Chapter Ten
Whoever said starting to like someone is beautiful, was a liar.
It’s gloomy and painful and you never want to let the person out of your sight. But you also feel light, safe, warm, and perhaps that's the feeling they all spoke about.
Nova slept peacefully through the maid's arrival, whom I skillfully kept watch on through hooded eyes, watching them give each other sly smiles, their gazes shifting towards us every few minutes as they worked. He slept through his alarm, which he groggily turned off, grumbling before pulling me closer to his lean body. He slept and I watched how peaceful he looked, and how much I would do to make him always look so serene.
I went in and out of sleep, shifting closer to him every time my eyes opened, feeling the safest I had ever felt in my life.
The most content I had in my life.
And when I woke up from another quiet nap, I discovered him awake, looking down at me through impossibly long eye lashes, a small smile creeping up on his face, forcing me to smile as well. Slowly, he inched forward to lay a small kiss on my lips, and my heart nearly came out of my chest to meet him personally.
One kiss couldn't possibly be enough though. He grabbed my waist, pulling me tightly to his chest. He devoured my mouth, his tongue entering my mouth, caressing my tongue. His hand wrapped in my hair as he pressed open mouth kisses to the corner of my lips down to my chin and back up to my mouth again. We began to slow down our make out session, peppering kisses along the way. Breathing heavily, Nova just looked at me with his adorable smirk. "You'll be the death of me," he said.
He ended up making a big breakfast, both of us still dressed in last night's clothes, quietly humming a tune as he worked, a smile never disappearing from his lips. Even when we asked each other general questions regarding interests in food, music and games. Simple questions, getting to know each other better.
When he finally left, he voiced out to inform me of his departure, and I walked with him towards the door, wanting to keep him in my sight as long as possible, waving a goodbye and standing in the doorway as he strolled to the elevator, and he turned around last moment, sending a cheeky wink and a wide smirk in my direction, before entering the elevator.
I spent the day at times giddy, and at times devastated at what my life had become. But mostly giddy, glancing at the clock every few minutes, keenly waiting on his arrival as I prepared dinner and set the table.
There's something about footsteps, because when the doors opened and Nova stepped in, I could tell something was off from the loud, thudding sound of his expensive shoes on the dark flooring. Instantly, all feelings of giddiness left my body.
I turned around to look at him enter the dining room, head bowed and one hand lightly scratching the back of his neck, breathing heavy and dare I say, eyes rimmed a light red.
He looked up when I called his name, gaining his attention. A small smile spread on his face when he looked up, long legs carrying him towards me, gently holding one of my hand in both of his, rubbing the skin gently with his thumbs.
His face portrayed the tell-tale signs of the agony that would soon hit me, but he still smiled down at me, eyes soft, as if for mere seconds, he could look down at me and forget the matter weighing on his shoulders.
"They held a family meeting today." He started, voice raspy as he swallowed to sooth his throat. "They officially named me the lead for the casino, and I overheard the chances of them electing me the Lead Riche are pretty strong."
I looked him in the eyes, trying to find the reason behind his disturbing demeanor. This was good news, right?
"The plan worked Rose. They believe we're a couple, and I explained the little scene yesterday with Robbie. If anything, it helped the case."
I still looked at him dumbfounded, confused as to why such good news was causing him distress.
"You're free to go Rose."
Oh. That. The plan had unexpectedly worked. He had answered the little excuse his cousins were trying to pull with a strong defense. Which means I wouldn't have to die. I could start a new life with my family. I could start a new life without him.
My face must have showed the inner turmoil I was going through, as he intently moved his hand to my face, cupping my cheeks in his palm, resting his forward against mine, low shushes escaping his lips.
My heart wasn't clever at all. It wasn't my savior. It had stupidly attached itself to someone clearly meant to leave. The first person that had made me feel wanted, secure.
I couldn't tear my eyes from him, even as I knew they would be rimmed red from the tears my body was desperately trying to shed, in shock from the idea of being away from him. I took a loud breath, desperate to calm myself. This was bound to happen one day. Sooner or later we would have to go our separate ways. We could never spend an eternity together.
My mind scoffed at the word. Eternity. Funny how I'd known him mere days and I was already pulling out all the clichés.
"Dance with me baby." He whispered, one hand moving to my lower back, the other moving my arms around his neck, foreheads still resting together.
