"Inside."
"Huh?"
"Get inside." Tobias's voice was rough, his tone slightly weak.
Mimi didn't dare argue with him and entered her apartment quietly. He followed after her and closed the door behind him. Tobias was silent the entire time as he walked past her to go into her bedroom.
When Tobias left the room, Mimi continued standing submissively in place. Although this was her home, she suddenly felt agitated.
Damn it, why did she feel like a daughter caught by her father doing something she shouldn't have?!
She racked her brains over a way to pacify the man, but Tobias quickly came back into the room, a white box in his hand. She was still staring at him, trying to decipher the emotions on his face.
His face held few emotions, but when they did it was either mesmerizing or frightening.
At that moment, Mimi felt both.
He glanced over at her with blank eyes.
"Come here." His dark solid voice commanded.
Mimi's body stiffened a little when she heeded his sharp voice and quickly scurried over. She stood in front of him rigidly, uncertain of what to do or say. Mimi could only think of shutting her trap and obediently doing what he said as the best option for once.
"Sit."
She sat.
"Lean over."
She leaned over toward him.
Tobias unlocked the white box which Mimi finally realized was a first aid kit. The edge of her lips twitched.
Since when did she have a first aid kit in her apartment?
Mimi could guess Tobias put it there knowing her reckless tendencies. Her lips tightened, and she shifted her eyes downward, thick black lashes gently quivering. Mimi felt a rough finger touch her chin and tilt it forward.
"Look at me."
Mimi nodded obediently.
Tobias's head lowered as he looked down at something in his hand before raising his eyes, fixating them onto hers. His deep black eyes were, in a word, beautiful. Mimi looked at them in a daze until she felt something damp caress her face.
Blinking her eyes dramatically, Mimi stared at Tobias as he wiped her face with gentle, delicate movements. Her skin tingled at the sensation of the damp cloth meticulously cleaning the dry blood from her face.
A few seconds ago, he was exuding an immense intent to kill, but now his actions were both gentle and caring.
Ah, this man was so bipolar!
However, knowing she was in the wrong and the man still tended to her tenderly, she felt uneasy. Only when the blood was thoroughly wiped clean to reveal her white, soft features, did Tobias feel satisfied.
He put everything away before looking back at her.
"Does it hurt anywhere?"
Mimi thought to shake her head and say no, but suddenly nodded, pointing to her rosy face. "Only a little bit in my eye."
Tobias's expression immediately turned grim. He extended his hand and gently massaged the corner of her right eye.
"Here?"
Mimi nodded. "Mhm, it feels a little sore."
Tobias's expression was grim as he said, "We'll go get you a check-up with a doctor tomorrow to see if there are any problems, okay?"
Mimi smiled and hummed gently in agreement.
The two sat in silence. Tobias's finger continued to rub her eye as he stared at her expressionlessly.
"Toby…"
"Hmm?" The man's expression was incredibly serious, his caring, attentive actions never ceasing.
Mimi's lips tensed. "I'm sorry."
"What for?"
He looked at her with patient eyes, waiting. Mimi glanced at her fingers while fiddling with them.
She wasn't stupid, she knew where she was wrong.
In fact, in the past, she may have acted ignorantly to Tobias's reasons for being worried, however, she didn't dare pretend now.
"I wasn't careful in taking care of myself and got hurt in the process."
So she did know where she was wrong.
Tobias stared at her a while longer before sighing. After suppressing all his rage to avoid scaring the girl with fear over her injury, he finally bent forward in fatigue to rest his chin on top of her forehead.
Mimi stiffened for a moment from the sudden weight on her head. After a few seconds, her body relaxed, and she leaned gently into his chest, a sense of comfort swelling in her heart.
It was good that Tobias wasn't too mad. Thankfully, she admitted to her wrongdoings.
A long exhale of air blew over her hair. His deep voice was soft and calm. "This won't happen again."
Mimi nodded her head gently. "It won't happen again, I promise."
She heard a deep, dark chuckle from his throat, his chest rumbling. "You said that last time and look what happened."
Mimi had no room to refute and went silent.
When he noted her silence, despair twisted his face into silent anger. All the emotions he suppressed, the mask he had habitually worn, dropped. A rush of emotions flitted across his dark eyes.
