5. Scarlett
Chapter five
Scarlett
W ith Leo and Eli tucked away in the back office discussing business, I take this opportunity to explore Leo’s elaborate house.
It’s dark but inviting.
Cold yet warm.
And as much as it stands to impose and intimidate, I feel an odd sense of ease being here. It’s a conundrum, like a haunted house that soothes my fears. But that’s probably because everything about this place is Leo.
Black overtakes the walls, both from the inside and out. Even the tiles in the bathroom showers and the counters in the kitchen add a touch of darkness. A few neutral tones are mixed throughout, adding a cozy aura. The grand rock wall surrounding the six-foot-tall fireplace brings an earthy touch indoors. The leather furniture is exquisite and of the finest quality, but it also appears as if it was never used. The kitchen is…you guessed it, black, but with all stainless-steel appliances, appearing like a chef’s paradise. The garage turned Batman’s cave, housing Leo’s luxurious car and bike collection, is a pretty cool touch, if I say so myself.
I grin as my fingers glide over the seat of a fancy blacked-out bike. I’m not sure what the brand is, but I can tell from its condition that it’s his prized possession, parked furthest away from all his other toys.
But what really stands out about this place is the panoramic windows at the back of the house. These windows provide a remarkable view of the lake while allowing an abundance of sunlight into each room, softening the shadows where the light meets the dark.
Pushing the wall-high sliding glass door open, I step outside to what I assume will become my favorite place. A slight breeze cascades over my shoulders, and I wrap my arms around my middle.
Fall is in the air. I can feel it.
Taking a few strides closer to the edge, I scan the area, my lips curling up.
I could be happy here.
Peeking over my shoulder, I ensure Leo and Eli are nowhere in sight as I bypass the infinity pool, race over to the bed swing, and jump onto it. I laugh as it begins to rock back and forth smoothly and effortlessly. A small metal button on the arm of the chair catches my notice, and because there’s no sign that says, “Don’t press me,” I press it. Suddenly, protruding from the wall is a transparent plexiglass roof that stretches out, giving me an unobstructed view of the crystal blue sky while protecting me if it were raining.
Wow, I’m never leaving this spot.
I lie back and close my eyes, enjoying the soothing comfort of the back-and-forth motion while listening to the lulling sound of the water moving below. Birds chirp amongst each other in the nearby trees that surround Leo’s home. And even though I know Leo’s siblings all have a house on this lake, each one is miles and miles away from one another, meaning complete solitude. Silence. Peace.
Humph.
My eyes pop open, my face turning to the side to see Brutus watching me. “Hey, Brutus.”
He places his snout beside me on the bed, his big, beautiful eyes trying to work magic over me.
“What do you want, boy?” I roll on my side to scratch the top of his head. He leans into my touch, his little tail wagging back and forth. “Do you just want some attention?” I laugh as his two front paws end up on the edge of the bed, pushing the swing back. He scares himself and takes a few quick steps back. “It’s okay.” I sit up and bring my feet to the floor, stopping the rocking motion.
He licks my hand, slobber getting all over me. “Yuck. We need to work on your manners.” He tilts his head, observing me in confusion. “Come on.” I stand, patting the top of his head with my clean hand. “Let’s go inside so I can wash up.”
Brutus follows me closely as we step into the kitchen. I let the water run over my hands while lathering soap between my palms. “Listen, I think you’re really cute. But I’m not a fan of slobber. So how about we make a deal?”
I swear he nods.
“If you promise not to get your drool on me, then I promise to give you daily belly rubs. Deal?”
Woof!
I smirk. “Glad we could come to an agreement.”
Brutus turns around and pushes his head into a basket of toys, pulling out a ball and bringing it to me. I toss it into the living room and watch as the massive beast leaps swiftly and gracefully after his ball that stops in the, thankfully, empty fireplace. I wait for him to get it, but he stares at it and then looks over his shoulder, giving me a pointed glare.
I place my hand on my hip, arching a brow. “Are you serious?”
His stare grows impatient as he stomps his front paw, looking like a toddler about to have a tantrum.
“Gee, I guess Leo wasn’t kidding when he called you a softy. I didn’t take you as the kind of dog who would be scared of anything.” I shuffle over, rubbing his head as I pass him and bend down, reaching inside the fireplace to get the damn ball. Just as I toss it in the air, Brutus turns to chase after it, and my eyes catch on a pattern of colors reflecting on the black wall.
Red, blue, green, yellow… But where are they coming from?
Spinning on my heels, I peer around the room until I see it and freeze, my heart beating rapidly. “Is that…?” With a slight tremble in my fingers, I stand on my toes and reach for the object sitting on the mantle but miss it by a few inches.
Quickly, I search the room for anything to stand on and drag the enormous wooden coffee table before the fireplace, using it as a stepping stool. Lifting myself, I come eye level with the object and secure it in my hold, my thumb brushing over the glass.
