Bound by Tension
55

I re-read the message multiple times for it to sink into my head. Someone wanted to kill my Hames? Oh God. Where on Earth was he?

I quickly called his phone.

He answered the call almost immediately. "Hello?" He sounded so tired.

"Where are you?" I scrunched my face in worry.

The sound of the door opening distracted me. "I'm right here." He said.

I ended the call and threw the phone to the bed, sprinted to him, pulled him in then locked the door.

"We have to leave immediately."

"Right now?"

"If it's possible then yes."

"I already said that but we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning." He kissed my forehead.

"I received a crazy message." I held his hand and pulled him with me to grab my phone. "I just received a message from someone who said he or she wants to kill you and it'd be easier since we're in Paris."

He chuckled. "Is that some sort of joke?"

"It's not funny at all." I glared at him.

"Let me see the so-called message."

"Yeah, you'll see." I clicked on my phone messages but the message wasn't there anymore. "Uh..." I started scrolling to the bottom of all messages but it was nowhere to be found. I used the search button to search for the message, still nothing.

"Where is it?" He took the phone from me. "All I can see here are messages from your ex-boyfriends." He teased.

"This isn't a joke at all." I slapped his shoulder. "I swear there was a threatening message just a while ago." I was drowning in serious perplexion. How could the message delete on its own?

"Gosh, I'm sure it's just your imagination. Maybe you need another hour of my sweet massages and I'll definitely be honored to massage a shirtless Imogen. I'll-" he was interrupted by Faith clearing her throat.

"Sorry to interrupt. I'll leave now, I'm done with packing your bags, I have to pack mine too." She said and left after a polite bow.

Hames watched her till she left the room and shut the door.

"I'm not crazy, there was a message. It's really not funny."

"How did it delete on its own then?" He said while muffling his laughter.

"It's not a joke. Someone wants to eliminate you. Who's your recent enemy?" I said and he burst into laughter. How was he replaceing my worry anyhow funny? "Don't you trust me?" I glowered.

"Of course I trust you and I'm glad to see you care about me but no harm can befall me, I'm fully protected by my Mom's blessings, and other loved ones." He kissed my forehead. "If you'd let me, I'd like to sleep. I'm damn tired." He walked away from me and left for the bathroom after grabbing a towel.

How on Earth was he not worried about this? Gosh, who could want to harm him?

***

"Wake up, sleepyhead. We have to leave." Hames tapped me.

"I wasn't sleeping anymore, I'm just too tired to stand." I rolled, hugging a pillow to my chest.

"We have to return home, my sweetheart."

"I'm too tired to stand, really." I shut my eyes again, loving the feeling of relaxation.

I squeaked as he lifted me off the bed in a bridal style. "You've gotta get into the bathroom."

I grumbled, disliking how excessively stressed out I was. I was busy thinking and bothered about Hames' well-being and couldn't sleep till hours past midnight.

"We ought to have left earlier but this is 11am and you aren't ready to get your lazy ass up?" He shook his head.

The bathroom door was already opened so he walked in.

"Put me down, I can walk on my own." I protested but he didn't listen.

He stopped by the bathtub and gently placed me in it.

"You could've let me get rid of my clothes first." I rolled my eyes.

"You can still do that." He folded his arms across his chest.

"Get out," I pointed at the door.

"Beg me." He insisted.

I rolled my eyes and rested my head on the head of the bathtub. "I can actually sleep here, I'm still sleepy." I shut my eyes. "Sleeping all day long," "Weren't you on and on about how I'm not safe here? Yet you still want to stay longer,"

My eyes snapped open, remembering the stupid message that magically disappeared. "Oh gosh, we have to leave soon."

"Then beg me to leave. Or I can have a second morning bath with you," he winked.

"Leave, please, please. We have to leave here very soon. You're in danger. It's not like you care anyway." I rolled my eyes. He laughed and left the bathroom.

I quickly stripped my clothes from my body for a nice bath.

***

"I can't believe we're back home." I took in the sweet smell of home, spreading my arms.

"What's so unbelievable about it?" He gestured for the hefty men with our travel bags to take them upstairs.

"I don't know. It just feels like... I don't know," I waved a hand dismissively.

"Faith, please help us out with something to eat. I'm starving." He said to her.