He didn't pull away from her and continued to prop his head atop hers, his large arms linked around her back. Instead, his grip tightened around her.
Tobias closed his turmoil filled eyes. Then, he said with a slightly cracked and distressed voice, "Never again. I can't do this a second time, Mimi."
While she couldn't see his facial expressions, Mimi could sense that Tobias's voice sounded odd. She shifted her head to see the man's sharp jaw, but his hand pressed gently on her forehead, keeping her down.
If the girl had looked back, she would have found the usual softness in the man's eyes to be filled with violence and cruelty.
"I will not allow you to get hurt anymore, do you understand?"
Mimi asked, "If I don't, will I suddenly be guarded by big, large biceped men in suits at all times?"
He grunted, admitting right away.
Her lips pursed. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"
Tobias didn't seem the least bit concerned. "Hardly. You're lucky I'm not ordering the whole military to monitor you."
Mimi could not help but lift her lips and laugh, "Then I promise. I won't allow myself to get hurt again."
Tobias finally took a deep breath and exhaled, "Mmm, you better not."
Otherwise, he'd have to resort to confining the girl to prevent her from running away and injuring herself.
Mimi giggled. "Yes, sir!"
Even if she didn't promise him, she still wouldn't want to get injured again. She may be a sadist, but she wasn't a masochist! Getting hit once was painful enough, she couldn't imagine a second time!
For a moment, they stayed together like this in serene silence. With her face against his heated chest, Mimi could feel his calm, even breaths. Feeling as if she was in a warm, protective blanket, Mimi yawned, her black lashes trembling slightly.
"Tired?"
She absently nodded her head.
Mimi felt his chest pull away from her, the warmth gradually fading. She shivered from the sudden cold air and frowned. Mimi restrained the man from leaving by wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
"No, stay. You're warm, like a big bear." She rubbed her face into his chest.
Tobias raised an eyebrow. A big bear?
However, the moment he was faced with her content filled expression, his smile had turned extremely gentle and doting - his smile was truly stunning.
It was a shame Mimi had been in the midst dozing off, otherwise, she surely would have taken a photo.
Not long passed before Tobias heard the girl's gentle, steady breaths. He lifted himself from the sofa and very carefully, picked the girl up to carry her to the bedroom and set her down softly on her bed.
Tobias stood by her side as she slept. Her short hair was matted and splayed about the pillow her head sunk into. Pink full lips slightly parted, releasing soft snores.
The moonlight that crept through the window fell over the girl's face, her lashes glistening. Earlier they were moist from the pain of her injury, but had now dried, curling gently.
Tobias's eyes unconsciously dimmed.
He quickly stepped out of the room and walked out on the balcony. When he came out, his hand reached into his pocket for a cigarette, but his hand suddenly suspended.
Seconds passed before he drew in a deep breath and ran a hand through his dark hair, tousling it.
At that moment, his mind was in a complete mess.
Tobias couldn't understand the recent emotions he was feeling. When he had been told that Mimi was injured at the nightclub, he discovered that his breath was unsteady and his heart felt constricted.
All he could think of at that moment was rushing to her and holding her in his arms, protecting her. His second thought was to tear apart the person who dared lay their hands on her.
"What is wrong with me?" He whispered to himself.
Why did he struggle to control himself when he was around her?
Tobias fell lost in thought and quietly stood on the balcony for a few minutes, before stepping back inside. He walked into her bedroom and studied the sleeping girl on the bed. As she slept, she gave off the feeling of a defenseless, innocent child.
That angelic face of hers had previously been covered in blood.
Intense desires penetrated every corner at the bottom of Tobias's heart. He felt anxious, angry, and doubtful. But also, he felt the urge to bind her to him.
He reached his slightly trembling fingertips to the girl's face and paused. Looking down, his eyes unconsciously landed on the girl's white, exposed collarbone, it was so delicate looking in the dim light.
Tobias stared at her longer with complex emotions, his eyes particularly dark.
This girl…he fed her so much, yet why did she look so frail all of a sudden?
Tobias pursed his lips and bent down to tuck the blanket more into her arms before stepping away into the kitchen.
He'll cook her a big, nutritious breakfast for when she woke up.