CHAPTER TWENTY ONE-THE BREAKUP

Ben rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned against the stone fountain in the courtyard and watched the sun go down behind the house across from them. “Oh, fuck! How are you going to do this? She’ll be destroyed.”

He went over every word that Thorin, Haldir and Jasper told him in his mind. He heard them, but he had plans of his own. He couldn’t shake the guilt and regret of what happened to them and, no matter what he had to do, Ben was going to change the course of events this time.

When Thorin told him about the prophecy all those years ago, he spent every day for the rest of their lives trying to protect Imara, but it was all for nothing because the only thing she ever needed to be protected from was loving Ben. He was the curse her parents were warned about. She fulfilled that terrible hex the minute the Fates brand was burned into her finger. As Ben looked down over the ancient Realm writing on his ring finger, it only reminded him that he had damned the only two people that meant anything to him at all. His sole reason for living.

Imara looked out over the courtyard and saw Ben standing there alone. He’d been distant to her all day and it left her feeling confused. She slowly walked into the garden then slid her fingers across Ben’s shoulder as she walked by. He grabbed her hand away coldly, then put it down beside her. This sudden change in attitude stung her neck. As she rubbed the pain away, she asked, “Is something wrong? Did I do something to make you angry? You’ve barely even spoken to me all day.”

Ben bit his lip and shook his head. “I could never be angry at you, but we need to talk about a few things, Imara.”

She leaned against the brick wall of the fountain beside him and looked at him suspiciously. “Well. I’m right here. What is it?”

He wiped his hand across his mouth then stood to face her. “I can’t protect you like this, Imara.” He blew through his mouth then crossed his arms. “We can’t be together anymore. Not like you want to be.”

Imara gasped as his words sunk in and her eyes teared over. “And you’re telling me this now? Well, that’s very convenient isn’t it? You didn’t seem so concerned about your ability to do your job well when you were inside me the other night. Oh, I see. Things just look different in the light of day, don’t they?”

Ben gritted his teeth as the pain of her words stabbed him. “That was a mistake. It was wrong of me to take advantage of you like that. I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” she scoffed. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she looked back to the house. “Well, isn’t that grand? That just fixes everything. And telling me you loved me, that was a mistake as well? Just a lapse in judgment?” 

Ben clenched his teeth and looked away. “Yes, it was.”

As the pain of his words swept through her chest, Imara nodded her head and grunted “Ehm!” Then she chuckled at herself. “Well, aren’t I just the biggest idiot in Savannah. I guess I deserve this. I never have been very smart about how things really are in the world. You must’ve had quite a laugh over me.” She laughed at her own stupidity. “Fine. Consider yourself unattached, Mr. Logan.”

Ben took Imara’s hand and said, “No, it’s not like that at all.”

Imara snapped back her hand then put up her finger. “Stay away from me.” As Imara walked away, she put her hand over her mouth to conceal her sobs, but nothing escaped Ben’s ears. He closed his eyes and yelled “I’m sorry.”

When she was out of sight, Ben bent over as the pain of his damaged mate bond tore through his body. It was only amplified by knowing that Imara felt it too, but in Ben’s battered mind, there was no other choice. He would do anything to keep her safe, even breaking her heart and making her hate him. At least she might live long enough for him to figure out how to beat this thing.

Imara walked cross armed into the parlor and shut the doors behind her. “I don’t want Ben as my bodyguard anymore.”

Thorin looked up from his drink and sighed. “We can’t fire him, Imara. You two are just going to have to learn to get along.”

Imara licked her lips and shook her head. “No, Thorin. You can keep him around for whatever reason you want, but if you want someone protecting me, find someone else. I don’t want him anywhere near me anymore.”

As he rubbed his forehead, Thorin cursed Ben for being so stubborn. “I’ll see if Haldir wouldn’t mind, I guess. Imara, Ben, he’s…he’s just going through something right now. Whatever he said to you, I promise you he doesn’t mean it. He thinks he’s doing you a favor.”

Imara’s lip quivered as the embarrassment rose in her throat. She thought for sure Ben was her mate and she was ashamed of the things she did with him now. “I don’t care, Thorin. Just find someone else and keep him away from me.”

