He wrapped the towel snugly around my body as I studied his every move. Even though he was extremely focused on what he did—a level of control at all times, he seemed so warm and friendly. I liked that about him. I liked that he wasn’t at all what I had learned to expect from him. This was a different and welcomed side.
He smiled at me before giving me a playful swat on my bottom. “Come on now. Back to bed.”
When he had me tucked in nice and tight, he turned to leave.
“Matthew? Please don’t leave. I’ve been going stir crazy lately with you gone. I could use some company.” Maybe it was asking too much, but I wasn’t tired, and I didn’t want to simply stare at the ceiling for the remainder of the day and night.
He paused for a moment as if considering the idea. He nodded with a smile and pulled up the wooden chair, so it rested beside my bed and sat down. “All right. I think I can stay for a while. The work I was going to do today can wait.” He reached out for my hand and patted it softly. “You come first.”
17
Aria
We remained together for hours. Casually talking about our likes and dislikes, our views on life, what made us become the people we were today, and where we wanted to be in the years to come. I could count on one hand the amount of people I could easily open up to and talk freely with, and now Matthew had somehow become one of those people.
This demon.
This monster.
My kidnapper…
Our narrative morphed in the most twisted of ways.
Enemies to lovers.
Fear to comfort.
Foe to friend.
And even though he was doing me a favor by keeping me company, it seemed as if he too was enjoying the time getting to know the simple things about me. His intelligence challenged me but didn’t overwhelm me either. I had read many of the same books he had, and I was proud that I could have conversations about them with him. I wouldn’t ever call myself dumb—my mother had made sure I wasn’t. It had been a very long time since I’d gotten to show off some of the intelligence I kept tucked away. And it appeared Matthew appreciated it. He seemed to really value my opinion and insight on every topic we discussed. For the first time in my life, I was connecting with a man intellectually rather than just being considered a rich, spoiled mafia princess. It was new, uncharted, and I liked it a lot.
“So, tell me something more. Deeper. Tell me about shadows in your past,” he said. He didn’t come across as nosey or ready to cast judgment. He genuinely seemed to want to know. Our casual conversation led us to this point. He wanted to really know more about me than just what appeared on the surface.
This was the most attention anyone had given me in a very long time, unless you counted drunk Scrabble with Tennessee.
“I guess you could say my shadows are more like my demons. My father being the worst demon of them all.” I took a deep breath. “He killed my mother. He claims it was an enemy who did it. That he did everything he could to protect her, and that he would make the killer pay. My father thinks I was too young to remember and even if I did, he could change the narrative so I would start to believe his words if he said them often enough. It wasn’t like I had much of a life to ruin at the time, but he managed to destroy whatever pathetic life I did have on that day.”
Matthew nodded as if he already knew this story. I was pretty sure it was no secret in the world they all lived in. Regardless, I hadn’t ever spoken of my father or mother, but it actually felt right… freeing.
“Was your father cruel to you and your mother always?”
I nodded. “Yes, I think that is pretty fair to say. But my mother told me he wasn’t always that way. She said he was a good man at one time, but his dark life had beaten him down. That jewelry box I took with me when you… when you took me… it’s all I have left of her. Inside, is a letter that I didn’t read until after she died.” I looked at Matthew cautiously. “Would you like to read it?”
When he nodded silently, I reached for the small box that was kept under my bed. Opening it, I pulled out a folded paper and handed it to him. Repositioning my body comfortably back in bed, I said, “Go on and read it.”
He took a moment to study my expression. “Are you sure? You don’t have to let me read this. It’s none of my business, and just because I have you here doesn’t mean—”