AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The man who’s somehow worming his way into your heart no matter what you do to try to stop him?
“No,” I say aloud, “I refuse to feel guilty.” But even so, I’m already frantically trying to think of last-minute things I could do for the big, murderous idiot as I tear the glossy paper off of the small box.
Inside the box is a large, shiny metal rectangle. I pull it out, peering closely at it, trying to figure out just what it is. It has hinges on the side, like it’s meant to open. It’s not too large and fits easily into the palm of my hand. It almost reminds me of a case for cigarettes, but I obviously don’t need one of those, and with all of Elio’s aversions to things fire and smoke-related that doesn’t seem likely. I trace my finger along the seam of the rectangle, then over the gorgeous engraving of a violin and bow on the front. It’s the exact same colour as my ring, I realize. I guess it must be platinum.
Pondering the mystery of what exactly this gift is supposed to be, I shrug, find a small latch along the side, then open it.
And for a second, I actually think I must be dreaming.
Because inside, the way a tiny photo would be nestled into the heart of a locket, is my favourite photo of my mom and me. I stare at our wide grins and feel oddly off-balance, like I’m staring down a long tunnel and into my own past.
It’s not the photo itself that’s throwing me off that much. This picture had a prime place on my desk in my old room. I looked at it every fucking day.
It’s seeing the photo here. It’s having it again, seeing her smile again, when I wasn’t sure I ever would. Elio told me the house was probably looted by enemies of my father.
But somehow, someway, he must have saved this little piece of my heart. I wonder how long he’s had it. The platinum case fits the photo perfectly, and between that and the engraving I have no doubt it’s been custom made. But Elio has so much money and power he could probably pay somebody to do a project like that in less than twenty-four hours.
He was gone a long time yesterday…
I never found out where he went.
I fumble for my phone, sniffing hard against tears I didn’t even know were there until now. With shaking fingers I call him.
He answers immediately.
“Good morning, Songbird,” he purrs into the phone, his voice like smoke and chocolate. “Did you get my gift?”
“Yes,” I croak. I clear my throat. “When did you… How…”
He chuckles, and I swear I feel the sound of it between my legs. I press my thighs together.
“Can’t a man have any secrets?”
“Not from your wife,” I say, rather smartly, I think, considering how my mind is reeling.
He laughs again, softly, the sound pouring into my ear and making my nipples harden.
“I was there yesterday. Stopped by after taking care of a little legal matter.”
“How…” I swallow, my throat suddenly dry. “How was it?”
“Trashed,” he replies, “just like I thought it would be. Anything of any value was taken and everything else was basically destroyed.”
“But this… You found this. And you brought it back for me,” I whisper, my eyes filling as I stroke the side of the photograph. I still remember that day so vividly. It was the last birthday I shared with my mom. It was her birthday, but she wanted to go to the amusement park because it would be more fun for me.
“Of course,” he says nonchalantly, “I wasn’t going to leave your mamma there in that fucking mess.”
“Thank you,” I say, but it comes out more like a sob.
Elio is quiet on the other end while I take a moment to collect myself.
“God,” I say, swiping at my wet cheeks, “I used to look at this picture every day. But now it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time. She was so, so beautiful.”
“Like mamma, like daughter,” Elio says, and it’s gentle, maybe more gentle than I’ve ever heard him.
I laugh tearily.
“I don’t know. I never thought I looked much like her.”
