Troy And Athena (Forbidden Love Series Book 15)

Athena's phone buzzed with an incoming call from Gwen. She immediately accepted the call, feeling alarmed and guilty. 

"Yes, Gwen? Anything wrong?" Asked Athena with worry. 

"Where are you, Athena? Are you coming home tonight?" Asked Gwen. Athena noticed that she sounded a little confused. 

"Yes, I'm on my way. Is anything wrong? Is granny okay?" She asked, getting up and gesturing towards Troy that they needed to go. Troy walked towards his car and Athena followed him.

"Actually granny's BP has shot up and she has thrown up her dinner. I don't have doctor Andrews' phone number, " said Gwen. 

"Oh, I'm just texting you his number. Can you tell him the exact symptoms?" Asked Athena, climbing into Troy's car. 

"Yes," said Gwen. "I'll update you after I talk to him," she said. 

"Yeah, I'll get the medicines on my way home, " said Athena, disconnecting the call. She turned towards Troy and told him about granny's condition. Shortly afterwards Gwen called her back to inform her about the medicines that the doctor had prescribed. Troy bought them on the way and they reached her home in twenty minutes. 

Athena rushed inside with the medicines with Troy following her. Gwen came hurriedly towards her. "Is granny any better? Here are the medicines, " said Athena,  feeling sick with worry.

"No, she's still the same. I'll just give her the medicines," said Gwen, taking the medicines from her and rushing into granny's room. Even Athena and Troy followed her inside to check up on granny. 

She was breathing hard and her face was flushed. Gwen gave her the medicines and she lay back on her bed. "What did the doctor say, Gwen. Do we need to take granny to the hospital?" Asked Athena.

"No, he said to give the medicine and wait for half an hour," said Gwen. 

"Granny, not on your side, you need to lie flat. Now close your eyes and relax, try to take deeper breaths. You will be fine," said Troy, sitting beside granny. She clutched onto his hands and did what he asked her to do. "She'll be better in a few minutes, hopefully. Did you monitor her blood pressure?" Troy asked Gwen who nodded. "Let me take a look." So they monitored granny's pressure. After fifteen minutes, granny was able to take deeper breaths as the medicines started to take effect. Granny smiled weakly at them.

"I'm feeling better," she said softly. 

"Would you like to eat a little, granny?" Asked Gwen. Granny nodded.

"Do you have salmon or eggs? You could make poached eggs or baked salmon. They're good for reducing blood pressure," said Troy. Gwen nodded.

"I'll make poached eggs," she told him and went to the kitchen. 

"Thank you Troy. I'm feeling better. It's getting late already. You have to return home too," said granny with a weak smile on her face. 

"No, I'm staying the night here," he declared. Athena looked at him with her mouth hanging open. He sensed her gaze upon him and turned to look at her. "Granny might need us. So it's better I stay. Don't you think so?" He asked, his cheeks coloring a little. Granny chuckled. 

"Of course, my dear boy. Athena, why don't you give him your grandpa's clothes for him to change into?" She told him. Athena nodded and went to granny's closet to take out her grandpa's clothes. She took out grandpa's sweat pants and a tee-shirt and handed them to Troy. 

"Hope these fit," she said with a shrug. Troy grinned. 

"I'll manage. I can sleep without them too," he said and granny laughed. Athena blushed crimson and ran out of the room to see granny's dinner. Gwen had already finished making dinner for granny. They went to her room with it.

"Athena, show Troy to the guest room upstairs," said granny. She nodded and gestured towards Troy to follow her. Troy excitedly followed her up the stairs. She led him towards the room next to hers but he entered her room instead.

"So this is where you sleep! I don't mind staying here with you," he said with a grin. Athena's ears turned hot with embarrassment. 

"I do. Your room is next to this. C'mon, " she said, catching hold of his hand and pulling him towards the door but he was an iron pillar who wouldn't budge. Instead he pulled her to himself, crushing her to his chest as his arm clamped around her waist like a steel band. 

