AllFreeNovel
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What the fuck…
So I’ll settle for living together. For now.
She’s giving us a month trial period, enough time to let Maddie sort out the finances and find a new roommate. She actually asked me how much half the bills would be. I don’t think she quite realizes just how much money I have. Hell, I’m actually debating buying Maddie her own apartment just to ease Sienna’s worries. Actually, fuck it. That’s exactly what I’ll do.
Just four weeks until my unification title fight, four weeks until I’m free. In this moment, everything feels like it’s perfectly fitting into place. The last piece of the puzzle is about to slot right in. But for some reason, I can’t shake the feeling that something is going to shatter everything.
“Champ, everything ok?’ she hums, searching my face from the passenger seat, her fingers curling around my thighs. “Look, if you’re having second thoughts now you’ve seen all the shit I’m bringing to clutter your life, just tell me.” She shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Now that gets my full attention. I want to murder anyone who has made my firecracker feel less than she deserves, who’s given her these fleeting moments of doubt that I wouldn’t want her. She really has no idea.
Tipping her chin up to me with my index finger, I bring my lips down to meet hers. Never in my life have I been pussy whipped. I can’t help it. She brings it out of me. Maybe it’s those goddamn crystals she’s packed.
“Mine,” I mutter simply as I feel her lips turn into a smile.
Revving the escalade to life, I shift into gear and take us home. It’s the first time I truly feel I have one.
* * *
“I can’t believe I live here now,” she exclaims, tossing her arms in the air. I can’t help but laugh as I watch her, taking her in. She truly loves this penthouse. She lights up whenever she’s here. It makes me feel in love with the place all over again.
Four exhausting hours later, gone is my black, white, and grey color scheme. Every room now has a touch of her, her fluffy pink pillows scattered over the bed. In fact, the only place that remains untouched is my kitchen. Our kitchen. Which figures as she’s already told me she can burn pasta.
We’re now sprawled out on the leather couch, her head resting on a pillow placed on my lap as we watch our latest murder mystery series, my fingers idly stroking her silky hair.
“I really don’t know what kind of monster can take someone’s life without any remorse,” she rambles, and my whole body stiffens beneath her. It’s a good job she can’t see my face right now.
Monsters like me she means.
The simple statement plagues me with the reminder that this happiness I feel won’t last. There’s no way she could love a fucking monster like me.
“Hmm,” I reply simply and snatch the remote, turning this shit over to the first Christmas film I come across.Love Actuallyit is. The loud crunching of popcorn stops as her body makes small heaving motions, almost as if she is trying her hardest to hold in a sob. I have no idea what’s going on.
“Baby, are you ok? Are you crying?”
She shakes her head into my lap and brings her hands over to cover her face, hiding from me.
“Shh, it’s ok, whatever it is, just tell me,” I whisper, moving her hands away from her face.
“No, it’s silly. I’m fine, honestly.”
I lift her small frame and she adjusts her legs to straddle me. I take her face between my hands, her red eyes are filled with tears as she sniffles. A snotty laugh escapes as she tries to hide her emotions from me.
“I don’t care if you think it’s silly. Tell me what’s got you this upset and let me fix it,” I say as I chase a tear from her cheek.
She lets out a defeated sigh, avoiding my eyes.
“I just struggle so much with Christmas. I can’t remember ever celebrating with my parents, even when they were together. The only memories I do have are of my mom getting drunk and smashing up any presents that I did get. Now, every year, Christmas just reminds me of how lonely my childhood was, how I don’t have a family.”
My poor girl is almost as broken as me. We both have an emptiness inside us. Until Mrs. Russo, I like Sienna, had never celebrated a Christmas or a birthday. I know how it feels to be unwanted, unloved. I chose to fill my void with darkness. It was too late for even Mrs. Russo to save me.
“Oh Baby, trust me, I know how that feels. Every year I hoped it would be different, that finally, I would have a family to care for me. That was all I wanted for Christmas, really. It never happened. Even by the time Mrs. Russo found us, it was too late. I was already a monster.”
“Oh Keller, I’m so sorry. I wish it could have been different for you. Hell, I wish life could have been different for both of us.”
I nuzzle my head into her neck to try and compose myself for a few breaths.
“Well, how about we start our own Christmas traditions? What if, every year we sit and watch a marathon of films with popcorn? Hell, I’ll even wear a Santa hat if that makes you happy. We might both have had shitty upbringings. Maybe together we can forget about that shit, even if it’s just for a little while.”
A smile forms across her lips as she brings her nose to mine.
