How does he expect me to fall asleep now? I stare up and blink my tears away. My throat is thick and my body is heavy. The funny thing is, I could assume Draco is lying and believe what I want, but he fell asleep knowing I still have this knife in my hands. He knows I could slice his throat evenly as he sleeps, but that I won't. I can’t.
He's given me control. He’s putting his life in my hands. The man that kills your father wouldn't give you this much power. He wouldn't let it rest in your dangerous, unhinged hands.
I could blame him, but deep down, I know I can't. Draco isn't the one who killed Daddy. I have to face facts.
Toni wasn’t a good man. He was horrible sometimes, but I loved him despite it all. By loving someone like Toni—a man with so many secrets—I may as well have been the one who killed my father.
The knife rolls out of my hand and hits the floor. The pain hits me hard. I cry until I can't anymore, and I don't know when I fall asleep, but when I wake up, my head is on Draco's chest, and I can hear his heartbeat. His arms are wrapped tight around me, and his lips are in my hair, almost as if he'd been kissing the top of my head as I slept.
I don't move or flinch. I don’t push him off or speak.
I just stay, because right now staying feels right.
11
Acceptance
We’re quiet when we wake up, though I still lie in his arms. I don’t say a word. I really don’t have much to say. Well, actually I take that back. I have a lot I wish to discuss, but now isn’t the time.
He explained mostly everything, as promised. If it isn’t the truth, he worked damn hard on that story. I don’t see why he would lie. What’s the point in keeping me? He can’t want me that badly.
Still, I’ll have to ask for proof—the truth somehow. I want to believe he was close to Daddy . . . to Mom. But I still have to remember that he is dangerous and ruthless and cruel. He can and will lie to get what he wants, and it’s clear he’s always wanted me.
He is still Draco Molina, the most wanted, most vicious man on earth. I must never, ever forget that.
"Maybe we can do something a little different this morning?" I suggest when Draco sits up on the edge of the bed. The sun is bold and bright today, heat blazing through the window and on my skin.
"Like what?" he asks.
"Like hang out at the pool, drink mimosas. I'd actually like to start treating this place like more of a vacation if I'm going to stay here, and not some prison."
He glances over his shoulder. "Breakfast is important to me. We can do the pool afterwards." He pushes off the bed and enters the bathroom with a massive bulge in his briefs.
I climb out of the bed as well, tiptoeing to the bathroom. Lingering by the door, I think of where to start, like whether I should bring him back to bed and ride him until he says yes to the pool idea, or whether I should actually be decent and ask why he doesn't like to skip breakfast.
To be polite, I go with the latter. I can convince him later.
"Why don't you like missing breakfast anyway? I still don’t understand why it’s such a big deal to you," I call when I hear the trickle end. The toilet flushes and he lets out a deep, slightly agitated sigh.
"Does it matter?" He comes my way, shoulders broad, eyes surprisingly mellow.
"Yes, it does. I want to know."
He maneuvers past me, walking toward the window to open the sheer curtains. "Personal," is all he says.
"Draco. You told me no more secrets."
"It's not a secret," he says, tone clipped. "Many know the reason why. I just don't wish to share it right now."
He keeps his back to me but I walk forward, grabbing his wrist to spin him around. He huffs when he's facing me, glaring hard like he'll cut my hand off for touching him.
I don't care. He doesn't scare me. He can't because I know now that he won't harm me. After knowing the truth—about Toni, his father, and mine—he won't do a thing to jeopardize this again.
"Tell me," I insist, bringing my hand up to stroke his chiseled jaw. "I am tu reina, after all." Your queen.
I’m surprised to see him smile at that. Just barely. I grin, but it fades when he speaks. "The story will make me seem weak."
I scoff. "I think I, of all people, know you are far from weak."
He inhales and then releases a drawn-out breath, grabbing my hand and bringing me toward the door. We’re both still half-naked. All I have on is a T-shirt. All he has on are his briefs. He doesn’t seem to give a single damn.