Chapter 10

10

SCARLET

I sank into the plush leather seat of the sleek black vehicle, relaxed after the spa day with Noms. The tinted windows offered a barrier between me and the outside world, but I couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped in a gilded cage. I sighed as I touched my stomach, wondering what was going on there, if anything. I didn't feel all that different, no morning sickness or anything, which was a good sign that nothing was growing.

I'd taken too long hugging Noms goodbye, and she'd reassured me that things would be okay, this would be over before I knew it, and my lack of pregnancy would have me free in just a few short weeks.

I frowned as my phone buzzed, and I raised it, Tyrone's name flashing on the screen.

"What's up?" I answered, my stomach flipping uneasily.

"Scarlet, Cristian wants to speak with you."

"No." The word left my lips before he finished his sentence.

"He's trying, Scarlet. He feels remorse, which is a lot for our brother. He wants to make things right."

I scoffed. "Make things right? After what he did? We both know that's not possible."

"You'll be safe. There'll be guards right outside the door, and we'll be watching. Julian and I will be nearby. If you feel in danger, just yell for us."

"Julian was there last time," I spat the reminder. "Cristian warned me against calling for him. Said he'd make it worse."

"Cristian will never truly put you in harm's way. I believe that, hurt you, yes, but that's the way he is. Actually put your life in danger, no."

I sighed, hating the truth in his words. Cristian's mind was a mess, but he had a twisted softness for me. He'd shown that a few times now, but his need to hurt me was still present.

"He wants to meet you back at the apartment," Tyrone continued. "I'll be upstairs with Julian. We're nearby, and you will be safe. You have our word."

My chest tightened with unease, a familiar knot of dread settling in the pit of my stomach. I could feel my heart racing, pounding against my ribcage like a caged animal desperate for escape. "It sounds like I don't really have a choice, do I?" I muttered, knowing at the end of the day, the brothers danced to their own drumbeat.

"I think it's worth hearing him out. But if you really don't want to, then I will send him away," Tyrone said slowly, surprising me.

He'd send his brother away again? That also meant he was already at the apartment. I swallowed down the dryness in my mouth as I contemplated it. Cristian had done something horrendous, and then attacked me on top of it. Forgiving him was not something I could just do, but if I was pregnant with his child…

Fuck. I groaned and massaged the bridge of my nose. Hearing him out and giving him one last chance was something I needed to consider.

"Fine. But this is his last chance. If he does anything, I swear to god…" I let the words hang, not even sure what I'd do. I could stab him again, but he'd probably just announce his love for me once more after the last time.

"I understand." Tyrone's voice held a hint of relief, and my lip quirked. To think the logical leader of the brothers was now listening to me had me snorting internally. How the tables had turned.

The line clicked off, and I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, as I steeled myself for whatever awaited me back at the apartment.

What could he possibly hope to say to try to repair even a touch of what he'd done?

As the car pulled up to the apartment building, my heart raced, and I stared down at my hands as the engine cut off and the guard opened my door. I stepped out, my legs feeling like lead as I made my way inside. The elevator ride seemed to take an eternity, each floor bringing me closer to a confrontation I wasn't sure I was ready for. One guard remained with me, a silent protector ordered to defend me by the great Tyrone Silvestri himself. It didn't ease me all that much, especially since I knew how wild Cristian could be. One man would stand no chance.

The elevator dinged as it reached the penthouse, and my heart fluttered as the doors opened.

I stepped out of the elevator, my breath catching in my throat as I took in the sight before me. The entire lower floor of the apartment was transformed, strewn with roses and petals, candles flickering everywhere. The soft glow created an intimate atmosphere that made my heart race for all the wrong reasons.

And there he stood, Cristian, looking far too good in a black suit that hugged his frame perfectly. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of him, his blond hair slightly tousled, those deep brown eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin tingle. The candlelight cast shadows across his angular features, accentuating the dangerous allure that seemed to radiate from him. I couldn't help but notice how the suit emphasized his broad shoulders and lean physique, a reminder of the raw power he possessed. Despite my better judgment, I felt a flutter in my stomach, a mix of anticipation and fear that only Cristian could evoke in me, and a traitorous hint of attraction.

