Safe Place

Chapter Thirteen

Sienna

"You're my friend, too." I heard him say to her once I opened my bedroom door. He was sitting on the couch with her, with Ollie in the middle.

"Guess what?" She said when she saw me. "We're having pizza." She did a little fist pump dance on the couch, and I chuckled.

I looked around the rundown yet very clean apartment. "You cleaned up?"

He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, I hope you don't mind. I didn't want you waking up and having to clean. You were pretty tired, baby."

I went and sat on his lap, cuddling up to him, and his arms wrapped around me. He kissed the top of my head in response, and I basked in the warmth and comfort that was him. 

"Thank you."

"What kind of pizza did you get?" Lizzy asked him.

"I didn't know what you guys liked so I got cheese, veggie, olives, and one with chicken on it. Some drinks, wings, and garlic bread as well in case you guys didn't like any of those toppings."

"Sienna likes olives."

"I do like olives." I felt his fingers run through my hair. "What do you like?"

He leaned in closer to me. "You."

Biting back a smile and ignoring the flutter of my heart, I gave him a deadpan look. 

"I meant food."

"Also you." He grinned.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I."

The speaker by the phone buzzed and I pouted when he put me down to let the deliveryman in. He pulled out his wallet and I couldn't even help but walk over to where he stood and wrap my arms around his waist. 

I felt his hand go over mine as he let me be this close, this touchy and clingy, without saying a word. There was a knock on the door, and he opened it and took the boxes and bags from him. He didn't move from his spot and held it all with one hand as he handed the boy some cash. 

After tipping the boy, he closed the door, and I moved my hands so I could help him with the bags. We sat on the couch with the food all over the table and Ollie kept barking for something to eat.

"Can I give Ollie a slice?"

"No, sweetheart, he can't eat that. I got him some boneless wings." He got up and grabbed the box and went to the kitchen to grab a round bowl for his dog. He poured it and came and set it down in front of him. "That'll do since I don't have any dog food."

"There's a supermarket down the street. I could go buy him some." I offered, getting up, but he gave me a stern look as he tilted his head for me to sit back down.

"You good boy?" He asked him, and Ollie barked in response as he ate the chicken. "Eat up, Sienna. You too, Lizzy."

He got up again to pour Ollie some water in another bowl and the dog lapped it up, licking his lips before heading back to eat the rest of the chicken. He sat down next to me, and we ate our pizza in silence. I didn't want to eat too much; my stomach was still in a million knots from earlier. 

 I couldn't even believe that I let myself be so vulnerable, so stupid and pitiful. I've never told anyone about my life, about my childhood, even about Scarlet and Lizzy. They were my little secrets, that I had sworn I'd take with me to the grave. 

I didn't want vengeance and I didn't speak much about my parents. Normal people went to therapists and paid thousands for a session, while others bottled it up, and buried it deep, deep down where no one would ever reach.