Monster in My Bed

Chapter Forty-One | Crying = Drunk

At any other time, I am confident that I could have come up with a million and one ways to ask someone if they were or had been sleeping around with someone. However, in this specific instance, because it was Matteo, I couldn't think of a single way that I wanted to ask the dreaded question. Why? I couldn't think of a way to phrase the question so that I was absolutely positive that Matteo would say no.

When he returned home at the end of the day, he was quiet. It wasn't until about eight in the evening that I realized Matteo didn't plan on coming to say hello. With a chip on my shoulder, I stormed his office. He was on the phone. Looking back on it now, I feel a bit bad that I interrupted it. I merely caught a sampling of the conversation. Matteo sounded bitter as he snapped, "They understand their orders and the repercussions that may come with them," into the phone. I threw the door open, seeing Matteo leaning forward, his elbows planted on the desk and the phone against his ear. Our eyes connected. Drawing in a quick breath, he ended the call as the person on the other line was mid-sentence. If I had been concentrating, I could have heard what the unknown caller was saying, but I wasn't. Instead, it was all just a big mumble.

"Kai?" Matteo asked, clearly confused by my aggressive break-in. In his eyes, he had no idea that I witnessed his and Taylor's little interaction. We left off on good terms this morning, and that's all he knew. Stupid idiot.

"Hi." I snapped, clearly annoyed. Again, he looked at me with that annoying look of confusion.

"Hello?" I could have strangled him. "Are you okay?" My fingers twitched.

Was I okay? Yes, but you might not be in about ten seconds.

"Why are you hiding in here?" He paused for a moment as my arms came up to cross my chest.

"I'm working."

"You haven't eaten dinner, yet," I argued. He straightened a bit in his chair, his dark eyes searching mine for some sort of answer that I wasn't giving him.

"You're mad because I haven't eaten, yet?" The tone of his voice showed clear disbelief. He shook his head. "Kai, I skip dinner all the time. What's your problem?"

Ignoring his own question, I asked mine again. "Why are you hiding in here?" Tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling, he ran a hand through his already tousled hair, sighing. I remained silent, waiting for some sort of answer. I was becoming so impatient after only seconds of his silence that I almost started tapping my foot like some pissed off mother.

"I have to send another group over to Vindicta tomorrow," he began. He lowered his gaze back down to mine, "and I don't want any other accidents like last time. It's a lot of planning, so if you're going to get pissed at me for trying to do my job then I suggest you get out."

I thought that was just the beginning of a bigger argument. I waited anxiously in our room for him to finally come in. I tried to go to bed but that turned into a staring contest with the ceiling and that turned to pacing in darkness. It was nearly midnight when Matteo returned. He opened the door quietly, assuming that I was asleep but gasped when he realized I wasn't. I suppose it was a bit creepy that I was doing laps around our room without a single light on.

"F--k, Kaia," he cursed, his hand coming up to his chest. I remained silent. I anticipated a shouting match to start, and I was waiting for him to open his dumb mouth first. "Go to bed. I'll be right back." My brows furrowed together as Matteo moved away into the bathroom. Flicking on the light, he shut the door behind him and left me standing alone.

"Hey," I called out, following him. I'll admit it. I was a little offended. I threw open the door. He had just taken off his shirt and thrown it to the floor. His body spun around to face me.