Though her extreme tiredness could be read on her face, she nodded and started walking away but I held her back.

"Jeez, don't be such a meanie." I frowned. "She's clearly tired and starving as well. There are other Maids."

He threw his hands up in surrender. "I'm so sorry, Queen. Faith, please go to sleep or something."

"It's afternoon here," I reminded him of that.

"Oh yeah. I guess I've grown used to Paris' time because I feel kinda sleepy. My bad."

"Me too."

Faith excused herself and left while I sank into the couch, beside Hames.

"Let's watch a nice and relaxing movie then we'll resume work fully tomorrow." I suggested.

"I'd love to." He smiled but his smile slipped and he frowned. "Shit, I have to attend to something important!" He muttered cuss words to himself.

"Fine, we can watch a movie on another less busy day. Please be safe," I hugged him, resting my head on his chest.

"I'll be."

"I wonder who the hell could've sent the stupid message and you're increasing my frustration by not believing me." I smacked his chest.

He chuckled. "Of course I believe you. I love you so I have no other option than to trust you."

"That's a lie. You're not paying attention to the threat message." I hugged him tighter.

"Why are you so afraid of losing me? It's not like you care. You don't love me and haven't accepted me as your husband so it shouldn't make a difference to you whether or not I die today or tomorrow."

For some reason, his words pissed me off really badly. I untangled myself from him, shooting daggers at him with my eyes. "So you think I'd be happy if you died?"

"I didn't say that. I'm simply saying that if you don't love your husband then if he dies, you can easily move on. Plus, I'm not scared of death. Except my mother who would be broken, and Kade and Amanda, I don't think anyone else should care. At least we don't have children or any special bond together, so you have the best chance to move on and replace someone way better that you'd love." He shrugged.

"Are you out of your mind?" Rage had built up in me. "Do you think I'm such a terrible person and would forget you? Oh, just like that?"

"I know you're not terrible but you can easily move on." He stated matter of factly.

"And where would I replace a new Hames? Who on Earth can replace you and love me so much?"

"I'm replaceable to you."

I furiously rose to my feet. "You're pissing me off."

"I don't see any reason to be pissed off, I'm only being truthful. We both know you don't love me."

"Wow," I huffed. "At least we're friends, right? How'd a friend forget-just stop talking about you dying because you're not!" I yelled.

"Please calm down." He drew his eyebrows in askance. "I think you're overreacting."

"No special bond?" I scoffed. "So this marriage is just a joke to you?"

"We both know that's not true."

"Then how isn't it a special bond? I'll be a widow, then what, marry someone else immediately after losing my husband?" I pointed my index finger at him. "If you die, I swear I'll kill you."

I stormed out of the living room and to our bedroom.

"Stupid Hames. He mentioned his mother, Kade and stupid Amanda? Am I an emotionless freak that'd be happy if he died?"

My heart was swelling with hurt; how could he think I was heartless? Did he think I hated him enough to not care if he died?

I had to stop thinking of it. I was going to protect him if he wasn't going to protect himself.

***

"Rock, paper, scissors!" I said and burst into laughter after winning this round again.

Nikita and Lila had come for a sleepover. They hadn't picked on each other since they arrived, they seemed to be getting along. I didn't know whether to be happy about it or scared. We were playing rock, paper, scissors with Faith, and I just won against Faith, being the final winner again.

"Fine, fine, you're good at it." Lila rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I agree." Nikita and Faith added.

"Dear wife of her husband, you promised to cook for me so do so. Remember you don't break your promises and that isn't changing, right?"

"It isn't." I rolled my eyes. "Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

"Nope." All three of them said in unison, popping the 'p' then burst into laughter.

"Faith, you too?" I pouted.

"I'd love to taste the boss' cooking." She winked.

"Let's watch a movie till she's done." Nikita said.

"You'd watch a movie without me?"

"Who cares about your presence before watching a movie?" Lila asked rhetorically and they laughed again.

"You're all teaming up against me. This is a reason I should be scared of you three being a team. I might have to break it." I joked and rose to my feet from the floor, storming out of the house. "Whoa, look at that big round ass. Hames must surely love having his hands there all day and night long. Give me some of it, baby." Nikita commented.