bound_by_honor (bound_by_honor) wrote in doorslogs, @ 2012-07-12 02:35:00 |
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After leaving Kitane at Surrender, Theo returned to his office to finish more of his work while she had her fun. He wasn’t worried per se, but he did take his promise to keep her safe very seriously and even though he wouldn’t submit himself to the horrors of a nightclub on such a busy night, Theo still kept an eye on her. One of the things he’d had Mr Pierce do during his system upgrade was link the security feeds into his personal computer. It was through the surveillance system that he was able to keep an eye on Kitane between answering a few emails and seeing to various reports that needed perusal. It was by sheer luck that he caught the transition to XS, glancing up at the screen just as she was leaving. He didn’t put much stock in who she was with, assuming that she was simply caught in the crowd instead of actively moving with a group of people. That assumption changed the moment he saw where she’d ended up, in the company of the same people. With the way they were dancing - if it could even be called that - it was no small wonder that the group started breaking off into obvious pairs. After the second pair left, Theo tracked them on a different camera and saw that they were disappearing into a room. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were going to have sex and then his attention was focused entirely on Kitane, dancing away under the flashing lights of XS and completely oblivious to his watchful eye. As soon as she moved off the dance floor, a boy in tow, and disappeared into the bathroom, Theo was on the move. It was a testament to just how busy the place was that he arrived just as she was coming out of the restroom, straightening her dress. His eyes clouded with protective fury as he held the door open for her. “Go up to my office, Kitane. Now.” There would be no arguing with him and as the boy exited the stall, Theo’s glare was even angrier. The boy, and he didn’t even care what his name was, stilled as soon as he caught sight of the very angry man. Ian glanced between Kitane and Theo and put his hands up. “Now, Kitane.” Theo was holding onto the door so tightly that his knuckles were white. She spared Ian a brief glance over her shoulder, and Theo another look before she hurried out. There was no way to explain what happened -- she wasn't even sure that she should -- but given the look on Theo's face, she knew it was better to simply go. "Yes, Theo," she said quietly as she slipped past him and rushed out of the club. She'd never seen Theo look so mad, ever. Not even when she brought the rabbit home and made it into dinner was he as angry as he looked now, and she knew better than to stay where she was. Another time, she might be able to consider how very sexy the look was on him, but not now. All she wanted was for him to come back to his office quickly so they could go home, but as the minutes clicked by, waiting became harder. Finally she had to get up and go into his private bathroom, the one attached to his office, and start cleaning herself up. It was a blessing that she didn’t question him or linger because he wasn’t in the mood to argue with her when he really just wanted to throw this punk out on his ass. Theo waited until she was gone before stepping into the restroom, which was empty save for Ian, and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t say anything, not yet. He just glared with every intention of making the kid feel uncomfortable. Sure enough, just a few moments later, the he cracked. “Look man, I didn’t mean anything by it. Your daughter’s mad hot,” Ian tried to say, as if that would make everything all better. He figured out his mistake as soon as he saw Theo’s face get even angrier. The kid just didn’t get it, drunk as he was. Truthfully, nothing was going to make this better for him. “You are going to listen very closely. Do not ever touch her again. In fact, you’re never going to see her again. You will not try to contact her, find her, or have anything to do with her. You will never step foot inside the Wynn again. Do you understand me?” Theo made sure to enunciate for the moron standing before him. Unfortunately, Ian made the mistake of lifting his hand up to his nose, smiling as he sniffed just a fraction of a second too long and Theo snapped. He grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck and thrust him forcibly out the door of the bathroom, where a bouncer was waiting. “Get him out of my sight,” Theo ordered, and Ian was taken away without another word. He made his way up to his office, where he knew Kitane would be waiting. While she was waiting, she did everything short of shower in Theo's bathroom and that was only because there was no shower. That didn't stop her from brushing her teeth or from scrubbing at her bare skin with a wash cloth. Kitane even scrubbed at a few places that weren't bare, but where she could still feel his touch. It wasn't so much that she didn't want to feel him -- she had -- but he'd been a poor substitute for what she really wanted. And to run into who she did want coming out of the restroom, well, that hadn't been good either. The only way it could have possibly been worse was if Theo had actually found them like -- that. As much as she wanted to believe that he probably didn't know what happened in there, given how angry he'd looked, she suspected he knew more than she really wanted him to. She was just about finished drying herself off when she heard his door open and poked her head out. There was Theo, looking furious, and she quickly dried off her mouth before she stepped out. He wasn’t angry with Kitane, more worried that the guy had taken advantage of her. His anger was solely directed toward the punk ass kid that made the mistake of touching her. Jealousy was a very familiar emotion but he didn’t allow himself to name