Matteo's Eyes

Chapter 21

Once the door closes I turn around and give Shay a devilish smile.

"What?" Shay looks almost scared of me.

"You know what that means?" I ask.

"My first thought would normally be sex but with you...I have a feeling that's not it."

I laugh, "Nope. Not sex. Ew I don't want to see your penis. Bleh." I stick my tongue out and make a disgusted face which makes Shay laugh.

"It means," I pause for dramatic effect, "sleep."

"What?" Shay looks dumbfounded. He probably thought I was going to say something ridiculous and childish.

I yawn, "My neck hurts and I'm extremely tired. I just want to sleep."

"Oh ok. I will go home then." Shay gets up to leave.

I quickly stop him, "No!" I say loudly. He looks at me surprised, "Idiot. I want to sleep with you." Shay smirks, "Not like that! Not like that! I just want to lay in your arms and feel safe while I sleep. I never have nightmares when you hold me." I rarely have nightmares anymore. Maybe one a night, but with Shay I have none.

Shay leans in close to me. His lips are inches from mine, "We could always sleep together in a less appropriate way." His low husky voice is very seductive.

I blush and live away from him, "Not tonight."

Shay chuckles, "Okay. Well let's cuddle and sleep together. But not like that of course." Shay says in an almost mocking tone.

I smile and tuck myself into bed leaving a spot next to me for Shay. I watch as he turns off all the lights except for the bathroom light. He shuts the door slightly but not all the way.

Before laying next to me something on the dresser catches his eye, "Have you had this up since I gave it to you?"

I look to see he's pointing to the photo frame of us at the Moon Tower. I smile at the memory, "Of course."

Shay smiles at me and gets in bed next to me. I put my head on his chest and lay there for a while. Eventually I hear Shay sigh.

"What's up?" I ask him, curious what's on his mind.

"Nothing." Shay says but I can hear the stress in his voice.

I sit up to look at him, "Talk. I'm not taking 'nothing' as a response."

"My father." He stops as if that is explanation enough. It is but I still want to know more. "He's been on me about school and shit. He thinks now that we are dating I will be the second in command to the Russian Mafia-"

I cut him off, "What do you mean thinks?" Shay looks at me confused, "Shay as long as you don't break my heart you better know damn well I am choosing you as my second in command. Don't ever second guess that. Unless you don't want me too of course then I can choose someone else."

"You would choose me?"

"Shay are you dumb? You risked your life for me multiple times. Saved my life multiple times. So yes I would choose you. I will choose you every time."

"God your perfect." I blush.

"Continue."

"Well my grades have been slipping since I have been worried about you. He also has been harder on me about training. Anytime I get a bad grade or mess up in training- never mind."

"Shay." I firmly say, "You can tell me anything."

"He- I don't want you to worry."

"He beats you? I swear to god I will have my dad kill him-"

Shay cuts me off before I can get to all the ways I would kill his father, "Ivy. That means a lot but he's still my father. I still love him."

"Show me." I say quietly but he hears me.

Shay reluctantly takes his shirt off. I don't know how I missed them before. I must have assumes they were from saving me. Shay has two big bruises, one on his rib cage and one in the middle of his stomach. He also has lots of welts covering his back, as if he'd been whipped or hit with a belt.

I lightly trace my fingers over the scars and newer injuries. Shay flinches at first but eases. I hear Shay sniffle and I look up in worry.

"I'm sorry." I look at him confused. Sorry? For what?

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Admittedly I have never seen Shay cry. Ever. I don't really know what to do.

"I'm sorry I ruined the night."

"No. You have not. I'm glad you told me. You don't have to go through this alone. You can tell me anything."

This time I pull Shays head onto my chest. I run my fingers through his hair until he stops crying and falls asleep. It feels nice to have him in my arms. I feel as if I have everything I ever want right here in front of me. Years of crushing on Shay and I never once thought he would ever like me back. Yet here I am holding him.

I kiss his forehead, hold him tighter to my body, and drift off to sleep.