Paint Me Claimed - Book 2

13 | The beauty of reconciliation

Leonardo

Every time I blinked; a realization hit me. She was mine.

Zemira sat near me and cuddled Romeo. My dog was more than happy to show his summersault theatrics to impress her.

"Yuu all the cudest lil doggiee evaaa," she said, rubbing his belly. "Why all yuu cho chweet!" Rendering a glance at me, she bent closer to the sprawled dog, whispering. "Stop being so cute or I'll put you in a bag and take you home."

My useless pet drooled and wagged more as if he was ready to be coiled inside her small bag.

"He won't fit," I said. "He's too big... you know."

I didn't know what was so hilarious about what I said but whatever it was, Zemira cuddled my dirtbag of a dog harder, pampering his forehead with kisses.

"You're not big. You are smol. Velly velly smol. Innit it?"

Woof.

Of course, my dog would agree to all her words. After all, he loved being cuddled and I was rarely the person who did that with him.

Like a child devoid of love and affection, Romeo got what he wanted after meeting Zem. I was very sure that if he could have, he would have left with her.

A soft, vibrating alarm came from Zemira's handbag.

She gasped, diving over to unzip it. She asked me to give her a quick second and moved farther into the hallway to attend to the call.

"Sure Dad," she said, clearing her throat and moving back and forth around the couch on which I sat. "I can look at it in an hour. No problem, Dad. You just rest. Okay."

I straightened when she walked back. Her smile had diminished.

"Leo..."

"Is your father okay?" I asked. "You look stressed?"

"Oh, yes he's fine." She tossed the phone back into her bag, plopping next to me. Her head slid nearer to my shoulder. "He's advised to rest because he ended up stressing too much about work and the new branches."

It all made sense now. Of why she was in New York. Zemira was helping her father. She wasn't cashing on the publicity, as I assumed.

At that moment, everything I did to hurt her clouded over me. My head felt heavier. The guilt of conjuring things against my saint-like Zem hit my conscience.

If only I would have picked up her call.

Some 'if onlys' had the power to fill you up with such remorse, you'd not be able to breathe.

I didn't deserve the love Zemira had for me.

How could I be worthy of her when a while back, I wanted to hurt and punish her?

"Leo..." Zem looked up for a moment before straightening on the couch. In a soothing display of affection, she ran her fingers into my hair. "You are thinking something...deep."

I nodded, holding her free hand and running my lower lip over her knuckles. I could feel her unsettled under my touch.

Had it been any other moment, I could have had my way with her on this very couch. I could have made her see galaxies and brought her back to my arms.

However, at this moment, I wanted nothing better than to ensure she didn't see my truth.

No matter the amount of love Zemira had for me, I was still grappling with the reality of my new body. Subjecting her to something that I wasn't comfortable with didn't feel right.