it as such. He couldn’t because jealousy meant that he cared about her as more than simply a ward. The implications of that were something he just didn’t want to think about. He couldn’t afford to. Instead, Theo did his best to calm his protectiveness as he entered his office. He failed just a little but he was trying. That had to count for something. She wasn’t there, but he heard movement from his private bathroom and his thoughts turned sour. What was she cleaning? Why? Considering she’d been the one to lead him into the bathroom, he didn’t think that whatever initial interaction there was had been unwanted on her part, there was no guaranteeing that he hadn’t taken things a step too far. She’d stuck her head out the door and that was just as well because it gave him a few moments to collect himself even further. Collect here meaning pouring himself two fingers of scotch. When she emerged from the bathroom for good this time, Theo asked simply, “Are you okay?” Cleaned and dried, she gave herself one last look in the mirror – too pale – before she stepped out and nodded at his question. Yes, she was fine. He hadn't hurt her, he hadn't even really done anything that she hadn't wanted and he had stopped when she pushed away from him. That didn't stop her from feeling -- something. Like a mess of snakes in her belly, all twisting and writhing, but it wasn't an emotion she was familiar with enough to name it. "I'm fine," Kitane said, her gaze catching on the glass in his hand. More amber liquor. She didn't comment on it though as she walked across the room to sit in one of the chairs at his large table. Kicking off her shoes, she drew her legs up under her skirt and to her chest, the front of her calves resting against the edge of the table. There was no asking about how Ian was – she didn't care – nor did she ask how Theo knew, though if she had looked at his desk, she would have known. "Are we going to go home soon?" She asked instead, quiet as she stared at the table top. There at least she could get a shower, change, and she wouldn't have to pretend like she was a normal girl that she was never going to be. The small amount of alcohol he had in his glass was nothing compared to what he’d had to drink some nights but he would do his level best to keep his emotions firmly in check around Kitane. He didn’t want to scare her away, right to Nicky and somewhere he couldn’t watch her. He was absolutely jealous of that punk ass kid and very protective of her. Ned was eerily silent but that was just as well because Theo wasn’t entirely certain he could handle what he assumed would be chastisement. A nod and a drink from his glass counted as his acknowledgement to her answer. Despite the lack of response, his eyes never left her as she walked over to the table on the far side of his office. It seemed like she was screaming for comfort and Theo exhaled slowly, finally dropping his gaze to the glass in his hand. He wanted to go back to the safety of the penthouse just as badly as she did so he set his glass aside and turned off his monitor. “We can go now.” He pressed the intercom button on his phone and called for a car to be brought around to the back entrance and then he came out from behind his desk, offering her his arm once more, ready to lead her downstairs. An apology was on the tip of his tongue but he didn’t let it fall because there wasn’t any need for him to apologize. As soon as he said that they could go home now, she perked up, her legs coming down so she could slide her feet back into her shoes. She wouldn't go out barefoot, not with the sheer amount of people out there and she knew Theo wouldn't approve of that. Not here. She still hadn't met his eyes when she walked over to him, but instead of taking his arm as she normally would have, Kitane inserted herself right up against his side, her own arm looping around his back to hang onto his waist. It would be hellish to walk this way, but quite frankly, she wanted to be right where she was. Even as mad as he was earlier, Theo was still safe. He'd proved that time and time again and even if she still had that weird feeling in her stomach, she wasn't going to let go. Theo honestly wouldn’t have cared if she’d stayed barefoot because he was past the point of arguing. He would’ve simply carried her. It was more than obvious that they weren’t discussing what had just happened and that was just fine with him. He preferred it that way, preferred not to think too hard on what he was feeling right now beyond protective. Lying had never been his strong suit, even to himself. Perhaps it was a warning sign that he didn’t say anything about how closely she pressed herself against him. His arm went around her as best he could and they walked in silence down the hallway. The silence was an awkward one, but Theo powered through it. Even the elevator ride was a quiet one, the pair of them only shifting to stand more comfortably. As soon as they got down to the floor, the noises of the casino floor washed over them. Theo ignored it and led her easily to the back door where the sleek black town car was already waiting, door opened by one of his drivers. He didn’t speak until they were on their way back to Turnberry. “I won’t be going into work tomorrow until noon.” It wasn’t impersonal exactly, but it was pretty damn close. If she’d been Raegan, he would’ve grounded her for a week but she wasn’t. It had been her choice, as much as he didn’t approve. It wasn't entirely unusual that they were talking around the subject. She could still feel the tension in his body, even as she curled up against his side for the ride back to Turnberry. "Okay," she said, still quiet and from somewhere in the vicinity of his shoulder. "Are you going to stay home for lunch too?" She assumed he'd be there for breakfast. Once more she kicked off her shoes, ignoring the quiet thump they made as they landed on the floor of the town car and tucked her legs