"I'm sleeping with you tonight. We're engaged after all," he said, his eyes growing darker than a turbulent ocean. Athena's eyes widened with horror. 

"I'm not ready for this, Troy. I'm too stressed over granny," she pleaded. 

"I know and that's the reason why I'll sleep with you, " he said but Athena shook her head.

"I can look after myself. I can't do this right now, " she told him. 

"What do you think? I'm a monster or something who'll eat you up? All I'm asking you to do is let me sleep with you, just sleep. Okay, I'm going home if you're so adamant," said Troy, releasing her with an unhappy look on his face. 

"Wait, okay, you can sleep with me, " she said shyly, two bright spots appearing on her cheeks. "But nothing else, mind you," she reminded him. Troy grinned and leaned forward and pecked her cheek before walking off towards his room to freshen up. Athena's pulse quickened as she picked up her clothes and went to change. She didn't know what Troy would do. Would he really be able to sleep like a log beside her? She changed into her pajamas and went downstairs to check up on granny before going to bed.

Her granny had just finished her dinner and she was looking much better. She smiled at Athena and then noticed the new ring on Athena's finger. She picked her hand up. "This isn't the ring Brandon gave you. Whose ring is this? What's going on, Athena?" She asked curiously. 

"Relax granny. Troy's parents got us engaged today," she told her reluctantly. She didn't want to tell granny tonight knowing that too much excitement was not good for her but if she didn't, granny would be more stressed over it. So she told her everything that happened at Troy's house. Her granny seemed to be very happy that Troy got rid of Brandon's ring and branded his instead upon her finger. 

"That boy is really a go-getter. I'm glad that you met him. With him around, I feel so content, almost at peace. I know he will always take care of you. If anything happens to me, Athena and you feel lonely, I want you to go to Troy. I can feel that the boy loves you. It's just that he's unable to confess it yet," started granny but Athena interrupted her.

"Nothing will happen to you, granny. I'll take care of you. I'll leave my job if the need arises, " she said, looking upset, holding onto granny's hands with desperation. 

"You have to be stronger, my dear. I won't live forever. My body's failing me with every passing day," said granny. 

"I won't let you go, granny. I'll sleep here tonight," said Athena impatiently. 

"No, Gwen's already here. I don't want everyone here. Please think about what I told you," said granny. Athena nodded and walked out of her room. She went upstairs to her room to see a shirtless Troy lying on her bed, covered till the waist with her bedsheet and watching her like a hawk. 

She gaped at him. "Where's the shirt that I gave you?" She asked with a frown. 

"I'll choke to death if I wear it," grinned Troy. She eyed him suspiciously. 

"Did the sweatpants fit you?" She asked, eyeing the bedsheet with dread. She would run to granny's room if he wasn't wearing it. 

Troy shook his head slowly, looking at her as if he would pounce upon her if she ran. Athena's jaws dropped with horror. That could only mean one thing. Either he was wearing only his underwear or he wasn't wearing anything. Either way, she couldn't sleep with him. She turned and ran out of her room. "Then you're welcome to sleep alone," she yelled but before she could reach the door an arm went around her waist and stopped her from fleeing. She shut her eyes close with panic. Troy locked the door. 

"Troy, please, let me go," she pleaded, still with her eyes shut. Troy chuckled.

"Where will you go? You have promised to sleep with me, remember?" Said Troy, crushing Athena to his body. Athena struggled against his strength. 

"No, first put on something. I won't sleep with you if you're naked," she whispered with shock. 

"Am I? Grope, feel and check if I am," He said with an amused chuckle. Athena shook her head, her eyes still closed, her palm pushing at his chest. 

"No, get lost, Troy, " she said, going red with embarrassment. 

"I'll kiss you if you don't open your eyes," he told her. Athena's eyes flew open and she glanced down and sighed with relief. He was wearing her grandpa's sweatpants which reached his calves, making him look like Charlie Chaplin. A giggle escaped her mouth seeing him. 

"Laughing at me, are you? You need to be punished," he said, picking her up on his shoulder and walking towards the bed.