Page 17 of Giovanni's Obsession

“It does. Your body is still healing.” I say, staring back at her.

“Goodnight.” She whispers with a smile, turning into the bedroom and shutting the door.

“Goodnight.” I finally say back.

I wait for several long minutes, finishing my water before I go back out to the car quietly to retrieve my other bag from the trunk of the car.

Back inside, I find the hidden latch on the floor that Alessandro told me about under the rug. Opening it, I place my bag inside, closing it again and replacing the rug.

Walking over to the couch, I lay down on it, hoping I can get a few hours of sleep. Even when exhausted I don’t usually sleep for more than three or four hours at a time.

I lay there for about an hour when I hear the bedroom door slowly opening. Looking over, I see Raven standing in the door.

“Um. Do you think..that.. you could maybe sleep on the other side of the bed?” She finally asks.

My face must show my surprise to her question when she rushes on.

“It’s a new place. And..I know at the other place, you slept in the chair. I would just feel safer.” She says quickly, staring down at the floor.

Getting up, I walk over to her and use the tips of my fingers to lift her chin until she’s looking at me. In her eyes I see fear but not fear of me.

“Okay.” I whisper, following her into the room.

Getting into the bed on the other side, I lay on top of the covers while she gets under them on her side.

Facing me she says into the dark, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I whisper back.

Raven

The next morning I wake up to the smell of breakfast cooking and noises coming from the other room.

Getting up, I move to the door and watch Giovanni as he uses an electric hot plate to scramble eggs. He looks up at me when he finishes dishing them onto two plates.

“Hungry?” He asks and I shake my head, walking over to the small table where he sets the plate in front of me.

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