Chapter 88
“…For now, everyone go back and do your own thing,” Thelma commanded, belatedly coming to her senses. After the workers scattered, Thelma chuckled to herself.
On his way here, Rashid must have heard about the Grand Elder and the monster hunter. It was strange to see him like this, knowing that there was so much to discuss. He was never one to put things off.
On the one hand, she was relieved. It was as if she had finally been relieved of a heavy burden on her shoulders.
Thelma sighed softly.
Okay, I’ll just have to get everything ready and wait for him to come out of his room.
With that thought, Thelma turned on her heel.
***
Rosetta followed after him, clasping his hand. The last time they had walked hand-in-hand, he had managed to keep a good pace, but now he was walking at a brisk pace with his long legs. She had to almost run to keep up with him.
“Rashid, what on earth did you just say in front of everyone, are you crazy?”
He continued in silence, heading for his room, and when he finally reached it, he slammed the door, pushed her against the wall, and kissed her passionately.
She was stunned. She was already out of breath from all the running she’d done to get here, but with his mouth on her, she couldn’t breathe. She moaned and slammed her hands down on his back. “I’m going to choke to death!” she screamed, and suddenly her body lifted upward.
Rashid walked toward the bed, one hand supporting Rosetta’s buttocks. The kisses didn’t stop pouring in, and his other hand fumbled with the laces that held her clothes together. Rosetta was momentarily dazed.
Why is he in such a hurry? It’s not like anyone is chasing him from behind, so why?
Within a few steps, the fluffy bedding brushed against her back. Rashid pushed Rosetta onto the bed, and this time he immediately lifted her skirt.
Rosetta grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands, which was quickly rolled up to her thighs, and shouted.
“Rashid, wait….”
“No. I need you right now.”
The man who had stopped everything as soon as Rosetta gave the slightest hesitation was no longer there. What happened to his great self-control? What the hell is happening now?
Rashid smiled down at Rosetta, who was still blinking in disbelief.
“I told you, I’d give you a proper hug in the right place.”
So when he said he’d hug me in the right place, he meant…. Did he mean something other than that we would make love like normal lovers, in a bedroom, not in some weird place? Why is he so insistent on hugging me properly….
“Ah!”
Rosetta squealed in surprise as he suddenly nibbled the tip of her nose, and Rashid looked at her wide-eyed, like she was trying to figure out what the hell he was doing.
“Now stop thinking about other things and focus on me.”
He grabbed Rosetta’s face and kissed her. He held her face and kissed her hotly, caressing her as he had last night.
Unlike her, he was still fully clothed, and that made her feel strange. The feel of the fabric against her bare skin was overly stimulating.
As she soaked up the sensations he was giving her, she suddenly realized that she wanted to give back to him what she had received. Wouldn’t it make him feel better if I could do the same for him?
She stroked his back gently, a little clumsily. Then she dared to kiss the skin exposed through the collar of his shirt.
Rashid reacted quickly to Rosetta’s aggressiveness and made a face as if he couldn’t take it anymore.
Oh, this man can make that face.
Rosetta lifted her gaze and looked at his face, which she hadn’t been able to see last night. The way he closed his eyes, parted his lips slightly, inhaled deeply, and exhaled again was the most sensual thing she had ever seen. Not even a marble statue in the image of God had ever been so beautiful.
Rosetta realized she was the only woman in the world who had ever seen this expression of his. Who could have imagined that the usually blunt man would look like this in bed?
Rashid suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Rosetta with a blazing gaze.
He said in a threatening tone, “Next time I’ll tie your hands. I tried to be really gentle this time….”
“Ouch!”
Rosetta screamed, and this time it really hurt. He bit down on the nape of her neck. Unlike earlier, when he’d only bitten the tip of her nose, this was like a fierce beast trying to subdue its prey by snapping its neck. Just when she thought she might actually be eaten by him, he lunged.
“Ah!”