He started to shift around, guiding my body with his movements, as my head moved to rest on his chest, him resting his chin on my head. I listening to his heartbeat, trying to capture the moments in my eyes the best I could, trying my best to preserve the feeling of being in his arms.
The dinner long forgotten, we spent the evening slow dancing to no music in his dining room, for some moments forgetting that soon we'd have to part, even having started such a short duration ago. For some moments we gave in on our need to be with each other, as he pulled me as close as he could during his time with me.
We spent the night in his bedroom, laying face to face in the middle of the large bed, taking each other in, trying to memorize every detail of one another. We had started such a short time ago, who knew we would become this attached so soon.
I slept in his arms that night, holding him as tightly as possible, silently hoping to never part from him. But I knew life had different plans for us, so I quieted my mind, and enjoyed the safety that came with being in his arms.
When I woke up the next day, we started the day like we had yesterday. But today had a melancholy feel to it, like it was the end of something beautiful. Because it was. It was the end of my adventures with him.
He silently made breakfast as I watched him, taking in his movements around the modern space. He didn't leave any expense as he prepared more than enough for both of us, setting everything on the table before joining me.
"I.... I spoke to Jeffrey about you. We found one of the best rehabilitation centers in the world here in Vegas, with the best system until he’s in a better place, and we got your father submitted there." I listened intently, as he explained my win from the deal. "Got you a decent house in the city, near the rehab center so you can visit all you want. We informed your mother and she’s very excited with your father. They're making the trip from your town to Vegas, packing up your old house for the move."
I always expected my mother to react positively to the change that was bound to come in our lives if the deal worked, but for her to so easily drop her job and pack up, was coming as a shock to me.
And I can only imagine what she had to tell dad to drag him up from his favorite spot in the living room.
"I opened a bank account for you, and it has a decent amount in it, enough for you to make it through your life without monetary hardships, like you asked."
A fresh start for my family. A new place, better home. Financial stability. And authorized treatment for my father. Those are the things I had asked for, and those are the things he was providing me with.
Then why did it feel like my heart was being torn in two?
I silently ate a bite of the delicious meal he had cooked before looking up at him, mouthing the question that stung as it rose from my throat. "When should I be expected to leave?"
His eyes radiated with pain from that question, his grip on the utensils in his hand tightening, swallowing before answering the question, "Your family will be here by tonight. It's up to you to decide when to leave."
My eyes watered up as I watched him build walls around himself in front of me. There were so many questions that were left hanging between us. Are you happy? Are you really going to let me go? What will happen to us now? Can I stay with you? Did you feel what I felt when we were together?
Instead of those sentimental questions, I chose a random one, "How's your family reacting to the news of you potentially becoming the next leading Riche?"
"My father is over the moon. Walks around telling everyone around him. Parties most of the time now for some reason, that old man. Even drunkenly called me over and told me he was proud. So, I can't complain." He shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee.
He got what he wanted, and I was getting what I wanted. Still my heart felt raw, discontent, thudding painful in my chest.
When he was ready to leave for work, I walked him to the door, meaning to ask him if he would be here when I left. But the words died on my lips, as I gently closed the door as soon as he left, resting my head against the wood doors which had played a major role in changing my whole life.
When the time came to leave, I changed back into the shirt I’d arrived in. I took a single swig from the whiskey bottle that had started it all, and walked out through the doors with my head held high, but my heart hanging low.
A similar car to what I had arrived in took me to my new destination, but this time with only a driver. Nova didn't come to see me off, even though I had expected him to, and for some reason that only added to my already aching heart.
We drove a short distance from the strip until the car stopped in front of a modern looking house among a scheme of similar looking homes, a fenced front yard with a stoned pathway leading to a light colored double story home made for a big family. I watched as my mother burst through the mahogany door as I walked out from the car, arms set wide for a hug, a look of joy I had never seen her radiate adorning her beautiful features. She hugged me tightly, repeatedly whispering 'I knew you would fix us, I knew it'. I hugged her back, feeling like I was meeting my mother as a new person.
My mom rambled off how she had gone with father to the rehabilitation center first, admitting him with the aid of a guy named Jeffery, who I was sure to be Nova's friend, and then came to the residency which would serve as our home.
My father was getting his treatment, my mother finally happy. We were getting a chance at a better life. This was all I had always strived for. Then why did it feel like I had left half of my heart in the biggest casino in Las Vegas?