come with him. He is asking me. Is this heaven? Am I already dead?

I stare at his hand for a good minute before trusting the look in his eyes. They tell me he is sincere, and they never lie. With shaky hands, I take his hand and put mine in them. Thomas helps me stand up and stares at me.

"I am so happy to have you back, Mi amore; I have so much I need to say to you" Thomas pulls me into his arms and hugs me tight. A wince escapes my lips as he does this.

"I am so sorry, I forgot what that bastard did to you" he removes his hands from around my body and places them on my arms. His eyes are filled with remorse for causing me pain. I don't say a word because I don't even know what to say. I am too shocked to speak.

"I promise you this, Melina" Thomas stares deeply into my eyes, "I will find that bastard and make him pay for every single thing he did to you" he alters every word with great determination. I can't hear a single trace of a lie in his words.

"Let's go home" Thomas places my hands around his neck and lifts me off the ground. I wrap my legs around his waist, and the blanket placed on me falls down, but someone quickly picks it up. They cover me up again. I bury my head in the crook of his neck, and his intoxicating scent fills my nostril. My soul suddenly feels at peace as I continue to inhale his scent. He begins to walk out of the room, but before we step out. I lift my head to ask him to get Franky but don't once I see someone already holding her in their arms.

"Thank you," I tell Leo as he holds Franky in his arms.

I drop my head back down and allow my eyes to close. I am so exhausted and not just physically but also mentally. I don't even know how I am still sane right now.

***

I open my eyes and find myself in a strange room. I don't remember how I got here. The last thing I remember was falling asleep in Thomas's arms. I look around the room to try and figure out where I am. I am in a bed, lying face down. I place my palm out beside my body and try to lift myself off the bed but fail. When I tried to move a little, my back hurt like hell. I move my hand to my back and gently touch it. My hand comes in contact with something other than my skin. I feel a bandage on my back. Thomas must have gotten my back wound treated. I am not surprised he did. Thomas had me treated after Kimberly tortured me. I am happy I might not be in any physical pain when Thomas begins to get back at me for running away. I snap out of my thoughts once I feel parched. I look around me to find a glass of water. There is, but it's a little far away from me.

"Hello, anyone out there. Please, I need help" I hope someone is outside who can help me. I wait for a minute before I call for someone again. I don't know how long I have been calling for help, but I believe it has been for quite a while because my throat is sorer. I give up getting help and try to reach for the glass of water myself.

Making a wince with every bit of movement I make, I stretch my body as durable as possible in my state and try to reach for the glass of water. I feel it at the tip of my fingers, and as I am about to grab the cup, my hand cramps and knocks the cup off the table. The cup falls to the ground, emptying itself as it shatters into pieces.

"Melina, are you awake?" A voice familiar to me says from the door. I don't have to bother looking towards the entrance to know it's Thomas. He walks over to me by the bed.

"Yes"

"Were you trying to get a glass of water?" Thomas asks, looking at the spilled water and broken cup on the ground.

"Yes, please, could you help me."

"Of course, give me a minute to get another cup" Thomas turns around and walks back out.

"Thank you," I say before he walks out.

I don't wait long before Thomas comes back with a new cup. He fills it with water from the jug on the table. I outstretch my hand to collect the cup, but Thomas doesn't give it to me. He places my hand back on the bed and sets the cup at the entrance of my mouth. I don't put my mouth on the cup as expected; instead, I stare at Thomas, confused. I can't believe he is helping me. He has been behaving really strangely since we met and I don't know why. I know helping me drink water isn't something serious, but after what Thomas has done to me, any type of kindness towards me makes me fear that something might be wrong with him.

"Here," he pushes the cup closer to my mouth. I open my mouth and drink the water.

My eyes stay locked on Thomas as he helps me hold the cup. I don't take my eyes off him even as he takes the cup away from my mouth and places it back on the table. Thomas notices me staring at him instead of asking me to take my eyes away before he plucks them out. He smiles at me. I blink my eyes twice to make sure I saw his dimple. I remember Thomas behaving nicely towards me when he found me, but a small part of me believed it was a hallucination. Unfortunately or fortunately, I don't know which it should be, but it was real. Thomas is genuinely behaving nicely towards me.

"Who are you?" The words leave my mouth before I can even think about returning them.

"Huh"

"Who are you? You are not Thomas" I shake my head in disbelief and stare down at the man before me. Even the aura around him is calm. Of course, he has his dangerous aura, but I don't feel shaken as he stands close to me.

"It's me, Melina" Thomas takes a seat beside my bed. He grabs my hand accessible to him and stares into my eyes. My brows pull together as I stare into his eyes. His gaze is so soft that I wonder if I am dreaming. Is it possible for Thomas to ever gaze at me in such a way again?

"This must be a dream" I pull my hand away from his.

"It is not Melina,"

"What changed?"

"I finally learned the truth."

"Which truth"

"The truth you have been telling me since I found you in that restaurant."

"What" My eyes are wide as a saucer as I stare at Thomas in disbelief. Is he telling me he believes everything I have been telling him? How is that possible? Did something happen while I was gone? The next thing that happens shocks me to the bones. My breathing seizes as I watch Thomas stand up from the chair, drop on his knees and say the words I never thought I would hear him speak.

"Melina, I am deeply sorry for everything I have done to you. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I truly regret everything I have done to you. Please find it in your heart to forgive me."

My mouth hangs open as I watch Thomas beg for my forgiveness on his knees. Somebody pinch me, please.