Rosetta threw her arms around him. She still felt some of last night’s pain, but her desire to be with him again was stronger. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, then gently pressed his lips to hers.
“…Are you okay?”
Rosetta nodded. He stole a tiny droplet of water from the tip of her lashes to his lips, then began to move very slowly.
Unlike last night, which had been hasty and somewhat rough, Rashid was constantly showering her with kisses and stroking her face. Rosetta hugged his neck and kept her eyes locked with him throughout their lovemaking.
“Rashid….”
Rashid smiled so sweetly when Rosetta said his name and smiled prettily. He muttered something roughly in Ardennes, then became more aggressive.
The slow, steady buildup of heat was coming to an end. Rosetta cried out, a mixture of extreme pleasure and an unknown fear.
Why am I crying now? I don’t know. I’m so happy and so scared at the same time.
I really want nothing more than to be with him. What if we break up? What then?
Will I be able to live without him?
“I love you, Rosetta.”
He whispered to her as they reached the end, the words she needed to hear over and over again. At the same time, Rosetta felt the exquisite sensation of soaring high and falling low. Her whole body was tingling and shaking violently.
When it was all over, Rashid collapsed on top of Rosetta, both of them drenched in sweat. Neither had the strength to lift a finger. Rosetta closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his body.
After a few moments, he slowly raised himself again, and she saw Rashid’s smiling face in front of her.
“The good times are over, Rosetta, you can’t sleep now.”
A very wicked-looking grin curved his mouth, and unbelievably, he was even more energized than before.
Rosetta thought as she was once again devoured by him. I’ve just stirred up something I shouldn’t have.
***
There was a long line of people outside the city gate. The recent increase in trade between Edirne and the rest of the world had brought many people to the city, some to sell goods, some to buy goods to sell back to the rest of the world, and some to find work, and the place was bustling from morning to evening.
The guards at the gate had two jobs. One was to prohibit the entry of weapons other than swords for self-defense, and the other was to weed out suspicious people, especially those who appeared to be suffering from the plague, or who were of strong build and had practiced martial arts for a long time.
[Hey, there!]
A man caught the guard’s eye. The caped man stood at least two meters tall and had a solid body that was not hidden by his clothes. He was probably a foreigner, judging by the light color of his eyes.
[You, where are you from? What are you doing here?]
The man didn’t move his mouth in response to the guard’s questions. He was suspicious. As the guard was about to remove his hood with another question, he suddenly heard a baby crying.
[Honey, we should go together. Come on, I have an urgent matter.]
A young woman was rushing over with a baby in her arms. She stopped beside the man and slapped him on the forearm. Then she looked at the guard and began to mutter.
[This baby is so impatient, just like his father. He’s been crying for a diaper change since he pooped, and the line is endless. He’s going to wet his pants in the street. Oh, what should I do, should I just change him here?]
As the woman reached for the baby’s diaper, the guard quickly motioned for her to go inside.
[Oh, okay, go in!]
[Oh, thank you!]
The woman smiled broadly and grabbed the man and led him away. The man, who had been standing like a stone, finally walked into the gate with the woman.
A man with his wife and infant child couldn’t possibly be suspicious. The guard thought to himself and called out ahead.
[Next!]
As soon as Allen was out of the guard’s line of sight, he stopped walking and turned to Rosie.
“Rosie, who is that baby?”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
“I saw you get caught by the guard, so I grabbed a random baby in front of me.”
Allen’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
“And where’s his mom? Shouldn’t she be looking for him right now?”
“She’ll come if we wait here. Oh, that must be the baby’s mom.”
A woman charged in like a raging bull. Rosie very casually handed the baby to Allen. Not knowing why, Allen’s cheeks burned as he held the baby.
[———!]
The woman who slapped Allen on the cheek took the baby away and started yelling a string of probably swear words at him. Finally, after spitting on the ground, the woman disappeared with the baby.