Sian lifted the pillow to her face and groaned. “I can’t look.”
“Then come here.” I patted the spot right next to me. “I can protect you.”
I expected her to decline but instead, she snuggled close to me. The heavy scent of vanilla invaded my senses. The pillow was still in her fist, and she looked ready to run at a moment’s notice.
“I’ve got you.”
“I don’t know how you can watch this.”
To be honest, watching any kind of movie, I saw beyond the camera. When your family had a media empire that went across all spectrums of entertainment, I got to see how movies and television were made. I saw the evil guys go from gorgeous hunks to men you scream at. The weapons, some of them bent while others were designed to pull back without being able to strike flesh.
Then of course you had the director barking orders, or losing his shit. I’d seen my fair share of movie drama, and yeah, it had completely ruined movie night. I thought it was why I opted for this. While Sian was distracted by the movie, I could think.
There were parts of what Fred had discovered that didn’t make sense. Like the fact Joan followed our fathers to college. She was their selected throughout and even Alexander lived with them, but something happened in that last year. He found evidence of her no longer being with them. That selfsame year, she married Alexander and was pregnant with Sian.
Why did she leave them?
We were unable to find any more selected couples to see if this was a regular occurrence, and within time, Sian would be able to leave to have her own life. If that was the case, why did her parents order her to accept this? None of it made sense.
We were going around in circles, but at this point, it wasn’t like I could ask my dad for help. If he knew what I’d been doing, he’d lose his fucking shit. I was breaking way too many rules. Not to mention what it would do to Fred.
I wasn’t going to put anyone else at risk. What it did mean was next week, I was taking a nice vacation home with the guys, and we were taking Sian as well.
My dad was going to be there on Friday, but come Saturday, he would be gone and I was going to find some answers even if it killed me.
“It’s easy. Just think you’re the director,” I said, coming back to the conversation. I wrapped my arm around Sian’s shoulders. “Look at the screen as if it’s a camera angle.” I grabbed the remote and pressed pause. “What we know so far is this is a slasher movie, which means we’re looking at gore. The more graphic the better, and there has to be a pair of tits in there somewhere.”
She laughed. “Why?”
“It sells movies.”
“I hate that. Why is it girls have to get their tits out but guys don’t have to get their you-know-what out?
“Tits are prettier.”
“You think so?”
“I’ve seen my dick, and believe me, I would not want a dick swinging in front of me.” I cringed. “Could you imagine if they did do that, and the guy got hard?”
She wrinkled her nose. “That does sound gross.”
“Yep.” I turned the television on. “See, more screaming, and please tell me why they try to hide. Everyone knows where they are. You’d be better off surprising the guy or girl and just attacking.”
“But they risk being killed,” Sian said.
“As opposed to running around half-naked thinking someone is going to come. I need some ice cream.”
I paused the film and got up, heading into the kitchen.
After opening up a brand-new carton of chocolate, I got two spoons as Sian came into the kitchen. “I get the sense you didn’t want this date.”
“I do.”
“Mateo, come on. You hate movies. You’re bored. What gives?”
“Nothing gives. We all agreed to date you, and this is how my date goes.” I was fucking bored out of my mind but also horny.
Sian hadn’t seen the evidence of my arousal, but I was sure she wouldn’t be asking so many questions if she had.
Should I tell her? Show her?
Sian walked back into the room. The pajama shorts she wore drove me crazy.
Holding the carton in one hand, I took hold of her hand and pressed her up against the door. “I don’t give a shit about the movie.” Shifting my weight, I let her feel the evidence of my arousal. “But I do enjoy being with you.”
Her gaze went wide.
I immediately stepped back. “This is why I’m getting the ice cream, to cool myself down, but I do enjoy being around you.”
Still holding her hand, I walked back into the sitting room. I offered her the tub and she took it as I pressed play on the movie and sat back. I took the carton back and began to eat the ice cream.