up and under her. Kitane was fine not talking about it -- what she'd been doing and why she'd made Ian stop. Too late she'd realized she wasn't that girl. The one that could pick up guys when she went out clubbing and take them up to a hotel room to do things she could only imagine. Part of the reason why she couldn't was sitting in the backseat with her, his heart beat slow and solid in her ear. It wasn't his protectiveness, or even his fury that would prevent her from doing something, but him. Everything else was starting to pale around the edges, like tonight. Yes, she'd had fun going out dancing, she'd even enjoyed herself to a point with Ian, but it was a flimsy enjoyment and she would have had a better time with Theo, even it meant sitting in one of the chairs at his long table and kicking her feet all night. “I can,” Theo replied, adjusting to accommodate how clingy she was being. It wasn’t a bad thing, not in the slightest, but it was slightly concerning. Was she being so close because of what that boy did? Or because he’d been so protective of her? She was quiet but he didn’t think she was upset. Still, his hand idly rubbed her back as they drove home, wanting to give her some comfort just on the off chance that she needed it. Staying for lunch wouldn’t be much of a hardship, particularly if she wanted him to. The drive was quick, only five minutes given the lack of traffic and the fact that Turnberry was just around the corner. He waited for the door to open and for Kitane to slip her shoes back on before sliding out, holding his hand out to help her out of the car. Doors were opened and closed for them, the elevator already there and waiting for them. Theo slipped the key card in that would let them up to the penthouse and he kept her close even as the elevator doors opened up to the foyer. “You should take a shower and change,” Theo said, and that was as impersonal as he could make it. Kitane had already decided she wanted a shower when they came home, but to hear it from Theo made those snakes in her stomach a bit wilder. Nodding, she finally separated herself from his side and went to get a change of clothes from her room. The worn pajama bottoms were fairly standard, as was the tank top, but she also grabbed one of her light hoodies and a pair of panties. She didn't say anything as she took her clothes from her room to the bathroom attached to his rooms. It was rare enough for her to even look in "her" bathroom that showering there was out of the question. Closing the door quietly, she locked it and went to turn on the water as hot as she could stand it. The shower still smelled like her, from earlier when she'd been getting ready for the evening and she almost wished it had smelled like Theo instead. Alone, with the water beating down on her and turning her skin a vivid pink, Kitane resisted the urge to cry. She could feel tears stinging her eyes, but she hadn't done anything wrong. Had she? Theo had been so mad and even with all the things she put him through, she didn't want to anger him. That eased her stomach none at all and didn't stop her from scrubbing at her skin until she was sure nothing remained. She even washed her hair again and emerged from the shower in a cloud of steam. It took a few more minutes for her to get dressed again, covered from neck to ankle, her wet hair dripping down her back and come out of the bathroom. He was glad that she didn’t argue about the shower because he didn’t want to have to explain that all he could picture was her up against the wall of the bathroom, her skirt hiked up and that punk ass kid’s hand where it shouldn’t be. It was completely irrational, but he didn’t want to think about that kid every time he looked at her. That meant a shower, a fresh set of clothes, and just moving forward without talking about it. They did that best, didn’t they? She disappeared into his bathroom, something he’d come to terms with after the first month, and he turned to the bar. Did he want another drink? Absolutely. Was it the best idea? Probably not. With a heavy sigh, he bypassed the liquor cabinet and went into his room. Keeping a careful ear on the sounds coming from the bathroom, Theo quickly changed into sweatpants and a black cotton tee that amounted for his ‘laze about around the penthouse’ outfit. The shower turned off just as he was pulling on his shirt and instead of going into the main room, Theo turned and went out on his balcony, knowing she’d be most comfortable out under the sky. It was as close as they’d get for the moment. The door to the balcony was open and a quick check confirmed that Theo was out there instead of in the penthouse. A small smile crossed her lips as she stepped out and went to him, the feeling in her stomach settling somewhat once she was under the sky. As much as she liked living with him, and before him Nicky, there was a peace she could only find when she was under the stars. It was a peace she needed right now. Nothing had been said about it, but she could only guess that Theo was thinking about it as much as she was, given how quiet he'd been and the few words he'd chosen to say. It didn't stop her from coming up to him and inserting herself under his arm and against his side, but that too was par for the course. The few times she'd seen Theo upset, she usually gave him his distance for a little while before invading his space again and curling up next to him. It was just the way they worked. He heard her even before she slipped under his arm and the fact that she still wanted to be close to him after how he’d acted was a good sign as far as he was concerned. After a few long moments, Theo turned and wrapped his other arm around her, hugging her tightly. “Please don’t do that again,” he said, his voice no more than a whisper against her hair. The worry he’d felt was there in his tone, even though he did his best to mask it. He just didn’t like it and he held her all the tighter. It