As I shake my head to clear my thoughts and my eyes briefly open, I come to consciousness. The time and surroundings felt longer than a second, even though it only felt like a second. Roman seemed scared and I stared at him with a puzzled face.
"Lorenzo," he quavers and worries.
I groggily respond, "Yeah," scratching my forehead.
What happened, I continued, "what happened?"
He said, his face displaying a sense of peace and tranquility, "Xander happened." I briefly opened my mouth to hear what he said.
He continued with a sarcastic sneer, "You got too stimulated by my hand resting on Bella's arm, and by making her smile and giggle that Xander took over you.
I answered with a huff, "Xander is different from me okay," but even I knew I was lying. I would never confess it, even if it was rather evident.
I said in a harsh tone, "Whatever, you can do what you want. I'm going back to my office." and walked away. I really didn't want to talk to him about this again.
He jogged after me, calling out, "Hey! Where are you going. The conversation isn't over."
He tried to turn me around when he caught up to me by putting his hand on my shoulder, which made me snarl at him.
You know you can't keep this a secret from her forever, right? Just because I was able to get her attention today doesn't mean she won't figure out the whole truth, he said. "Okay okay. I won't touch you. He backed down and raised his hand in submission as a result of my more scathing look.
Then, when Roman's voice becomes a little quieter, he murmurs, "Fine, I won't say anything but think about it." I nod in agreement and proceed to make a short distance toward my office.
I move in the direction of the chair as the cold, dark room becomes visible. The windows are wide open, and the chilly winds howl as if they were calling to the night and everything it held.
I get to my feet and make a slow ascent towards it while keeping my eyes fixed on the dim windows. I advance and lean my arms on the hood with causion as I move slowly but with great force.
The black forest is visible from my office and is tall and imposing. My ears are filled with the creeks and noises as I look into the night.
I briefly blink.
two times.
The third time followed.
I opened my eyes to the sound of thunder, a flash of lightning, and pouring rain. The shadowy woods flit before my eyes, stirring up old memories. Her insulting remarks frequently invade my head like a bad dream.
I shake my head a few times in an effort to clear my mind as I watch outside as rain and thunder fill the night sky. As I look at the beautiful scene in front of me, comfort overrides the darkness and hatred that is pooling in my eyes.
I pause there for what seems like a long time before gently moving away from the window and toward the office sofa. I select any documents that I have yet to sign for the business and add my signatures.
When I'm done, I put the papers away and get out of my chair. I put everything back in its proper position before leaving my workplace.
I hear a sound coming from the living room as I leave.
My office is on the main floor and has a fantastic view of every area and everyone that is in it.
When I glance down at my watch and realize that it is five in the morning, my brows furrow.
As I move toward the living room, I mutter under my breath, "That's weird. No one should be awake right now." It's not surprising that nothing changed because the shoes I'm wearing make hardly any noise as I traverse the house.
I look around the living room as I walk in and don't see anything. The TV is the only sound I can hear.
I move closer to the screen in an effort to lower the volume when I finally see something that makes me stop in my tracks.
Bella was utterly out of it and slouched on the couch, straddling a pillow in a very uncomfortable position.
My eyes softened as I continued to be in such awe of her adorable face. I ultimately put the controller down and approached her. I sat down on the hood of the couch and, after pulling her hair from her face, I gave her a long, thoughtful look.
After a short while of serenity and peace, I got up and moved in front of her before taking her up slowly and gently. I carried her while replacing the pillow she was straddling with my body.
She complained and shifted around in my grasp as I carried her up the stairs in an attempt to find a more comfortable posture. When she did, she soon calmed down and curled onto my chest, letting me carry her without any problems.
When we got to her room, I unlocked the door and went to her bedside to gently tuck her beneath the covers.
I tried to pull myself out of her hug as I tried to stand up, but she simply held onto me more tightly.
She whispered under her breath in her sleep, moaning, "Stay still pillow." Her remarks caused a smile to appear on my face, and I couldn't help but chuckle within.
After several minutes of struggle, I was able to extend my arms and replace my body with another cushion. This effectively accomplished my goal, as she immediately released her grip and clutched to the new pillow.
I was so relieved that I got up and covered her body with a few sheets and a blanket before leaving.
I walked to my room and took off my clothing before gently closing the door. I changed into my house clothes and climbed into bed. I kept turning around and thinking about her while I did so.
Why is she giving me this feeling?