What came next should have been a love story. And it was. That was the cruelest part.
The memory shifted leaving Dexmon standing in a courtyard at sunset.
Asher stood in the courtyard outside Natalia's guest quarters, holding a bouquet of roses. His hair was wet, his clothes were clean, and there was a bruise forming along his jaw that he wasn't hiding.
She opened the door and startled, not expecting to see him there. Her eyes were puffy and she was clearly trying to hide that she'd been crying.
"I'm sorry, Natalia. You came here brave enough to meet a stranger and I made you uncomfortable."
She didn't say anything or take the flowers.
"My father didn't send me here," he added. "I wanted to come here and tell you that the man you saw today isn't who I am. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I am asking for it anyways. Give me a chance, to show you the kind of man I am. I'll spend the rest of my life proving it."
✦✦✦
The days bled together in rapid succession.
