"You hugged him and let him kiss you?" Tyler almost screamed in surprise when I gave him a report after my first week in Mariano's estate. I don't blame him; I am repulsed by a man's touch, but for some reason, Mariano is also an exception. I am currently lounging in the mansion's library. Towering shelves of books are alphabetically arranged per topic, wooden tables with comfortable seats, centralized aircon to keep the room cool, and there's also a small pantry where I can freely make some snacks.
Aside from that, there is an area that I marked as my own, my comfy little corner. There's a mini laptop desk sitting on what seems to be an expensive kind of rug. Fluffy pillows were strategically placed to support my back. I also have a mini-shelf where I put my picks for the week. Since it is near the window, natural light floods in, making the ambiance vibrant and cozy.
"Is it because I think of him as a friend?" Is that the reason why I feel comfortable with Mariano?
"Think about it, Ty. That's the only logical reason. I'm comfortable with you and River because I treat you as family. Maybe the same goes for Mariano; I treat him as a friend."
Tyler looked pensive, unconvinced at my premise. "That's strange. Weren't you stalking him a few weeks ago because you want him as your sperm donor?"
"And? I'm not following your point." I reached for my matcha-flavored donut and hummed in satisfaction at the exquisite taste.
Tyler scratched his brow in frustration. "Arden, don't you like him? Romantically speaking, and not as a friend," he added, knowing how I will respond.
"Hmm? Not really. Sure, I follow him around but that's because of his superior genes."
"Wow. That's cold, but I understand where you are coming from. Anyway, can you tour me around the house?" Tyler asked and did his signature puppy-eyed look. Tyler is correct though. What I said was harsh, but this deep-seated trauma cannot heal in a snap. My distrust towards other people, especially men, is deep, and no one has proven me wrong, except Tyler and River. Still, they are not enough to convince me that not all men are the same.
"No problem. Wait a sec." After wiping the sides of my mouth, I got on my feet and reversed the phone camera so he can see the enormous library-slash-study. Gasps of surprise and admiration slipped out of Tyler's lips while I smiled full of pride, as if I own it. In the middle of pointing out to Tyler which books I find fascinating and binge-worthy, I heard a soft knock.
Following the sound, I snapped my head to the door and saw Mariano leaning on the door frame. He was donning a black shirt paired with black pants that hugged his body perfectly, and as always, with an amused smirk prepared for me.
"Hey, pretty. Good morning. How you doin'?" He flashed his signature smile and threw a wink while he's at it.
With a slight grimace, I shook my head. "Please don't do that. It doesn't suit you."He chuckled lowly and pushed his body from the frame.
"What suits me then?" An amused grin was still plastered on his lips. I don't know why, but I found myself forming a small smile on my lips.
"Just do what you always do, you know. Cold and distant, 'I despise commitment' kind of guy," I referred to his interviews, which have been a source of my entertainment. It turned out that Mariano has two personalities: cold and distant to people he doesn't care about, and chill and playful to someone he's close to. When I noticed that, I didn't mind his teasing and just dismissed them.
He rolled his eyes, and from behind him emerged a medium-sized sunflower. I couldn't hide the squeal and almost ran to him to receive it, but he just held it up with a raised brow. "What made you think that this is for you?"
With a pointy glare and a small pout, I stomped my feet. "Hey! Of course, it's mine. You always give me flowers every morning. For whom it is, then?" It was weird at first, but I began to look forward to the flowers he brings me every morning. Each day is different, and I keep those in my studio. Yes, I have a studio. He had one room renovated so I can have a personal space to express my creativity.
"Nuh-uh. You called me cold and distant. Also, you think I wouldn't know?"
"Wouldn't know what?"
He fished out his phone from his pocket and showed a video where I was laughing hysterically at his interview yesterday. "Oh, Hal, that fucking idiot. I hate you, Hal! You have no loyalty!"
"In my defense," answered a voice from outside the library, "I am your ally, Arden. Boss here promised that he will finish his work if I showed him what got you cheery yesterday," Hal explained with an apologetic look. Hal always follows Mariano around because the latter slacks off when not monitored. I wouldn't believe it, but one time, Hal went out for an urgent matter and he asked me to keep an eye on Mariano. I didn't understand it that time, but when I happened to pass by Mariano's office, I caught him playing video games.
I have never been more shocked. A mafia boss, playing video games. All of my cool impressions of him just went to dust. The gap was huge; I had to wrap my head around it.
"Whatever. What's the problem? Isn't it better for me to enjoy myself? And your interviews lighten up my mood. When my baby comes out, he or she will not be cranky because a happy Arden will give birth to a happy baby," I reasoned out and gave him a sweet smile.
Mariano just stared at me for a few seconds and with a sigh of exasperation, handed me my flower and patted my head. "I can never win against you. Let's eat downstairs."
