Siren Song - 209 I Am Afraid

Looking up Chang saw what seemed to be the faintest traces of pain in his eyes as he looked down at her and felt herself crumble down. Speaking quietly she confessed her thoughts.

“I am afraid that I’ll be walking back into what I did last time if I leave with you to Shanghai.”

“What do you mean?”

“That if I go back with you, your father will try to do something again to us. That he’ll hurt me again. Or maybe he will do something worse this time, since his previous attempts have not worked.”

“You do not have to fear for that, he is an old toothless snake now. He would not dare to lay a hand on you with me around.” Brushing her cheek as if to brush away her fear Liang JianAmal reassured her.

“That’s the thing the second you’re gone is when he has acted.” Brushing his hand away Chang tried to impart just how seriously she felt, as he did not seem to consider his father a serious threat still. “You can’t be around me 24/7, I feel like the second that I am away from you, he is going to try something. Especially because I would be near at hand too. I don’t want to live in that kind of fear and environment. At least here I know I am safe from that, although I have other troubles.”

“I can promise you that you would not have to worry about that.” Pressing his lips remembering all his father had done to her, he knew her fear was warranted, but was no longer necessary as he had taken extra precautions long before to ensure her safety. It burned him though that she did not readily believe in him.

“I know that as long as you are around I would be, but only so long as you are around.”

“No, even if I’m not right by you you will be safe, it is different now. He would not dare as he values his own life far too much.” Muttering the last bit Liang JianAmal thought of their last meeting.

“Huh?”

“It does not matter. What matters is that you trust and believe in me. I will not let you down again.” Taking a deep breath while closing her eyes Chang remet his eyes with a resolute gaze with just a tinge of fear still hiding in them conveyed in her furrowed, tense brows.

“Please give me some time to think about it. I want to go with you, but I’m scared. Plus I don’t want to go with you, just to be ripped away again. It is too much for me to bear with to go through again.” Clutching a hand over her chest Chang tried to strengthen and encourage her heart.

“You do not have to worry about this, but if time will help set you at ease, then I will find a way to give it to you.” Pinching his brow with one hand Jian held up a hand to her in admission.

“If you need to go back, I understand, you have a lot of responsibilities yourself.”

“You are my main one though. Now get dressed, but not in something as revealing as yesterday.”

“Oh I already was planning on it.” Chang rolled her eyes at his obvious statement.

“Good. This would be seemly.” As he spoke Jian reached over and grabbed the blouse she had just been looking at. A silvery blue halter neck sleeveless blouse. “I do not believe that I destroyed your skirt from yesterday but that would be a good match. Nothing else in here seems to be as fitting.

Thinking of the shirt he destroyed yesterday Chang pouted slightly but moved past knowing it was an argument she would never win. Plus what was done was done and the shirt already lay in shreds. Knowing that he was rewearing his own clothes Chang decided not to make an issue of her only once-worn skirt.

“OK I will wear that.” ‘Heh I wonder if he read my mind about the shirt.’ “What did you even want to do today?” Turning her back to him Chang dropped her towel and quickly slipped on her underwear and bra.

“I wanted to make plans to leave with you and possibly even leave with you today. But as that will not be happening, I would like for you to show me some of your favorite places here. I would like to know about your life here.”

“Hmm well we’ve already been to quite a few actually. There’s a bridge near here, but only at sunset and a little after is it truly spectacular. Before that, I don’t know maybe just go to a park with you. There’s no good beaches near otherwise I would say that. Is there anywhere you want to go or see?”

“I have told you where I wish to go with you. That is not possible, so you choose wherever you would prefer. As I said I would like to know more of your life since we will be here.” Raising an eyebrow Liang JianAmal leaned back against the wall as he watched her dress with her back turned.

“Thank you Jian for your patience.” ‘I don’t deserve you.’ Zipping up the last piece Chang looked at the tall man leaning against the wall, gazing at her feeling complicated from just how endlessly wonderful he was.