Apprehended By My Mate novel Chapter 90

"I am not going to mark you until you are ready." He kisses both my closed eye lids causing me to open them. I stare into his beautiful blue eyes and the beautiful smile that is on his face.

We both get caught up in each other's gaze that we didn't notice people coming into the room. I move my hands from his hair as they slowly make their way to his chest where they rest over his beating heart.

I lean forward and place a gentle kiss over his heart which skips a beat. I move my hand up his chest until I am cupping his face. I rub my thumb against his cheek bone loving the feeling that he causes me when I touch him. Conner hands are still on my waist and his thumbs draw circles on them.

I lean forward again kiss his lips as tears fall down my face from how much I love this man. He is always there for me to pick up the pieces when they fall apart. He is the only one who truly knows me even if the rest of the world doesn't understand.

I pull away and Conner moves his hand to wipe away the tears that are on my face again.

"Why are you crying Clare?" I sniffle as I am filled with so much love for Conner that I have no way to show it.

"I just love you so much Conner. I didn't think I would ever be able to love again, but you showed me how. You showed me that I have something worth living for. I live for your love Conner and I will for the rest of my life." More tears fall down my face as Conner smiles at me knowing that I am not sad. He knows that my emotions are so strong that this is the only way I am can express them. By crying.

Conner kisses me again until we hear a cough in the room and the sound of someone being hit. Conner and I pull away from our bubble that we were in to see Felix rubbing his head with Ivy, Karen and Lucy.

"You had to ruin their moment didn't you?" Ivy smack Felix again.

"How long have you been here?" Conner ask slowly moving us so we are sitting up. I silently groan in pain as he moves me.

"Long enough." I watch as Karen wipes away a few stray tears that were running down her face.

"How are you feeling Clare?" Lucy ask coming over towards us.

"Ok I guess." I jump slightly when she touches my hand and we gives me a sad smile.

"Sorry." I whisper knowing it is my own fault that no one other than Conner can touch me.

"It's ok Clare. You don't have anything to be sorry for." Both Karen and Lucy start talking about Grace and it makes me realise how much I miss her.

"This is the key to Derek's prison cell which is now yours. You have to power to let him go in the future, but for now he is rotting away where he belongs." Tears splash onto the key as I am unsure of what I am feeling.

Is it relief that Derek is locked away? Is it freedom knowing that he can never control me again? Is it fear that he might get out and come after me? Or is it just happiness that Conner and I can start to live our lives without having to look over our shoulders.

"Is he really gone?" I look up at Conner still not believing what I am hearing.

"Yes he is really gone. He can never touch you, hurt you or ever look at you again. He is gone Clare."

I find myself openly crying and laughing at the same time. I feel free and I know that everything is going to be ok. It may take time, but I know that everything is going to be fine and I am going to be happy.

Derek is finally gone. He can no longer torment me and I never have to be scared that he is going to find me. I don't need to live in fear that he is going to find me because he is locked away.

Everything is going to be and I am looking forward to finally being able to say whole-heartedly that I am fine and everything is going to be ok because I will finally be happy living without fear.