He wasn’t special.
What Elenore had done was win his heart and open his eyes to the reality of what his world did. Now he had to fight to keep her safe. Going up against an even bigger monster than himself, his father.
****
“Do you get it?”
“No, it’s a stupid clock. How can that be ten but when the big hand is on the two, it’s ten? It makes no sense. It’s not right,” Elenore said. She sipped at her milkshake. After the disaster of reading, she’d hoped time would be easier. No, it was worse.
At least not on the clock he showed her. Twelve all the way around to twelve. Not to mention morning and night.
“I know it’s confusing.”
“I’m stupid.”
“You’re not.”
“People know all of this and don’t have a problem with it.”
“They’ve been taught it at a young age.”
“I had an alarm in my room. I should know this,” she said.
“Did you set the alarm?” he asked.
“No.”
“You’re being way too hard on yourself.” He put a hand on her shoulder but it wasn’t reassuring her.
She was stupid.
No matter what Raphael said, she couldn’t get the hang of it.
She got to her feet and moved toward the window, staring down at the ground. She was too far up to make any real faces or know if it was a man or a woman. They all knew how to tell the time. They weren’t stupid like her.
Raphael moved up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn’t push him away but sank against him.
“We’ve been doing this for one morning.”
“And I don’t know anything,” she said.
“You do know kids go to school for years, right? They can take longer than a day to grasp this.”
“I never went to school.”
“I know. It’s my point. Kids are like sponges. They pick everything up easily. It’s what they are designed to do. You’ve spent most of your life fighting for it, of being afraid.” He kissed her neck. She closed her eyes, basking in his touch, in feeling him surround her. She loved being in his arms.
This was his world.
There were women out there who could do all of this and would be able to stand by his side.
“You’re not going to get it in a single morning.”
“You’ve got better things to do with your day than teach me,” she said.
“No, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“Raphael, you don’t have to lie.”
“My job will be there tomorrow. I’m not saying I can stay with you all the time. I can’t.” He turned her around to face him.
She forced herself to look up at him even as she felt completely embarrassed by her inability to read and write or tell him the time. This was her failing. It was another reason why they would never really be together.
“This will come.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“I don’t allow myself to think about it not being possible.” He kissed her cheek again. “I know we’re going to do this together. You’re going to have everything your heart desires.”
She put a hand to his chest. Could she tell him that her one true desire was to be the perfect woman for him? Her life had changed so dramatically in such a short time, but she was too afraid to give in to her silly wants.
“Let’s do this.”
For the rest of the day, she worked through all of his questions, nibbling on her lip because it was all just a little too confusing to her. She didn’t really get the clock but the digital clock that went a full twenty-four hours, she did. Just the standard clock she seemed to be having her doubts about.
After her long session of studying, Raphael sent her to the shower while he made them both a meal. This time, she didn’t go to the room he’d given to her. She went straight through his bedroom, passing the bathtub and instead, using his shower.
Back at Giavanni’s house, she wasn’t allowed to shower every night. The slaves were only allowed to shower when he deemed it necessary. Whenever he wanted her for the night, he’d collect her after her shower. She’d be ordered to clean every single part of her as he refused to have anything dirty near him.
Just thinking about that monster set her teeth on edge. She couldn’t believe how someone so evil could create such a nice man as Raphael, not that she believed he was pure good. No, there was a darkness to Raphael circling in his gaze, ready to explode.
He’d have to take over from his father and when that happened, would people even let him? She wasn’t completely blind to the world.
One of the most incredible benefits of being a no one was blending in. Giavanni always wanted someone to serve drinks or stand waiting to be ordered around. There were many days and nights she’d stand in his office, holding a tray, or just waiting for instructions. She’d listen.