Tabula Rasa

Chapter 52

Calina dug her blunt nails into the skin of her neck, right over the site of Matt's kiss. Then she dropped her hand and prepared to face the music.

Italy was the last remaining secret between them. Or, at least, the last one that had any bearing on their relationship. Matt still didn't know the extent of her actions as a mind-controlled Black Widow - but as he and Katya kept telling her, she wasn't responsible for those sins.

Her actions as Calina - the free and culpable woman - were the only ones that mattered. Matt had a right to know about those - especially now that he'd given her a second chance.

As she'd stared out of the windows just now, thinking about that last remaining secret, Matt had kissed her. Almost in the exact spot Ranieri had contaminated with his lips. As if he'd somehow known what she was thinking - and what she was keeping from him.

It had solidified in an instant what she needed to do:

Come clean.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "What happened in Italy? When were you in Italy?"

Calina took his hand and led him over to the couch. They sat and faced each other, an identical tableau to the one from early today.

It seemed this couch was quickly becoming the official designated spot for difficult conversations.

Calina held Matt's hand in both of hers and stared down at their intertwined fingers as she told him the story. "About six weeks ago. We, um, found one of Volkov's associates - a man called Salvatore Ranieri. He was actually the financial backer of the whole operation - and he lived in Italy. He lives in Italy." Calina frowned as she tripped over her words.

Matt used his free hand to stroke her cheek. "Hey, its okay. Take your time."

Calina leaned into the contact for a brief moment, then continued. "We needed the information on his laptop to help us locate Volkov. So I volunteered to get it. I was best suited of all the Widows to infiltrate Ranieri's home and get close enough to him to steal the data."

She felt Matt tense up. "By 'close enough', you mean..."

"He was holding a party in his mansion. So we faked an invite and I attended under a false identity. I made sure to catch his eye, then convinced him to take me up to his room."

"Okay," Matt said slowly.

There was still tension in his frame - she could feel it in the way his hand was locked around hers - so she hurried to explain. "When we got upstairs I drugged him, then cloned his devices. But before I managed to knock him out, he- he..."

"What?"

"He touched me," Calina admitted.

"Where?" he grated out. "Where did he touch you?"

Calina spared a quick glance at his face, and could see his jaw was clenched and a deep frown marred his forehead. "You're angry," she said. "I knew you would be. I'm so sorry, Matt. Please forgive me. I know I don't deserve it - you've already given me this second chance, and now I'm asking for another. I wouldn't blame you-"

"Shut up, Calina."

Calina snapped her mouth closed, cutting off her rambling apology.

Matt cradled her cheeks with both hands and tilted her face up, pressing a kiss to her forehead. The gentle action was at odds with the irritation in his voice. "I am angry," he said. "But I'm not angry at you."

Calina frowned in confusion. "Why not?"

"Because you didn't do anything wrong."

"But I- I seduced another man."