Cold as Stone

35

I looked at the ceiling, feeling empty. I haven't gotten out of bed in a couple days. Mostly to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water but that was it. Someone came into my room, closing the door behind them. They climbed into my bed and laid next to me.

"You haven't taken your painkillers in a few days. Does anything hurt?" They ask, making me shrug. "Addison, does things hurt? Answer verbally."

"No. I mean, it was hurting yesterday-"

"Addison."

"But I just fell back asleep. They didn't hurt that much. Nothing hurts that much." I say, softly. They sigh.

"What's wrong?" I shrug. "What's going on in that head of yours, Adds?"

"I don't know." I mumble. He sighs.

"What does the words on the ceiling mean?"

"ich liebe dich mein Kind means I love you my baby." I start. "я скучаю по тебе means I miss you."

"What about the last one?" I look at him.

"Means family is everything. It's in Spanish." He nods. "Then the roman numerals for things. The first is my birthday. Then the second is when Ashlyn was born." He nods.

I looked back at my ceiling. It was quiet between us for a minute.

"I had a bad mental state when I lived alone." I say, quietly. He looked at me. "I didn't really know what I was doing with my life. I mean, I did but I had to take a break. It got so bad that Maxim wanted to take me to a mental hospital. I was fine, or that's what I thought. I just thought that it made me weak, you know? After living with an abusive person who gave you shit whenever you talked, you would need mental help."

"I'm sorry, Addison."

"I forgave you the moment I stepped out of this mansion." I say, softly.

"Tell me more about it, Adds." I sigh.

"After a few more days of living like that, I seeked help. Not in the way Maxim wanted me to. I didn't care. It helped." I let out a breath. "I got into the underworld again. Racing. I didn't dare fight. I couldn't. The day the police picked me up, I was high off drugs. I knew I was, no point lying there. I don't remember what I took. I just wanted to feel alive, you know?"

"How many times-"

"Just that once. The people who I hung out with, they tried getting me to take it. Peer pressure, right?" I ask, looking at him. He nods. "It was whatever. I thought it was normal until Maxim came around. They all backed off considering they knew who he was. Then Stephan came around."

"The one from the casino, right?" I nod.

"He was away. Living with his dad or mom, I don't know. I didn't really care. He came around again. We got close. No lying there. Then he left again. I was alright. I needed to depend on someone. I got so used to it, that I started depending on him. When he left, that shit hurt." I shrug. "Then you guys came. I wanted to depend on you guys, but I couldn't. I knew that I had to depend on myself, as much as that hurt."

"Because you were gonna take over Richard's mafia. You had to do that by yourself." I nod.

"Yeah, I did. I couldn't lean on anybody when I did that. I had to do that by myself. Much scary as it was."

"You have more things to say, don't you?" I nod. "Go on, Adds. I'm listening." I sigh and look back at the ceiling.

"My second in command died. He was a rat. For who? I don't know."

"How'd you know that?"

"Because Stephan left a note. He knew he was a rat so he killed him. I was livid, but it's alright now. I knew he was coming back. Did I know when? No, but I knew he was coming back."

"Stephan killed your second in command?" He asks, confused. I looked at them.

"Keep up, will you?"

"Sorry." He mumbles.

"Stephan, well he's a part of the underground. Nobody knows who he is. He's very popular. Very."

"He's an assassin?"

"Yeah."

"He doesn't work alone though." I bit my lip. "You're his partner, aren't you?"

"Surprise?" I ask, smiling innocently. He narrowed his eyes.

"Rumors have it that you two are dating?"

"Ew. No. He's gay." I say, shivering. He raised an eyebrow. "What? He is. He had a crush on Adrian. Pretty sure he has a crush on Chase. He won't stop blowing up my phone about him."

"Good. You can't date until you're 20." I shrug.

"Good enough." He laughs. It became silent for a little bit. "I'm sorry I don't call you dad. I know it hurts you. Can see it in your eyes every time I call you by your name. You may have a poker face, but you can't hide that type of hurt."

"It's okay-"
   
"No it's not. You can't say that. You're going to make me feel bad and I already feel bad. Just give me a little bit of time, okay? That's all I ask for. For a little bit of time." He nods.

"Thank you for sharing, Addison." I smile at him. He was about to get up when I grabbed his arm. He looked at me.

"Can you stay? Until I fall asleep?" He nods. I snuggle into his side, letting the sleep fall over me.

A father-daughter moment! Your thoughts on this chapter? Next chapter I may change it up a bit. Don't know yet. Have a good day or night!

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