Nineteen

When my men informed me that the council had assigned someone to follow Ruby, my heart skipped a beat. The council's brutal treatment of Witches was well-known, and the thought of Ruby falling victim to their wrath terrified me.

Without wasting a moment, I instructed my men to keep an even closer watch on her and to report immediately if they noticed anything suspicious.

A few days later, I found myself alone with Ruby at work. As she leaned in to show me something on her computer, I couldn't resist inhaling the sweet and floral scent of her perfume. It intoxicated me, momentarily distracting my thoughts.

"Tyler, are you okay?" she asked, furrowing her brows with concern.

Shaking my head, I forced myself to refocus. "Sorry, I'm just a bit distracted today. How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing fine," she replied with a smile. "Thanks for asking."

Guilt washed over me as I considered the danger she was unknowingly in. "Listen, Ruby, I need to tell you something."

Her smile faltered. "What is it?"

I hesitated, contemplating whether to disclose everything to her. However, the presence of the council's spies reminded me of the risks involved.

"I... I just wanted to make sure you're being careful," I lamely said.

Curiosity flashed in her eyes as she tilted her head. "Careful? What do you mean?"

"There are dangerous people out there," I stated, attempting to sound convincing. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

She regarded me with suspicion. "Tyler, are you trying to tell me something? Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, it's nothing. Just... just be careful, okay?"

"Okay," she said, her gaze still fixed on me with doubt.

As we went our separate ways, I knew I needed to take action to ensure Ruby's safety. The thought of her being harmed was unbearable, especially since I had developed deep feelings for her.

That night, I called a meeting with my men. "We need to enhance Ruby's security," I declared, pacing back and forth. "The council has spies observing her, and we can't allow them to get close."

"What do you want us to do?" one of my men inquired.

"I want two of you to be with her at all times," I firmly commanded. "And I want regular updates on anything suspicious. We cannot afford to let our guard down."

Over the following days, I watched as my men diligently carried out my instructions. They became like shadows, always present but ready to strike if anything went wrong.

Then, one day, I found myself alone with Ruby again. We stood outside the office, waiting for the elevator.

"Tyler, can I ask you something?" she suddenly spoke up.

"Of course," I replied, my heart pounding in anticipation.

"Do you... do you ever think about us? About what might happen between us?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Hope surged within me. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you ever wonder what it would be like if we were together?" she continued, nibbling on her lip.

My palms began to sweat, but I managed to respond, "Yeah, I do."

"And... what do you think?" she inquired, her eyes searching mine.

"I think I care about you a lot," I confessed, my voice lowering. "And I want to protect you. That's why I've been acting so strangely lately. I can't take any chances when it comes to your safety."

Her expression softened. "Tyler, you don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," I said, reaching out to take her hand. "But I still want to protect you. Because... because I love you."

The words spilled out before I could stop them, but as soon as they were out, I knew they were true. I had been denying my feelings for Ruby for far too long, and now that they were out in the open, I couldn't deny them any longer.

Surprise widened her eyes. "You... you love me?"

"Yes," I nodded. "I love you, Ruby. More than I ever thought possible."

For a moment, we stood there, locked in a gaze. Then, without another word, she leaned in and kissed me.

The kiss started softly, but soon grew more passionate with each passing second. I enveloped her in my arms, drawing her closer, and we kissed like that for what felt like hours.

When we finally pulled away, both of us were breathless. "Wow," Ruby said, grinning. "I had no idea you felt the same way."

"I do," I replied, grinning back. "And I promise, I'll do everything in my power to protect you. No matter what."

She leaned in for another kiss. "I know you will."

As we stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace, I knew I had made the right choice. I would do whatever it took to keep Ruby safe. And I would love her fiercely and completely for the rest of our lives.