was such a strange request, even whispered as it was against her hair. Her free hand came up to his shoulder as she drew back, just enough for her gaze to meet his. There was enough ambient light coming from the penthouse to accurately make out his features. His very close features. And while she wasn't sure if he was referencing Ian, or the club, she felt it safe to guess that he meant all of it. It took her a moment to nod her assent to his request. "He wasn't what I wanted," she whispered back. Being so close to Kitane after everything was difficult to process so he simply didn’t. He just held her close and tried to muster up a smile for her. It was hard though, especially when she said the boy hadn’t been what she wanted. His hand came up to cup her cheek, thumb stroking along her cheekbone. She was beautiful, intelligent, resourceful and determined, worthy of someone who could love her instead of someone who would just use her. “Why would you go along with it?” Theo asked, and he honestly didn’t understand it. The touch, light as it was, had her swallowing hard as she gazed up at him. Without heels, she was barely tall enough to reach the shoulder her hand rested on and while some men made their height overbearing, his had always been reassuring. "I just wanted to be like a normal girl," she said quietly. She was never going to be one though. She knew too much about things she shouldn't and too little about things she should. Maybe it was better that way though. Ian hadn't made her feel like she felt now, just by being close to Theo. It was like boarding the plane that brought her to the States, she'd been so sure that it would bring something fantastic. She had been scared, yes, but excited too and wildly eager for the change that was coming. Just like now, her gaze flitting fast between his bright eyes and his lips. "But I'm not," she whispered and made the proverbial leap. Bouncing onto her toes, she closed the distance until her lips met his, her fingers walking up his shoulder to curl around his nape. Theo could understand that she wanted to be normal. Everyone wanted that, especially young women her age. She was so young, especially when compared to him, and there were so many things working against her. English was difficult, more so reading than speaking, and the cultural differences were fairly extreme. Ever since taking her in, Theo only wanted what was best for her and discovering that she held Daenerys had only increased that desire to protect her, no matter which side of the door she was on. Thankfully, Ned was Ned and that made it easier than say, Robert Baratheon or Jaime Lannister. Any sort of tangent his thoughts had taken were promptly cut off as she leaned up for a kiss. He barely had a chance to process her words or form a response, the simple touch surprising him so much that he simply didn’t know how to react. In all honesty, his first thought was that it must be a bit of a stretch for her so he instinctively leaned down to make her more comfortable. Beyond that, however, Theo was dumbfounded. He pulled back after a moment, lingering perhaps a touch longer than he should have and gave her a searching look. He wanted to ask if she was sure, if this was what she wanted or if all she sought was comfort, but the last thing he wanted was for this to devolve into an argument. “You’re not an ordinary young woman, Kitane. You’re extraordinary.” Theo smiled warmly and kissed her forehead, providing her what comfort he could without kissing her again. There was a line and, no matter how much he might want to, he couldn’t cross it. Not yet. Her first thought the moment he broke away was that it wasn't enough. The kiss had lasted only long enough for her to catch a faint taste of the whiskey he'd had to drink earlier and it wasn't enough. It had little to do with comfort – though she found his presence comforting – and much more to do with the fact that she did want this. Him. And the little taste she'd gotten was not going to be enough to satisfy. That didn't mean she would push. And his compliment was enough to have her ducking her head into his collarbone while she laughed quietly. "And you're a good man, Theo," she said when she was finally able. "Much more than anyone else knows." He smiled and held her close, rubbing her back almost absently as she laughed. “I promised to take care of you, didn’t I? To keep you safe?” Theo didn’t think for a second that she’d forgotten, not with everything they’d been through. He held her for a few long minutes before finally pulling away. “Come on, what do you say we read for a while? Would that be alright?” Keeping her close would have to be enough for now, until he could think about what that one kiss meant. If it was something she wanted, Theo doubted that he would have much choice in the matter and he found he didn’t quite mind that. "Yeah," Kitane agreed. Those weren't the promises that she doubted, but the other one he'd made. He had proved himself though on that count and she found she was less and less interested in him keeping it. It would have to wait for another time though, as she nodded against his chest. "Yeah, that'd be good." Her arm remained looped around his waist as they walked back inside and she immediately climbed on the bed, assuming he'd be reading here instead of one of the couches. "You still owe me a dance," she pointed out. Even if it wasn't tonight, she was going to hold him to that. Theo wasn’t nearly as surprised as he probably should have been that she immediately went into his bed. The book they’d been reading, A Game of Thrones, was in the sitting room so he went to retrieve it, turning off the various extra lights that they wouldn’t need. He kept the light on in the master bedroom and slipped under the covers on his side of the bed, letting her get settled before he even bothered to open the book. Once she was ready, he began, page after page until she drifted off to sleep. |