"Hmm? I'm full-- oops." I bit my lips and took a step back when I was met by Mariano's scrutinizing gaze.
"Arden, I told you to eat a healthy meal before eating sweets, didn't I?"
"But I was craving for some matcha, Mariano. No, it's not me. It's the baby. Don't be mad." It's true. I don't want to eat donuts and ice cream so early in the morning, but my baby wants them. From what I read, it's not good to deprive the baby of his or her cravings.
"Fuck, don't cry. Fine. I'm not mad, okay. Come on, I'll let you have whatever you want after breakfast." Mariano sighed and reached for my hand.
"I'm not crying," I retorted in a trembling voice and sniffed. "Oh, wait. I'll end my phone call with Tyler first." Mariano nodded and slowly rubbed my cheeks with his index finger. Maybe it's because my cheeks are getting rounder and softer. Mariano told me one time that touching my cheeks is similar to touching that of a hamster's, so I let him be. I don't feel disgusted or anything, so I don't have a problem with it.
"Ty, I'm going to eat first. I'll call you later?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure." Tyler blinked fast, as if he was pushed back to the present.
"Why are you so red? Are you sick?" Tyler's face was so red that I began to get worried. Not only that, he was staring at me, wide-eyed.
"No, no," he waved his hands incessantly and chuckled. "I'm okay. I'll talk to you later," he said, slightly flustered. I nodded and ended the call. Weird. Why did Tyler react like that?
"Mariano, can you hold my phone for me? I don't have any pockets."
"Sure." He placed my phone into his back pocket and naturally slipped his hand onto mine. "Do you want to go out?"
"I'm not sure. I'll get back to you after breakfast."
Mariano nodded, and we headed downstairs, indulging in small talks. Most of the times, he rants about the elders and how he wants to blow their heads, but it's not something he can do at the moment. Yeah, today is another peaceful day, something I thought I would not experience in a mansion full of mafia men.
****
With a soft yawn, I slowly open my eyes and blinked several times to check where I'm at. Oh, at Mariano's office. "Why was I here again?"
After breakfast, Mariano allowed me to eat one serving of matcha-flavored gelato and a slice of cake, matcha-flavored as well. Hal is not very expressive, but I know when someone's about to puke. He may have thought that he was able to hide it successfully, but I have sharp eyes. Mariano was just sitting beside me, browsing his laptop for some local and international news while working on a report. From time to time, he would glance at me and wipe the side of my lips with a napkin. It's not a big deal, and I just let him because my hands are busy scrolling through my social media accounts and gobbling down matcha-flavored treats.
Then, we went outside and visited his "grave". "Arden, you are incredibly cute when you try," he referred to my failed attempts at irritating the hell out of him, a teasing smirk was on his annoyingly symmetrical face.
"Shut up, or I'll push you. I'm not kidding." He just shrugged and swung his arms around my shoulders.
"Careful or you'll fall," he warned and pulled me a little bit closer to his body, close enough that I can feel his warmth and smell his intoxicating cologne. "We can't leave a hollow space like this. I don't want you to get hurt. Do you want to sit on the swing by the lake?"
I nodded and smiled, ignoring the momentary yet fast thrumming on my chest. "I would love to."
We spent about two hours there, just enjoying the peace and quiet when Hal informed Mariano that he had some urgent business to attend to. Too bad, I want to spend more time with him. Being with him is so relaxing that I began to seek his presence. When he's busy, he does not go out of his room until the next day, and the thought of not seeing him until then dampened my mood a little bit.
"Arden, wanna hang out in my office?" Mariano suggested, and my neck almost snapped by the way I looked at him in surprise. It was so fast. Hal also blinked in shock but did not say a thing when Mariano held up his hand. "I may not be able to give you much attention because things will be hectic, but you can bring your art materials in my office and sketch. You can also watch movies or whatever you like. I don't want you to be on your own. Would that be okay with you?"
"Yes!" I screamed in delight and gave him a hug. "I will behave, I promise," I added with a soft giggle, and Mariano grinned, ruffling my hair in a gentle manner.
"Okay, then. Why don't you freshen up and prepare all the things you need. I'll meet you in my office."
I nodded and went back to my room with a bounce in my steps, not hearing Hal and Mariano's whispered conversation.
"Whipped."
"Shut up."
***
I was brought back to reality when I heard a low groan. I blinked slowly and realized that I was lying in Mariano's arms, while his free hand was placed on my belly, caging me in. "Arden, let's sleep more, okay? I'm tired," he groaned and nuzzled the top of my head. After a soft inhale, his breathing became slow and steady, indicating that he had fallen asleep.
As for me, my heavy eyes were dragging me back to sleep. Feeling the comfortable warmth of Mariano's body and his steady heartbeat, I pushed my body closer to him and was lulled back to slumber.
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