Chapter 21 As Naomi finished her cup of tea, a second text came through, the one she had been dreading since Peter's message landed. Theon: Hi. It's Theon. Pete gave me your number. Please don't block me. I can't pretend to understand how you must feel but I need to see you. Can we meet and talk please? Looking at Lottie she felt a sense of panic rising within her. Lottie offered a reassuring smile "Maybe this is for the best." Said Lottie "it might help you find some closure?" With that the older woman kissed Naomi on the top of her head and left her apartment. Naomi couldn't do anything but stare at the message. It was like a bomb sat in front of her threatening to blow away her calm any moment. Can't pretend to understand how I feel? She thought bitterly. Surely being the cause of most of the feelings he could take a wild guess. Realising dwelling on it wasn't helping anything she continued to ignore the message and log into her laptop to get some work done, while Alex was down for a nap but two hours later she was still staring at the screen only having got so far as logging into it and opening one email. She found herself thinking of the last time she was sat unable to work because her entire mental capacity was consumed by thoughts of Theon. Two days after her 20th birthday when he had gone home after all the sweet words and beautiful promises of the life they were going to build together and how happy they both were. Tears burned in her eyes and Naomi couldn't help but feel bitter and regretful missing that nice and optimistic girl she had been on that day. She had sworn to never be before Theon again. She had decided long ago she never wanted Alex to know of his father so he never had to experience the same feelings of loss and disappointment that she had, in a man who was everyone's hero. Now, it was inescapable. He could find her house easily, he had her number, he knew where she worked. He could make her life miserable if he chose to, just to get her attention. As much as she didn't want to open old wounds maybe it was best to go and rip off that band aid as quick as possible to carry on with the healing. Instead of responding to Theon she replied to Peter. Naomi: Noted. He's messaged me. No idea what to say. are you in a lot of trouble? 1/2 Chapter 21 +15 Bonus Peter: I'm always in trouble don't worry bout me. What do you really want? Are you afraid to see him? Naomi: well I don't think he could hurt me more than he has so not in that sense. It's more about Alex I think. I'm going to have to tell him aren't I? Peter: He's his father he has a right to know and that kids amazing. You tell him now he will understand why he didn't know before but the longer you keep it from him the less he will understand Naomi: you're right. I have no right to keep them apart. His father hurt me not him. I just need to ask him some questions and make sure there is no one in his life that would harm Alex first. uch why did he have to show up?! Naomi was aware her rhetorical question made her sound like a child but she didn't care. She was tired, pissed off and feeling a lot of emotions she worked hard to suppress for the last few years. The worst part is if she closed her eyes, she was instantly back in his arms feeling how good it was being held against him while she could feel him soft breath on her neck. She'd never admit it to him, but it gave her a warm comforting feeling. Feeling like she needed to be more productive than her current pity party Naomi decided to utilise her g****e skills and look up unbreakable mate bonds. Surely it wasn't a real thing. There had to be something she could do to fight this. Mate bonds were a gift from the moon goddess and the moon goddess was literally family to her so surely this wasn't really what was happening. However several hours later Naomi slammed her laptop shut in frustration. Nope. Nothing she could do. It was exactly as it seemed. She could reject him a thousand times and they'd still be bonded. She could kill him but it would take a part of her with him and she'd never feel whole again, she could run but the bond would always pull her back to him and that left one option. Facing him and talking. "Fine you fucking win Theon" she muttered to herself picking up her phone and sending him a time and a place as a reply.