CHAPTER TWENTY THREE-THE PAYBACK

When Haldir returned later, he walked into the parlor wearing his tuxedo. Thorin looked him over and chuckled to himself. “It’s always entertaining to see a thousand-year-old Viking savage like yourself all cleaned up and looking dapper. You just might be confused with a proper gentleman if you’re not careful.”

Haldir twisted his arm in front of him to check his cufflink, then looked up at Thorin. “The ladies love this old savage cock. They drop their panties the minute I start talking about all the battles I’ve been in.”

A scoff came from the corner where Ben was drinking whiskey, already a few glasses in. “Just keep your fucking hands off my wife.”

Haldir bit his lip and chuckled. “I’ve known Imara since she was in nappies, I’d never lay a finger on her. You’ve brought this shit on yourself, my friend. She doesn’t know she’s a married woman, and you’re not acting like much of a husband. Whatever happens tonight, that’s your doing and you have no one to blame but yourself. She’s a beautiful woman and the men will be all over her. You just let that sink in.”

Ben smelled Imara as she came closer to the parlor and he set down his glass then pushed his hair off his face. No matter how much he said he didn’t want to be with her, his body disagreed. Just the smell of her made Ben want to make himself presentable to her.

“Well, aren’t you just a vision!” said Haldir as Imara waltzed through the door. She wore an ankle length black gown with a slit up the thigh and a neckline that left no doubt that she was all grown up and looking to punish Ben for his error in judgement. Her chestnut hair was arranged on her head in a cascade of curls that begged to be fondled in some lucky man’s hands. She went to the mirror beside Ben and leaned over to check her red lipstick. She didn’t even acknowledge his presence in the room. 

“Thank you, Haldir.” She turned and walked to him. “Is that for me?” She asked as she put her hand on her chest.

Haldir removed the corsage from the box and placed it on Imara’s wrist. She held up her hand and looked over the sparkly jewels and delicate miniature flowers. “It’s magnificent. Wherever did you find it?”

Haldir took her arm in his. “You don’t live as long as I do without knowing where to find things to please the ladies. You ready?”

“Oh yes, I most certainly am.” As they walked out of the parlor, Imara looked over her shoulder to Thorin. “Don’t wait up. You never know what I might get into.”

Once the front door closed behind them, Ben stood up and threw his glass at the fireplace sending shards of glass flying through the air.  He leaned over and put his hands on the back of the sofa and sucked back his tears as he shivered in anger and doubt.

Thorin rolled his eyes. “Well, that was certainly ridiculous. That crystal is older than you are. Do you feel better at least?”

Hearing the noise, Aster came into the room and quickly swept up the mess then excused himself.

“Ben, Haldir’s right. You can’t keep Imara locked up here forever. Do you remember how angry you were at me and Shaw for doing the same exact thing? It’s not right, Ben. It wasn’t right when we did it and it’s not right now. Now, you can either be with her or not, but you can’t force her to be miserable with you like this. In the end, it will all turn out the same anyway.”

Ben stood up and pushed his hair back then the tears from his face. “It’s all my fault.”

Thorin sighed and shook his head. “It was Fate, Ben. Fate brought you together for a reason, and it will not be denied. Imara was cursed the day she was born, Ben. You didn’t do that. Fate gave you Imara so you could save her from this. Only you can save her, I believe it with every cell in my body. You need to believe it too.” He wrapped his arm around Ben’s neck and pulled him into a hug. “All this pain and unhappiness. This is exactly what that monster wanted, Ben. You’re just feeding the curse and making it stronger. Don’t you know that?”

As Imara danced with Haldir, she felt the heavy prickly weight of eyes on her. Her eyes darted desperately across the room, then finally landed on a blonde-haired blue-eyed gentleman standing near the bar. He was looking her over intensely, but her heart sank because she was praying it was Ben. As much as she tried to ignore her feelings for him, it ate at her every minute. Her attempt at making him jealous was shabby, she knew, but she would try any tactic in the game of love to get him back. Her body called out to him and every rejection made her loathe herself even more.

As the man approached her, she took a deep breath and damned herself for being so tacky. “Excuse me. Can I cut in?”

