A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth was nervous for some reason. When she was walking in Edwin's office's way, she was determined and confident. But it all crumbled down as soon as her eyes met with him.

Although it had been only a couple of days, it felt like she had not seen him in ages. As soon as their eyes met, something tingled inside her. She felt like someone had softly blown air on her dead heart, bringing it back to life.

As soon as she saw him, she felt like she could finally breathe after days of immobility.

And that took her by surprise.

She observed him while waiting for his permission to come in.

He looked worse than the last time she saw him when he punished Augustus's man. He looked worn out with bags under his eyes along with dark circles. His hair was dishevelled like ruined crops falling broken in the farm after heavy rainfall.

She could see light stubble on his chiselled jaw and his dry lips. He looked like a mess, and so was she.

She heard his yes falling on her ear, but she was too disturbed by the way he looked to hide it from any attention.

"Are you alright? You do not look good."

Ruth slapped herself mentally when she realised what she said.

This was not in her plan. Where does that come from?

As Ruth was busied in chiding herself, she failed to notice what her words did to him.

'She cares for you! She cares for us!' His wolf told him, showing him hope.

"Is that what you came here for?"

"No, but I want to know it first."

Words came out of their mouths as if they had their own mind.

Edwin stared at her face for a moment longer before shaking his head. "I am not alright Ruth."

The hair on her body stood up after she heard her name in his deep and rich voice. She took a small step ahead, gauging his reaction. When he did not mind, she felt relieved. He was not running again.

She walked towards him and stopped at a safe distance. "May I know why?" She asked, looking down at him.

She gasped with her eyes bulging out of her skull when she felt herself moving ahead in a quick motion. Edwin's hands slipped back to rest on her thighs. Ruth's body jerked when she felt him resting his head on her stomach as she stood close to him.

His actions were not harsh or forceful. She would have slapped the man for doing that, but this was not any other man. This was her blue-eyed monster who could instigate terror in her, yet he could treat any wound of her too.

Edwin closed his eyes blissfully as his forehead touched her stomach, although there were layers of fabrics between their skins. They still could feel the heat of each other.

It took a minute for Ruth to get a hold of the situation. She had never felt like this before. No man had ever done that with her. She had not read enough romance novels to know what a woman should do in that situation.

So she decided to let her heart guide her way. Instinctively her hand slowly lifted only to touch his head. She felt him releasing a shaky breath. Feeling more comfortable than before, she let her fingertips disappear in his coffee brown locks.

This was the first time she was experiencing the touch of his hair. She had always liked the way he kept them uncombed. Untraditionally, they rested sprawled mannerlessly on his head, representing his rebellious spirit.

His hair was smooth... they were so smooth that she envied them. She wished she had such smooth hair. What kind of oil did he use?

Her fingers moved through his hair, her fingertips brushing against his scalp.

"Can I hold you? Please?"

Ruth paused abruptly. What kind of request was that? Was he intoxicated or something?

Ruth looked around for a bottle of alcohol, sniffed the air for its smell but she did not find any trace of it.

Her heart pounded faster, and now that she had decided to let it guide her, she did what it commanded.

"yes", She whispered softly.

The very next second, he had his arms around her waist, caging her in his hold. He moved his head to the left so that now his right side of the face touched her stomach.

Ruth sucked air when his hold tightened around her, pulling her a step ahead. Her hand still remained paused on his head.

"Do not stop!"

She heard him say. "Do not stop running your fingers in my hair. It feels good!"

The corners of her lips lifted slightly at his words. She did what he asked her. She began running her fingers through his hair, lightly massaging his scalp.

Oh, Moon Goddess! It felt like he was in the heavens! If he knew that he could have this feeling with Ruth, then he would have probably dragged her to his chamber and chained her up. Then he would have made her touch him the way she was doing right now every night after a troubled day.

Alas!

They remained in that position for some time while forgetting about the world. Ruth forgot why she came here in the first place and what motives she had regarding Edwin. Edwin forgot about his problems as a leader and the loneliness he had made a friendship with.

At that moment, they were the two incomplete, beaten souls treating each other's wounds.

Minutes of silence later, she felt him relaxing gradually. As if her massage was lessening his burdens. So she put some more effort and started massaging his head with both her hands.

They were in a very intimate position, yet Ruth did not find it offending or uncomfortable. In fact, she was experiencing something foreign yet amazing.

"Will you now tell me what happened?" She asked, breaking the silence between them.

"I do not want to talk about it right now." He said.

Ruth's sweet scent lulled Edwin and his wolf to sleep. But he reminded himself of his resolve.

"But I want to talk about something else." He then added.

"Yes, I also want to say something to you." Ruth said.

Edwin would have listened to her first in any other circumstances. But not now. He was afraid that if he did not say what he had decided just before Ruth walked in, then they would end up in another misunderstanding.

And he could not bear that silence and avoid each other more.

"Later. First listen to me."

Ruth's face instantly scrunched up in a disapproving frown, she was about to object, but he beat her to it.

"Ruth... I am sorry!"

She paused again, not believing her ears. Was Edwin O'Dell apologising to her again?

Edwin moved his head to look up at her, although he did not want that. But he felt the need to look at her while saying what he had decided so that she would know that his words were genuine.

He hoped she would know that!

"I should not have said those things to you. I should not have walked away from you. I should have tried to understand you... but I did not. Instead I hurt you. Please forgive me!"

Ruth felt like she was living in a dream. A dream that she could never imagine in the wildest dreams of her. Who was this man, and what was he doing to her heart?

She came here to apologise and mend things with him. Instead, he was the one asking for her apology. He sounded so genuine that his words caressed her heart so tenderly that it fluttered overwhelmingly.

"I am sorry too! I... I should not have reacted that way and said those bad words about you. After all you are a Lord and I am just a... a maid!"

Yes, that was the reality. Sometimes Ruth wondered if her plan would ever succeed. Why would a Lord like him with a blessing of good looks and a perfect warrior body take her seriously?

She saw the corner of his lips pulling down in disagreement. He moved further away from her and removed his hands from her waist.

Ruth alarmed. Did she ruin her chance?

Before she could jump to the conclusion, he moved his hands to take hers in them. He held her right hand with his large fingers and rested her palm on his cheek. He leaned into her touch, making her heart race again.

"You do not know this. But for me... you are more than just a maid Ruth."

The sincerity and the strange emotions in his cerulean blue eyes took her breath away.

"Then what am I to you?" She asked daringly, although she was praying for a positive answer inwardly.

She did not want to feel disappointed again. She did not want to feel that pain again.

Edwin took a brief pause before telling her, "Get me the red velvet box from the second drawer of my table."

Ruth blinked twice before registering his words. Was he serious?

Standing on the verge of feeling disappointed, she nodded curtly. Edwin let go of her hands, and she did not like it. Nonetheless, she went to his table and brought the small velvet box from his drawer.

Handing it to him, she waited in anticipation of hearing his answer.

Edwin opened the box and turned it around for her to see. Ruth was taken by surprise to see the same blue stoned earrings that Edwin had offered her for Rees and Thea's wedding.

She was confused. What was he trying to do?

"If you want to know the answer to your question then you will wear these and meet me in the morning. If you wear these tommorrow, I will tell you what you mean for me."

Ruth did not know what to say. She kept staring at those earrings and his face dumbfoundedly.

"My heart tells me that you will wear these Ruth. I hope and wish that you will!"