"I can't go alone. You have to come with me!" Calhoun was saying as he paced around the room. Ariana remained silent. She was lost in thoughts of her own and she had no reply to give Calhoun yet.
"If I have to go for this business trip, then you have to come with me. I can't leave you here all alone?" He repeated, as he came to stand right in front of her. He tilted her head upward so he could stare deep into her eyes.
How could his grandfather not see the love he had in his heart for Ariana? Or the love Ariana had in her eyes for him?
"Ariana, pack up," he said with determination in his voice. He had made up his mind and he wouldn't go back on it. He couldn't leave Ariana alone with his family. Only the heavens could tell what they would do to her in his absence!
But as he moved towards the wardrobe they had finished unpacking their clothes in earlier, he felt Ariana's soft fingers resist his pull. He turned back with a questioning glare dancing on his face. His gaze moved from her fingers around his arm and then slowly up to her eyes.
Ariana shook her head softly as she stared back at him, "baby, I can't."
"What do you mean by you can't?" Calhoun replied even more confused. To him this was a very simple matter. He was leaving on a business trip and she was coming with him. "We can try this madness when i get back honey. Come on," he insisted and tried to pull her off the bed; yet she resisted still.
"Your grandfather will be very angry with you—" Ariana started to say but he didn't even let her finish.
"I don't care if he gets angry with you! I don't care because it will have zero impact!" Calhoun roared.
His voice shook Ariana up and her fears rose on her face. It broke Calhoun and he immediately understood that he was starting to go too far. He went down on his scarf and held her hands gently. "I am sorry baby. I am sorry for raising my voice at you but... I promised to take care of you. I can't leave you with my family. We promised to do this together and now, he is purposefully sending me away on an impromptu business trip, just so they'll have you in their traps. I don't want them to hurt you. Ariana, they'll —"
This time it was Ariana stopping him from speaking with a finger on his lips. "Calhoun, I understand everything you are saying. And I know that all of these isn't your fault. I also know that you will never let anyone hurt me. But babe, I want to do this," Ariana whispered in a voice that sent chills of pleasure down Calhoun's spine.
"I want you family to like me too. I want them to understand how much I love you and not your name or your money... please, let me stay," she begged. "At least, if it doesn't work out, we'll both know we tried."
Calhoun couldn't refuse her anything especially when she sounded like this. He heaved a heavy sigh but remained on his position. A thousand thoughts were running through his head yet nothing stayed long enough for him to hold on to. She was right though, running off wasn't the solution, they had to try. But he was scared.
"What if they do something to you and you disappear on me, what do I do then?" Calhoun's voice had become husky as he held on to Ariana's fingers. Meeting her in that bar that first night was a miracle, if he lost her, how could he ever get her back?
Ariana smiled and squeezed his hands.
"I promise to call you everyday and if I have to give up, I'll surely let you know before disappearing." She was smiling even deeper now but Calhoun couldn't drive away the fear.
Seeing the look in his eyes, Ariana fell into laughter and pulled him up. She placed a soft kiss on his lips and held his face between her palms. "I am never disappearing on you, Calhoun."
Calhoun pulled her head closer and placed a deeper kiss on her lips. All his emotions could only be let out in that one act. Starting over was never an option when he had decided to take Ariana for himself. He loved her with his entire life and thoughts of ever losing her broke him.
"Promise me that you won't ever leave me..." He whispered against her lips with his eyes closed and his fingers running through her lustre hair.
Ariana kissed his nose and smiled sweetly at him. The butterflies in her stomach had long been transformed into dragons. The love Calhoun had for her was magical, how could she ever disappear on him?
"Promise me Ariana," Calhoun insisted.
"You own my heart Calhoun. Where can I go without it?" She stated with sincerity in her voice. "I promise you Calhoun, that no matter what your family does or says to me, I will remain here till you return. And if they send me out, well, I have our house key right here."
At this point Calhoun felt like a large burden had been lifted from his heart. He pulled her closer and held her in place. Ariana was truly the best thing that had happened to him. He would have continued living like some cold statue of he hadn't met her thay faithful night.
"If it ever gets too bad, don't wait for them to send you out. Go on home, okay?" He whispered into her hair.
Ariana simply nodded her head as she held on to him too. She didn't know when he would be back from the trip grandfather was sending him to, so she had to take in as much of him as she could. The days ahead were going to be tough, but she would survive them knowing that Calhoun was by her side —even in the distance.