Chapter 17

Sun. Too much sun, so bright that it rendered Rosalia blind for a few minutes. Last night had been a complete mess, she could barely remember it. She hit the side of her head lightly as if to get her memory to spill everything that happened to her.

“Hit your head harder than that and you’ll regret” Came Sean’s voice raspy rom sleep as he rolled to his side to face her but still keeping an arm across his eyes to shield him from the sun.

“What are you doing here!” Rosalia shrieked and in an attempt to push him out of the bed she fell butt first on the floor. Sean laughed hard as he peeked at her from the bed his smile the widest Rosalia had ever seen it.

“This is my room sweet and we’re sharing. Party too much last night to remember a thing?” He asked in a sing-song voice clearly trying to taunt her.

She brushed her butt as she got up from the bed and sat away from Sean on the big bed “Know something I don’t?” She asked, her heart speeding at the sly smile on his face.

“Oh, I recall quite a few things” He said, wiggling his brows at a now pale Rosalia. She gripped the sheets praying that she hadn’t done anything too embarrassing.

“What did I do?” She asked the dreaded question, her voice lower than a whisper that Sean barely heard her.

“The question should be… what did you not do?” He smirked at her before getting up from the bed Rosalia’s eyes following his every movement.

“Just tell me already!” She yelled. Sean turned to her, eyes wide in surprise at her outburst. He pushed his fingers through his hair to keep it from falling onto his face before walking back to Rosalia, is sly smile back in place.

“You were totally wasted last night” He started as he climbed back on to the bed and started crawling towards her. “I had to carry you back here myself…which was no easy job if I might add” He said, his face furrowing in mock pain as if carrying her was an unpleasant memory.

“What happened after I got here?” She asked, growing impatient.

Sean was beside her now. He leaned over so he was at eye level with her. His hot breath fanned her eye making shiver.

“You put your arms around me and wouldn’t let go” He said slowly into her ear. He waited for her cheeks to turn a slight shade of pink or for her eyes to go wide in embarrassment, but she did none of those things.

“Pretty sure I saw something scary if I did that. Must be the dark club, they barely had lights on, and I get scared when it’s dark. I hope I didn’t scream or anything like that. I can usually handle myself, but it must’ve been pretty hard if I held onto you and didn’t let go” She rambled. Sean only watched her in confusion, unable to understand what she was going on about.

“I’m sorry if I made a mess of things yesterday, it won’t happen again” She said, finally putting an end to Sean’s misery.

“That’s not what I meant” Sean said, slowly getting up from the bed “You kissed…”

“Damn! I’m starving!” Rosalia exclaimed not paying attention to what Sean was saying. She got up from then bed and yawned, stretching her hands over her head.

“I’ll order breakfast, just go freshen up” Sean said, waving her off. Rosalia walked into the big bathroom and immediately removed the red dress. She combed her fingers through her hair in attempt to straighten out the knots but to no avail. She twisted the hair on her head before entering the shower and letting the very cold-water cascade down her back and bring her back to life.

When she got out of the bathroom there was a breakfast basket on the table waiting for her, but Sean was nowhere to be found. She let the towel slide down her body as she walked barefoot to the ward robe.

Big t-shirt in hand that she was sure belonged to Sean, the door opened making her screech before pulling the shirt over her head.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve knocked” Sean said hurriedly “Are you clothed now?” He asked. Rosalia nodded forgetting that he couldn’t see her with his palm covering his eyes.

“Are you?” He had to ask again before Rosalia could mutter a yes, mouth already filled with bacon.

“I see you already started on breakfast. We’ll be heading out in a few minutes” Sean said, checking his wristwatch “I have someone to meet, and you can’t be here all by yourself.”

Rosalia only hummed in response as she pushed half the chocolate cake on her tray into her mouth. She moaned when it hit her tase bud, the sound only taking Sean to the events of the night before.

He coughed slightly “Um! I’ll be waiting downstairs you have ten minutes.” He left the room like someone was chasing after him. Rosalia finished her breakfast oblivious to the torture she was putting Sean through.

She discarded the shirt she had worn earlier for the short floral gown that Sean must’ve laid out on the bed for her. it clung tightly to her waist before fanning out and stopping mid-thigh. Nana would never let her wear this outside the house.

At the thought of Nana, she began to tear up. Remembering her Nana made her homesick, but she had a new life now that she was going to make the best out of. She stood up more determined before going down to the lobby to meet Sean.

He looked up from the magazine he had in hand just in time to see her come out of the elevator. His mouth opened slightly in awe of the legs her dress so readily showed off. He shouldn’t have picked that dress.

“I’m ready to go” Rosalia said excitedly bumping her fist in the air. Sean smiled at her enthusiasm before taking her hand and leading her out into the crisp morning breeze. Rosalia kept her eyes trained on everything as they walked by other hotels and designer stores that had been built in between them.

Rosalia looked down between her and Sean to realize he still held her hand, tightly. She liked it, the warmth radiating from his palm and infiltrating her cold one. She snuggled deeper into his side as they walked hand in hand to the café down the street.

The café was scarcely occupied when they got there. The bell above the door giggling lightly as it welcomed the duo. Sean led her to the last table where an old man was already seated. He held out a seat for Rosalia as she sat down, eyes not leaving the man that was already seated before her.

Sean down beside her, their shoulders closely touching. Rosalia loved it that way. It helped calm the storm that was brewing in her mind. She wondered who the old man was, was it someone that knew her? Was Sean taking her back to her family? He wouldn’t dare, he promised to keep her safe.

“Uhm…” Sean started, turning slightly to meet Rosalia’s eyes “This meeting won’t take long, we’ll be on our way soon” he explained. Rosalia breathed out in relief before nodding, she had nothing to worry about. It was just one of those business meetings.

She tuned them out that very moment, her entire focus going to the couple a few tables down that were arguing. She could tell they were saying hurtful words with each expression that crossed their faces. A little boy sat in front of them palms covering his ears. She could tell that this was a routine of some sort for them.

Sean held her hand when she tried to get up. “I’ll be back in a few minutes” She assured him. He nodded slightly before letting her go. She walked straight to the other table, pulling a seat for herself beside the little kid.

The still arguing couple in front of her didn’t even notice her presence. She turned to the boy that was staring at her “Hey kiddo!” She said, smiling brightly at him.

“Mummy, daddy, fighting” He told her. she nodded sadly, her heart hurting for the little boy. She pulled a chocolate from her pocket and gave it to the boy, his face morphing into a smile.

“Whenever they get like this just close your ears and think of all the good times you had together and smile. Okay?”

He nodded with his mouth full of chocolate. Rosalia turned in time to see Sean storm out of the café and turned swiftly to see the old man starting after him.

“I have to go” She told the kid before getting up and going after Sean. She saw him throw something into the nearby bin before kicking it, making its content stumble onto the floor, the shiny object he had thrown into it rolling towards Rosalia. She picked it up and slipped it into her pocket. She didn’t know why but she had a feeling the tiny object held all the answers to Sean’s rage.