The worn-out, dusty mason jar, painted in various colors, looks just as it did when I was a child. I clutch it to my chest, tears cascading down my cheeks. He saved it—the mason jar we used as kids to collect fireflies in, painted so that the colors would reflect on a nearby surface when fireflies were inside it.
I wipe the tears away, my heart pounding in my chest.
So many questions run rampant through my head, but as I place the jar back on the mantle, I only wonder… Why?
My fork swirls the fettuccine around my plate, the white sauce eliciting a delicious aroma, but I can’t find it within me to take a bite. I glance to my left, getting lost in the lake beside me, wishing I could have one moment where I could jump off the deck and scream as I sail towards the water, letting every horror that plagues my mind out into the universe.
But that’s probably not something a normal person would dream of doing.
The silence I enjoyed hours earlier now seems almost insufferable, and I’m beginning to feel like an intruder in Leo’s space.
“Do you not like it?” Leo asks, sitting across from me at the other end of the table. The distance speaks volumes about how I’m feeling right now.
Alone.
The tall white candles in the center of the table burn brightly, their flames dancing with every breeze that washes over them.
“It’s delicious.” I give a slight smile. “I’m just not very hungry right now.”
I want to ask him why he kept the mason jar. Why did he save it after all these years? But I’m not ready to hear how it means nothing to him. How it’s just some trinket he forgot about and placed on his mantle without a second thought.
He nods, wiping the corner of his lip with his napkin. “I can make you something else later if you would like.”
I shake my head. “Please, don’t burden yourself on my behalf.”
His fork falls to his plate, and the high-pitched sound makes me jump. His eyes settle on me, unmoving and unnerving, and his predatory gaze elicits a tiny shiver over my body.
Did I say something wrong?
“You’re my wife, Scarlett,” he declares firmly. “Nothing I do for you is a burden.”
I bite my bottom lip and whisper, “I know it’s not real.”
“What’s not real?”
“This.” I motion between us. “Our marriage.” I instinctively twist my wedding band. “And that’s okay. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and continue to do for me. So, I don’t expect… Well, what I mean is, I know not to expect more than what it is, a contract with an end date,” I say, the last part coming out more defeated sounding than I intended.
He leans forward, steepling his fingers before him. “You think this marriage isn’t real?”
I swallow. “I know it’s not.”
He nods, his jaw tightening. “And what, may I ask, do you think it is?”
I blink. “Well, it’s merely a cover for my safety.” My shoulders drop. “Nothing more.”
His eyes darken. “Married to me or not, your safety would always be my priority. Your signature on a contract wouldn’t change that.”
My brows furrow in confusion as it suddenly dawns on me… I know what I got out of this marriage. Safety. Protection. Security. But what did Leo get out of marrying me? Why would he go through with this when he gets nothing out of it?
“Ask it,” he states as if reading my mind.
I gently place my fork on my plate, my pulse racing. “Ask what?”
He arches a brow. “The question that’s sitting on the tip of your tongue.”
I look down at my plate and hesitate before quietly asking, “Why did you marry me?” My heart thuds beneath my rib cage as my eyes glance up, catching with his own, seeing past every flaw beneath my surface.
“Because—”
Woof! Brutus approaches us, trotting over to me. He nudges his head onto my lap, giving me his puppy dog eyes. I’m relieved by the distraction but disappointed knowing I won’t hear an answer.
“Sorry,” I murmur to Brutus, letting my fingers drift through the thick fur on his back. “I don’t have anything you can eat.”
“Brutus. Come,” Leo orders, his eyes leaving me and moving to his dog. Brutus obediently marches toward Leo. “Sit.” His butt hits the floor. Leo holds a piece of chicken before him and then tosses it to Brutus, who swallows it whole.
I chuckle, giving Brutus a small clap. “Such a good boy.”
Leo’s eyes scan across the table, calculating something I don’t understand. For a moment, a tender look flashes over his dark irises. One I find myself wishing I could get lost within. A slight pang twists my insides when I suddenly remember that years ago, I did. I got lost in his dark depths, never wanting to resurface, but against my will, I was dragged out of the abyss.
What would things be like for us now if I had never been taken away from here?
I fight the tightness in my throat and the tingle on the tip of my nose, smoothing out the napkin on my lap, and focus on anything other than the man at the other end of the table.
Suddenly, Leo stands, taking his plate in his hands, most likely heading inside for the evening. I lower my gaze, trying my hardest to appear unaffected by this.
When did everything become so awkward between us?
I twist the napkin in my lap, needing something to distract myself with and ground me to the here and now. As my eyes stray toward the lake, Leo moves by me, pulling out the chair beside me.
“There’s a better view over here,” he remarks as he sits with his back to the lake and his eyes on me. The setting sun casts a warm glow over us.
“But you’re not facing it,” I muse, confused at what he could be looking at in this direction when the view is behind him.
He leans back in his seat, never looking away from me. “But I am.”
Oh. A blush creeps up my neck, the temperature suddenly warmer than it was five minutes ago. I pick up my fork, as does Leo, and the two of us eat in silence. But this time, the silence doesn’t feel as stifling. If anything, it feels…nice.