Chapter 270

Chapter 270
I was lost in thought as I traced my thumb over the tattoo on my ring finger. At the base of the finger were the initials T.X.D followed by an infinity sign. On the side was the word Bond, and my thoughts trailed over to the fresh tattoo beneath my left boob. I'd gotten the love of my life's name tattooed there, and on that day, we made a promise to each other.

We promised till death do us apart, which is why I need to succeed with this mission so that I can have a life with my husband.

It was crazy, and it was spur of the moment. My emotions were high, but I knew there and then that I didn't want to wait anymore, so I asked Jason if he was ordained, and by our luck, he is. He married us first before we got the tattoos, and that day, I changed my last name to Demetriou.

However, my husband doesn't know another part of the reason why I wanted to change my last name so badly.

The Izzy name is one that sickens me if we're being completely honest. The more memories I get, the more I realize just how much I hate it. I hate especially the dynamic I have with my family. The more my memories come back, the more they bring with them the hurt, the anger and the hatred.

Xander is my chance at a clean slate.

As I stared up at the luxurious ceiling above me, I thought about him. I couldn't have asked for a better way for us to get married because that night was so special. To me, what matters is the connection we had on that particular night, and of course the fact that I would never choose anyone else over him.

I don't think anyone noticed the tattoos, or at least they didn't notice mine. They've probably noticed his by now and asked a million questions, but I doubt he'll tell them the truth. He'll probably make up some story about how we wanted to have a piece of each other in the midst of the madness.

I remember the tears that rushed to my eyes when he took off his t-shirt and asked Jason to add my name to the tattoo on his chest. Just above my name, and below the 'A', was Thales', Aziel and my aunt's names, also recently tattooed.

He told me that I deserved to be there with the people closest to his heart.

I joked and asked him where he would put our kids' names, and he said he would just have a different tattoo for each one of them. He proceeded to get a tattoo of a small flower in the middle of his chest.

I wiped away the tears that had escaped as I heard footsteps approaching the room. My whole body was sore and it felt heavy. I was hot and cold at the same time, which is why I had my leg out but the blanket covered me all the way up to my shoulders.

"Wake up sleeping beauty," Lane said softly.

"No," I whined, hiding under the blanket.

He laughed. "Come on Lillian. You have to eat something so that you can take your medication."

He's been calling me Lillian and I Okayed it since I told him that my full name is Elizabeth.

And no, the irony of his chosen nickname didn't die on me.

"I don't want to move Lane. Everything hurts," I complained.

"I know it does, but it will be better once you've had medication. I've cancelled all my meetings for the day just to take care of you," he informed.

My head popped out from under the blanket. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know. I wanted to. Now, are you going to stop being stubborn?" he asked.

"No," I replied, making him laugh again.

"Don't make me tickle you out of bed," he threatened.

"You wouldn't," I said, slightly terrified.

I may have let it slip that I hate being tickled.

He shrugged. "If you continue to be stubborn, I'm going to."

"Alright fine you meanie! I'm up," I huffed as I forced my aching bones up.

"Let it be noted that I warned you about staying in that wet dress," he commented as he put the tray on my lap.

"No one likes people who say I told you so Lane," I countered.

"It's a good thing that I don't care much for being liked then," he retorted.

I looked at him through my lashes as I sipped the coffee he'd brought. "Sounds like there's a sad back-story to that statement."

"I used to be a completely different person a few years ago. I used to seek validation from people who didn't care about me, and once I realized that I was alone in this world, I stopped caring about people and what they have to say about me," he explained.

"Who hurt you Lane?" I asked softly, feigning concern.

"Just a bunch of people who I thought were my friends until they screwed me over, but it doesn't matter. That part of my life is where it's meant to be in the past," he said, anger heavy in his tone.

I reached out and squeezed his hand. "You have to forgive them; not for them but for you."

"Forgiveness is earned, and none of them have cared enough to bother reaching out to me and apologizing for ruining my life," he said.

"I apologize for them then," I found myself saying.

"Why? You don't even know who they are, what they did and if they deserve forgiveness to begin with," he pointed out.

"True, but I see what it's doing to you. I see the hurt in your eyes, and that's a kind of hurt no one should have to live with," I replied.