Mine | ✔️

Chapter 37

Scarlett's P.O.V

"How was work?" a gruff voice asked as I walked through the door.

"Jesus Christ! You scared me, Alex," I replied with a light chuckle. "Work was fine. Nothing special," I answered as I watched him take a long sip of his drink. "Rough day?" I asked as I put my bag down and sat down next to him.

"It seems I have a bunch of idiots working for me," he replied as he poured himself another glass.

"Your knuckles," I said, taking in their appearance, "Were you in a fight?" I asked as I noticed the cuts on his face.

"Just a part of the job. You should see the other guy," he replied with a huff.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked, only to receive a hard 'no'. "Is there anything I could do for you?" I asked.

"Yes. Go to bed," he replied.

"I'm not five, you can't just send me to bed like I'm some kid because you don't want to talk about something," I replied with an eye roll. "Look. I've been here for a month now. And the only reason it's worked thus far is because we communicate. You know you can talk to me, right?" I asked.

Silence.

"Fine," I said, taking a deep breath, "I won't push you to talk to me," I said as I got up and left, only to return a few minutes later.

"What are you doing?" he asked as I knelt in front of him.

"Cleaning you up. What does it look like?" I asked with an eye roll.

'You don't ha-," he started.

"Shut up," I said, cutting him off.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied as he took another sip of his drink.

"For the love of God, put this down," I said, snatching the glass out of his hand. "You reek of alcohol," I said as I scrunched up my nose. "Does this not hurt?" I asked as the hydrogen peroxide hit his open wounds.

"I've had years to get used to it. It'll take more than a little hydrogen peroxide to get a reaction out of me," he replied as he watched me intently. Nodding in response, I stay silent as I wrap the bandage around his hand and then move to his face.

"This is gonna take a few days to heal," I said as I finished up, trying to ease the silence that hung in the air between us.

With a sigh of defeat, I pack up the first aid kit and mumble "I'll be in my room."

I doubt he even heard me.

Taking a much-needed warm bath, I throw on a hoodie and shorts, crawl into bed, and grab my journal.

Dear Journal,

It's been a month now. A month of trying to remember. There are little bits and pieces that come back to me every so often, but nothing I can make sense of. I vaguely remember eating chocolate chip cookies and a tall, blonde man. I can't see his face, but every time he comes to me, I'm scared. Is this a man from my past? Is my subconscious trying to tell me something? With Alex, I feel safe. Protected. But I also feel like I'm losing my mind. Why can't I remember? What happened to me? Is Alex even someone I could trust? What if he is the one I'm supposed to be running from? I have too many questions and too few answers.

I reread this journal every night, scared that I'll forget everything that's happened thus far if I don't. Alex told me he loves me. Is that true? Or is it just a ploy for something he's planning? I need answers, journal. I'm losing my mind being kept in the dark. Alex refuses to tell me anything. He's gone cold, and it scares me. None of the guards or maids will talk to me. What the hell are these people hiding from me? I wonder how the old me handled all this? Was he always this secretive?

"Fuck it," I said to myself as I put my pen down. Pushing the covers off of me, I crawl out of bed and open my door, walking straight into a wall and falling to the ground.

"I'm sorry. I was about to knock, and then you walked right into me. Are you alright?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied as I took his hand to get up.

"I wanted to talk to you. But I understand if you'd like to get your rest," he said.

"I wanted to talk to you too, actually. Do you want to come in?" I asked.

"Thanks," he replied with a nod as I invited him to sit on my bed. "What's that?" he asked, nodding in the direction of my journal.

"A journal. It helps me remember things if I write stuff down. And in the event this sort of thing happens again, at least I'll have more than pictures to go by, you know?" I asked, referring to the few albums of photographs of us he had given me.

"Of course. Of course," he replied.

"I'm sorry," I said, after our long period of silence.

"There's nothing you have to apologize for, Scar," he replied.

"But-,"

"But nothing. It's your life, you're entitled to know about it. I only keep it from you to protect you from it," he said cutting me off.

"I want to know, Alex. Whatever it is. However bad it was, I want to know. I'm tired of all these questions and bits and pieces of things from what could have been my life floating around in here," I said as I gestured to my head. "It's exhausting trying to figure the last two years of my life out from photographs and strange figures that I dream," I added as I wiped away the tear that was rolling down my cheek.

Alex's P.O.V

And so I told her. Anything and everything that she wanted to know. From how we first met and the very diner she now works at, to the argument she had with Alice, the arranged marriage between her sister and me, her running away because I pushed her away, and the moments with Cade that led up to where we are now.

"Wow," she said as I wiped the tears away that fell from her beautiful eyes. "My life could be a fucking Lifetime movie," she said with a light laugh.

"A what?" I asked, amazed at how well she was taking this information.

"Nevermind," she said, shaking her head. "So what do we do now?" she asked.

"I will be locating Cade and making him pay for what he has done to you. You are going to go to work and keep a low profile. Work, then home. I can't risk losing you again," I replied as I played with her hair as she laid her head in my lap.

"So I'm supposed to be locked up here for the rest of my life?" she asked.

"Scar, I'm only doing thi-,"

"To protect me. I know, Alex," she said with a sigh.

"I can't risk your safety, Scarlett. Please try to understand," I replied. With a simple nod, she picks herself up and crawls underneath her covers.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" she asked.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she replied as she refused to look at me. Crawling into bed with her, I take my shirt off, "Is this okay?" I asked.

"Mhm," she replied. Turning off the lamp, I go to put my arm around her. "Can you turn the light back on, please?" she asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, is everything alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I just don't like sleeping in the dark. Did I used to sleep with the light off?" she asked.

"Yes, but it's okay. It won't bother me," I replied as I kissed her cheek.

"Okay," she replied as she snuggled into my chest, making herself comfortable. "Goodnight, Alex," she said, tiredness in her voice as her breathing slowed.

"Goodnight, Scarlett," I replied, giving her one last kiss on the forehead, and drifting off to sleep myself.