For a moment, neither of us moved, until he blinked, and his lip pulled into the faintest smile.

"I've organized dinner," he said, his voice low and hopeful. "Even made dessert myself."

I narrowed my eyes, caution creeping in. "You want to talk?"

He nodded, extending his hand. "Will you join me?"

Hesitantly, I followed him to the table, purposely ignoring his outstretched hand. A flicker of hurt crossed his face, but he remained silent.

As he pulled out my chair, I couldn't help but quip, "I'm a bit underdressed for all this."

"You look perfect," he murmured, his eyes roaming over me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. I fought the urge to squirm under his gaze, instead forcing myself to meet his eyes with a defiant stare.

We sat in tense silence, the air thick with unspoken words and simmering emotions. Finally, Cristian broke the quiet, his voice softer than I expected. "You should try the food, kitten. It's from a renowned chef in the area, specially for you."

I glanced down at the fancy meal before me, an elaborate array of colors and textures that looked more like art than dinner. Despite the knots twisting in my stomach, the aroma was enticing, wafting up and teasing my senses. Deciding to at least taste it, if only to have something to do besides endure Cristian's piercing stare, I took a small bite. The flavors exploded on my tongue, a deliciousness I wasn't about to make clear with him watching me with bated breath.

Cristian began to eat as well, but I could barely focus on the food as I found myself staring at him, torn as my emotions roiled. My stomach twisted uncomfortably in his presence, a reminder of everything that had transpired between us.

He set down his fork midway through, those dark eyes catching mine and holding them.

"I'm sorry."

I blinked, the words slicing through the tense silence like a sharp blade, words I wasn't sure I'd ever hear, especially not from him. My heart, already a frantic drumbeat in my chest, skipped a rhythm at the unexpected softness in Cristian's voice. It was a strange contrast to the darkness that usually danced in his deep brown eyes, havoc that mirrored my own tumultuous soul. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the world to tilt back into its familiar, frenzied spin. But there he was, the man who called me 'kitten', the man who baked to soothe his demons, offering me an olive branch in the form of two simple words that held the weight of the world.

"I'm sorry. I... I fucked up. I know that." His voice was a whisper against the charged silence.

"Fucked up?" The laugh that escaped me was hollow. I couldn't help that I wanted to shove away this apology, to not believe him in the slightest. How could I? "That's putting it mildly, don't you think?" I could feel the bitter edge to my tone, and his jaw clenched. The world hadn't just tilted with what he'd done; it had shattered, leaving me to sift through the shards of what I thought I knew, what I dared to hope for in the quiet stillness of Cristian's unexpected tenderness. He'd proved it all to be a lie, that he was truly a monster beneath the softness he'd shown.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every movement. "I don't know how to fix this, Scarlet. But I want to. I need to."

"Why?" I demanded, the word tearing from my throat like a ragged plea. "So you can feel better about yourself? So you can pretend you're not a monster?"

Cristian's jaw clenched, the muscle ticking with the force of his restraint. "I am a monster. I know that," he admitted, his voice a low growl that seemed to resonate with the truth of his words. "But with you... I want to be better. I want to be someone worthy of you." His deep brown eyes locked onto mine, searching for a glimmer of hope.

I scoffed, the sound sharp and bitter. "You can't just erase what you did," I said, my voice trembling with the effort it took to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. "You can't take back the pain, the fear... You can't just expect me to forget the way you shattered my world, Cristian."

He flinched at my words, as if each one were a physical blow. "I know," he whispered, the admission barely audible. "But I can try to make amends. I can try to show you that I truly care for you, that I want to protect you, not hurt you." His hand reached towards me, hesitating in the space between us. The air was charged with the weight of our past, the echoes of his actions reverberating through the silence that followed.

I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. "How can I ever trust you again?"

Cristian's brow pinched together, pain swimming in his dark eyes as he drew in a sharp breath. "I don't expect you to trust me right away. I know I have to earn that. But please, Scarlet, give me a chance to prove myself to you."

I sat there, torn, every instinct screaming at me to flee, to protect myself from the potential heartache that lingered in the air like a thick fog. Yet, there was this persistent tug at my heartstrings, an inexplicable pull towards Cristian that defied all logic. Despite the betrayal, the pain, and the shattered trust, a part of me—a foolish, hopeful part—wanted to believe that he could truly change.

