Chapter 74 Beautiful Mistakes {8}
Ryder followed behind her as she led the way out of the room they both shared. He observed he was under the scrutiny of the bare-chested men who were training outside.
"Have they never seen you with a man before?" Ryder cleared his throat, taking brisk steps to sync into her steps.
"Never. Not men that I make out with. Except while I train."
He should have felt pleased with himself, for having Tee to himself but something in his stomach knotted.
Tiana was no ordinary spy.
"What sort of spy are you?" He asked as they rounded up the corner.
The land ahead of them stretched, several war equipments lay on one side of the field while the background echoed with songs of training.
Ryder had thought the war was over, but here he was perched in the enemy's territory and awarded a visual into their very own world.
"They do not like you here." Tiana swung around to catch a glimpse of Jardon looking at them.
Ryder directed his gaze to where she was looking. "Who's he, the big guy?"
"He's Jardon, the general most trusted advisor, but not to worry. He can do nothing to you," her lips curled up as she turned away.
She was avoiding the talk about herself, jumping amongst pieces of rocks like a little girl.
"I still don't get it, Tee. I thought we were winning the war. But this doesn't look like it, I wish to return to my people...,"
She flinched then swung herself around to look at him. "Back to your people? You would be killed at first glance."
"At least I would have the opportunity to amend all wrongs." He shrugged.
"Are you nuts, Ryder? Since my people dream of slicing your throat, they can't because of me. And you want to return to your soldiers? Do you think you are special? Have you no idea what magnitude of offense you've committed?" Her eyes blazed.
"I don't need to be reminded, Tee. Look around me, this is not where I belong." He continued.
"You are just a stupid soldier," she moved close to him.
"Who are you, Tee? Tell me who you are?"
She smirked, "how does that matter to what we're saying?"
"It does matter. You've been avoiding replying to this particular question." He met her gnarl.
They were silent for a minute, oblivious of the back stares darting behind them. Ryder scoffed, then started towards the tent which they'd come out from.
"Thank you for everything, Tiana. I believe I would be given passage to leave," he waved his hand at her.
She was visibly pissed. Why was he not seeing that she was trying to protect him, from her people and from his people?
She pulled out the Glock-19 pocketed behind her and directed it at him. "If you can't think, l will make you think. Move one foot ahead and I wouldn't hesitate to blow your brains out." Her voice was harsh.
Ryder turned and froze as his face paled. Hadn't they made love some minutes ago? Had she scammed him into believing that the little thing they both shared had been nothing?
His stomach churned, she was only a soldier - just like him.
"You wouldn't shoot, will you?" His hands were raised over his head.
She approached him, directing the gun to his face at a remarkable position. "Try me," she intoned.
This time, his heart was raging wildly. What was going on here?
As she drew nearer to him, he was quick to reach out and drag the pistol from her hand. Her knee hit his groin in an attempt to shield herself but he didn't let go of the gun.
They began to struggle for the object, whilst Ryder tried to dodge her kicks and punches.
The men who had been training halted to watch them from a distance. Someone intended to walk towards them but Jardon stopped him, they must watch it to the end.
Ryder had the opportunity to kick the gun away from them as it flew in the air, and she shoved him backward for doing so.
"This war is meaningless you know? But it probably doesn't matter, I might die out here after all," he rasped breathlessly.
She didn't reply him, and for that, he grabbed her face and forced his mouth on hers.
Jardon had a shocked expression when he noticed that Tiana kissed Ryder back. Hadn't they been fighting? How had they moved from arguing to fighting, and then to almost tearing their clothes up?
Jardon turned away, leaving his men slightly amused by his actions.
Finally, Tiana broke their kiss - out of breath.
"We are outside," she said into his mouth.
"I do not mind," he grabbed her up and continued kissing her until they arrived at the tent.
Her heart must have melted a million times. The way he claimed her despite her colleagues watching them.
"I'm in love with you, Tee," he broke the kiss as he shamelessly revealed when he planted her on her bed.
"The times we spent together have greatly endangered my heart," he added, meeting her gaze.
Her lips were slightly apart, and the expression on her face was that of a shock. She had never seen a man like Ryder Jenkins, a man despite the warring songs lingering in the air was still professing his love for her.
Perhaps, if they weren't enemies, they would have made a great couple.
As if reading her mind, he said, "I want so much more with you, Tee, and that is what I am afraid of. You're smart, intelligent, and sharp for a girl....,"
"You said I was the same age as your younger brother," she recalled while she smiled in his arms.
He gave a throaty laugh, "I did say so."
"How old is he?" Her curious eyes peered up at him.
"He's turning 20. You both look exactly alike with your statures," his lips stretched further in a wider smile.
"I thought your brother was in the army..," her words drawled to a stop when he shook his head.
"My mother's greatest fear is not seeing me ever again, so she wouldn't want all of her sons in the army." He didn't believe he was giving out too much information about himself when she scarcely even opened up to him.
"If the war is over, I would want you to meet my mother and my brother," he couldn't stop himself from smiling.
She tore his shirt away as she leaned forward to kiss him. "How about you meet my dad as well?"
The question left him shunned into silence. But his lips quirked up smiling. She was opening up to him, finally.
"Who is your father?"
"He's the general of the Kaelin Empire," she replied.
First, his eyes bulged and he tore himself away from her body. This was why she was holding so much back. This was the reason why.
"Is that why I haven't seen him yet?" His voice was low.
"He'll be back any moment from now. Jardon reached out to him." She replied.
"I don't get it, Tiana. You hid the fact that you're the general's daughter all this while. Making me believe we had something special going on." He raked a hand on his face.
"We do have something going on, that was why I wanted you to meet him," she pushed herself up to a standing position.
"Like this, Tee? I am not just any man, Tiana. I am your enemy," he slapped a punch into his hand.
"It doesn't matter, my dad would understand what I want," she assured him.
The tent door flipped open and a bigger man walked in, no one needed to explain to Ryder that this was Tiana's father.
"Dad?" Tiana called out in surprise. "I thought you'd be back by dusk."
"I'm aware we have a visitor," The general's eyes settled on Ryder who had taken a step backward.
This was where his fate would be determined, and whatever happened - he hoped to come out alive.
"Why the face young man? Come out here, let's talk man to man," the grey-haired general put in.