Haldir turned and smiled at the handsome stranger, then he glanced up at the balcony. “Absolutely. I’ll be at the bar if you need me, Imara.”

The man took Imara in his arms, the feeling of them around her sent a dull pain through her body. It felt wrong and her skin crawled as he pulled her close to him.

Haldir took a seat at the bar then ordered a drink. After he grabbed a handful of mints from the counter, he turned and watched Ben staring at Imara from the balcony. He clicked his tongue a few times then popped a mint in his mouth. “I warned you, boy. Now, get angry. Let it fill you up and burn you. That’s the only way were ever going to beat that son of a bitch.” He looked back to the man who had his arms around Imara and sighed. “Sorry, about this son, but you’ll be alright. That boy just needs to get his mind right.” 

As the song played on, the man threaded his fingers through Imara’s hair. As he wrapped the coils around his pointer finger, his other hand slid down Imara’s back. She reached around and grabbed his hand then shook her head no. He sighed and looked at her, then pulled her closer to him. Ben clenched his jaw as the rage built inside him. He had pushed the wolf down too long, but this insult was too much for his primal side to handle.

As the man’s hand slid down her back again and reached her buttocks, Ben growled out a warning as he jumped over the side of the balcony and landed crouched on the floor. He stood and stalked over to Imara then pulled her out of the man's grip and punched him in the jaw, sending him sliding against the floor. The man stood and ran to Ben then tackled him to the floor, but he was no match to the much bigger and stronger Ben. As he made his way to the top, Ben straddled the man's abdomen and pummeled his face with his fist as his guilty rage and the flashbacks of Selvin laughing at him came back again.

Haldir shook his head and laughed to himself then pulled Ben away from the bloody man underneath him. He patted his chest and said, “It’s done. It’s done. You did well.”

Ben wiped the blood from his fist on his pants, then turned for Imara but she was gone.

“Imara?” As panic spread through his chest and arms and his pulse bounded in his ears, he frantically scanned the room for her. Ben pushed his hair off his face then ran out the entrance of the ballroom and lifted his nose into the air to catch her scent. He followed it to the front doors and out onto the sidewalk. Seeing her crossing the park alone, he ran after her. When he got to Imara, he grabbed her arm and spun her around then took her in his numb and trembling arms. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Imara sniffled back her tears as she pressed her forehead into his chest. “Why are you doing this to me?”

He combed his fingers through her hair while he kissed her forehead. “You don’t understand, baby. I’m just keeping you safe. You just have to trust me, Imara.”

“You’re killing me, Ben. I can’t go on living like this.” Tears spilled from Ben’s eyes and he pulled her close. “I’m sorry. I love you so much. I’m so sorry. It’s just better this way. I promise you.”

Imara pushed him away and shook her head. “What kind of game are you playing with me? Is this your idea of fun?”

Ben bit his lip and looked off across the park. Imara nodded and said, “ This is insane. If you don’t want me then just stay away from me. Stop making me feel like there’s some chance for us then ripping it away. Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?” Imara turned around and walked quickly back to the house. 

As Ben watched her walk away, Haldir slapped him on the back then came to his side. “It’s time for you boys to tell her the truth Ben. Keeping her in the dark is doing more harm than good, just look what you’re doing to her. That’s your mate, the mother of your child for Christ’s sake.”

Ben looked at the blood stains on his hands then shook his head. “She doesn’t need to remember any of that. I won’t do that to her. I wish to hell I could forget.”

“Do you really though? Would your life be any better if you’d never met her?” Haldir asked as he walked beside him.

Ben huffed through his nose and looked at the ground. “No. Of course not, that’s not what I meant. Being with Imara and Eliza was everything. I didn’t even know what I was missing.”

Haldir nodded. “But you do know. You have the memories of your life together and all the good times to balance out all the bad. Imara, she’s only got memories of a life of running and hiding and a mate that won’t love her. All she knows is the bad, Ben. You need to let her have her memories and help her deal with the grief. The longer you let that build up inside her, the more explosive it’s going to be when she finally remembers. Your actions are fucking that kids head up more than any goddamn curse ever could.”