As Imara walked out the door, Ben nearly ran into her. He saw the tears in her eyes, and it dug into his gut. As he stepped aside, he said, “I’m sorry.” Imara swallowed down the last bit of pride she had left and ignored him as she walked away.

He blew out through his mouth then walked into the parlor. Thorin looked back over his shoulder from the window and chuckled through his nose. “I hope you’re right proud of yourself for what you’re doing to her. She wants a new bodyguard. In fact, she asked that I just keep you away from her entirely. You know,” Thorin rubbed his chin, “I just don’t understand you at all. She’s right here in front of you Ben, right at your fingertips after all these years and you’re just going to squander that chance with her.”

Ben sank back into the leather chair and pulled at his lip as he thought. “I don’t want anyone else near her. No one.”

Thorin leaned against the windowsill and crossed his arms. “So, what do you suggest then? Just keeping her locked up tight in her room like a prisoner? No. Un-un. I won’t go that route again.”

Ben pushed the hair off his head then steepled his hands over his mouth. “She’s my wife, Thorin. My mate. I get to decide.”

Thorin chuckled to himself and shook his head before grabbing his drink then pointing his finger at Ben. “You’re being an asshole. As far as she’s concerned, she’s a single woman and I’m not stopping her from living her life as she sees fit anymore, I won’t do it. You’re on your own this time. Whatever she does, you drove her to it and you’ll just have to live with the consequences of your stubbornness.”

Ben and Thorin spent most days after that training with Haldir and Jasper. It was the one thing that kept his mind off Imara and made him feel like he had some control. There was less than two years between the time Imara met Ben and the day she died, so it seemed a safe bet that it would be that way again. They needed to learn every trick they could to defeat the ancient warlock, Selvin.

As Ben, Thorin and Haldir sat in the kitchen around the counter, Imara walked in with a silly plan in her tattered mind. Thorin looked up and smiled. “How are you, my dear? You’re looking as lovely as ever.” The truth was though, she looked like a broken-hearted woman. She’d lost some weight and her eyes were dark and soulless.

Imara smirked as she avoided looking at Ben. “Thank you. Thorin, I wanted to let you know I’m going to the Order party this evening.”

Ben stood up straight and said, “No, we’re not going. Not tonight.”

She glanced over at him. “I wasn’t asking you to go with me Ben. As you recall, you’re no longer my bodyguard anyway so I wasn’t really looking for your insight.” Looking back at Thorin and Haldir, Imara crossed her arms. “I’m 25 years old, I’m not going to ask for permission to go across the street like a child. Would you mind the trouble of escorting me, Haldir?”

Haldir chuckled uncomfortably as he wiped the crumbs of his muffin off his hands. “Escort a young, beautiful woman to a party? That doesn’t sound like any trouble at all, Imara. I’d love to.”

“Lovely. I’ll see you this evening.” Imara triumphantly turned and walked out of the kitchen. 

Ben rolled his neck from side to side then threw his food back on the counter. As he walked after her, he said, “Imara! Stop!”

Imara stopped in the hallway and turned to face him then crossed her arms. “Yes, what is it?”

As he stopped in front of her he put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “What are you doing?”

She looked at him and snickered knowing she’d finally upset him. “I’m about to go find myself a dress to wear. You know, something just irresistible.”

Ben closed his eyes and rubbed the throbbing pain between them. “You know what the hell I’m talking about.”

“Give me one reason, Ben. Just one reason why I shouldn’t go. I’ll be with Haldir for Pete’s sake. There isn’t a person alive who would bother me while I’m on the arm of that brute.”

Ben bit on his lips then looked at her. “I’m asking you not to go, Imara. Please.”

She rolled her eyes and twisted her lips to the side as she shook her head no. “No. You don’t get to do that. You’re not my bodyguard anymore, you’re not anything to me at all. You made that perfectly clear.” She put her finger in his chest. “You wanted this, remember? If you don’t want me, I’m sure there’s some nice young man who will. I’m not going to spend one more second wallowing around this old house over you and if you don’t like it, that’s just too bad.” As she turned and started down the hall again, Imara sucked back a jagged breath. As much as she wanted him to feel her pain, it sent a stabbing jolt of agony through her chest.

As he watched her walk away, Ben pinched his eyes together and squeezed his forehead with his hand. The thought of Imara in some other man’s arms was like a well-timed punch to the gut, it took his breath away.