I was my own worst enemy, and I knew that.

My voice was a fragile thing, scarcely more than a whisper when I finally broke the silence. "I can't promise anything," I confessed, my gaze fixed on the glass of iced water, a few beads of condensation forming on the side. "But... I'll try. To listen, at least." It was all I could offer at that moment.

The transformation on Cristian's face was immediate as relief softened the hard lines of his features, making him look almost boyish with hope. "That's all I ask, kitten," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "That's all I ask." His hand, which had been suspended in the space between us, finally closed the distance, gently enveloping mine on the table. It was a simple gesture, but it spoke volumes.

He sighed as he released my hand after a few moments, his fingers lingering just a second longer as if reluctant to break the connection. His eyes, those deep brown depths that could be so wild one moment and so tender the next, studied me carefully as I took the last few bites of my meal. I couldn't bring myself to waste such exquisite food.

"I know my brain is broken, Scarlet," Cristian said, his voice soft and vulnerable in a way that made my heart clench. "But I do think this is what we both need. We've lost a lot in our lives, had so much taken from us." His words were sharp and pained, but his eyes were unwavering as they held mine. "A child of ours would be protected and loved by all of us, no matter who the father is. As would you. You'd be the mother of a Silvestri heir, a jewel of this family to be cherished and respected."

The weight of his words settled over me, a mix of fear and something dangerously close to longing swirling in my chest. Cristian leaned forward, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that made me want to look away, but I couldn't. "I know my brothers are treating you well now," he said, a hint of possessiveness creeping into his tone.

I nodded, unable to deny it. "They are," I admitted softly.

"I will be better," Cristian promised, his voice thick with determination and a hint of desperation that caught me off guard. "For you. I promise you that, Scarlet. I'll do whatever it takes."

I shook my head, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. "That doesn't seem possible after everything, Cristian. You can't just erase what's happened with pretty words and promises."

His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath his skin, but his eyes remained soft, almost pleading. It was a look I'd never seen on him before, and it made my chest tighten uncomfortably. "I'll prove it to you," he insisted. "Every day if I have to. I know I've fucked up, but I'm not giving up on this... on us."

He rose suddenly, the abrupt movement making me flinch instinctively. But instead of approaching me, he moved to fetch something from the kitchen. "We should enjoy dessert first," he said, returning with two elegant dishes that looked far too fancy for the likes of me.

A flicker of surprise passed through me as I recognized the dessert he set before me – crème br?lée, a dish that seemed far too delicate and refined for the man now sitting down across from me. I eyed the dessert suspiciously, my paranoia kicking in despite myself. Old habits die hard, especially when you've been through what I have. "Is this your special recipe?" I asked, only half-joking. With Cristian, you never really knew, and the last thing I needed was to be drugged again. Either that or being high when we needed to figure things out sober.

A smirk played at his lips, a flash of the dangerous man I knew lurking beneath the surface. "No, not laced, kitten," he assured me, his use of that pet name sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. "Just a little something sweet... like you."

Despite my reservations and unease, I took a bite. The rich, creamy texture and perfectly caramelized top surprised me. It was delicious.

"I wanted to do something extra special for you," Cristian explained, watching me eat with a hint of pride in his eyes. "I learned to make it before. Burnt the first one, but this one turned out good."

As I finished the dessert, Cristian's demeanor shifted slightly. "The three of us had a plan," he said, his voice low and intense. "It didn't seem like the right time before. Something for you, to show how important you are to us."

I frowned, uncertainty creeping in. "So, tonight it is," he continued, standing up and extending his hand to me. "Come with me."

Every instinct screamed at me to refuse, to stay put, to not trust this man who had hurt me so deeply. But curiosity and that damned pull I felt towards him won out. Against my better judgment, I found myself placing my hand in his, the warmth of his skin against my own sending a jolt of electricity coursing through my veins.

"I should know better," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

Cristian's grip tightened slightly, not painfully, but reassuringly. "Trust me, kitten. Just this once."

With a deep breath, I followed him back to the elevator, my heart pounding.

I wouldn't say it was trust right now. That boat had long since sailed.