Chapter 16
My life seemed to be blessed with these sudden reversals, where simple words or gestures could change the entire course of things in a matter of seconds.
Thor and I stayed in his penthouse for a week.
A week of physical and emotional marks. Of too many kisses, conversations, and so much sweetness it would put any diabetic in the grave within minutes.
It was too much longing. Too much euphoria. The need to be with each other.
At last, I took him to Deborah’s class. And to be honest, he did better than I did with the doll tasks.
We had great moments, ones where I found myself emotional and, at the same time, bitten by jealousy when he talked to the baby and was answered with kicks.
Thor even bought a book of names and meanings to help us choose when I revealed to him why I hadn’t picked any options yet.
He was touched, but decided we should both choose.
And then, once again, things changed when we returned to the mansion.
Almost a week had passed, and I still had no idea why he was so distant and inattentive with me after our reconciliation. All I knew was that our tender moment had been doused with cold water the second we stepped into the mansion.
We didn’t fight or argue. In fact, we didn’t even exchange the silly little jabs we were used to making for things to grow strange between us.
We slept together every night, but we barely saw each other during the day.
And when we were together, Thor was always quiet and distracted.
Not to mention the nights when he came in late and, without saying a single word, lay down beside me just to sleep or fuck me.
The sex could be counted on one hand. The next morning, when I woke up, he was already gone.
I still tried to find out what was happening, but his answers were always evasive.
***
Thor braced his arms on either side of my head and bent down until our faces were level, his smile wide and arrogant.
“Maybe I’ll eat you in the middle of the night.”
I was going to answer him, but his phone started ringing like crazy.
Thor straightened and went around the bed.
He gave me an unsettling smile before moving away toward the bathroom, speaking too quietly for me to hear.
Too tired to argue with myself or with him, I closed my eyes and tried not to think about the fact that it was almost two thirty in the morning and he was on the phone with someone suspicious.
Some time later, I felt the sheet move and the mattress dip behind me. Thor pulled me against him.
“Enzo.”
“What?” I murmured.
“The baby’s name. I like Enzo.”
“It’s beautiful.” I murmured sleepily, then murmured to myself. “Enzo Castellammare Vicenti… Enzo Vicenti Castellammare.”
“Vicenti Castellammare.”
“Va bene.”
“So that’s it?”
“If I don’t think of another one, yes,” I whispered before falling asleep.
In the morning, he went to the old room he used to occupy to shower.
“Are you going out?” I asked, looking him up and down when he returned to the bedroom wearing a shirt, jeans, and black combat boots.
“I’m taking you to UCLA, and then I have to meet a friend,” he answered casually. “Are you ready?”
“In case you forgot, I don’t have class today.”
“Fuck! Sorry. I don’t know where my head is.”
“Is everything all right? Are we all right?”
Thor came to me and held my arms, studying me.
“What kind of silly question is that, baby? Of course we’re all right.”
“Va bene.”
“Come on, let’s go downstairs. Everyone must already be at the table. You need to eat, and I have to leave.” He opened the door for me.
“What friend do you have to meet this early?”
“You don’t know him. And you don’t need to be jealous.
It’s a male friend, and even if it weren’t, you know I don’t want anyone but you.
” Thor gave me a quick kiss, rejecting my subtle attempt to hug him.
“Now go have breakfast. I’ll be back before lunch, so we can enjoy the rest of the day together. ”
“You’re not even having breakfast?”
“I’m already late.”
Thor left, and I stayed there, standing still and in a trance, watching his silhouette disappear while my brain ran at full speed, using my suspicion as fuel.
“Hey, beloved, everything okay?”
With my face closed off, I walked to the sofa.
“Everything’s great!”
Pietra sat beside me.
“Ooooookay. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you and Thor fight?”
“I wish!” I snapped, running a hand over my belly.
“Enlighten me.”
“I just don’t know. Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. But it’s as if everything happened and I’m the only one who doesn’t know what.”
“Va bene. Now you’ve confused me even more. So let’s start at the beginning.”
I told her everything, and her answer was:
“Maybe what you two need is more intimate moments, you know, just the two of you… A calm place, where no one will interrupt.”