Found in Darkness

Chapter 30

ELENORA

My eyes flutter open and I find Rico laying over me with his head resting on my chest. The floor to ceiling windows in the room give me a view of the city skyline and by the way the sun is setting, I'm guessing it's late afternoon, maybe evening. I don't remember coming back into the bedroom.

I rub my eyes, but cry out when something hard jabs me in my eye. "Ouch!"

My eye starts watering as I rub at it. I look at my hand with my one eye and I gasp attempting to sit up but the weight of Rico's head keeps me down.

I stare and blink at the pear sapphire, diamond ring, on my finger that I know wasn't there before. It's beautiful and the color of the sapphire is an unbelievable ocean blue-green; I'm mesmerized as it sparkles against my hand.

My vision begins to blur as I keep staring at it. I sniffle, wiping my face and Rico stirs and turns his head to press his face against my chest, kissing it before he moves to the side. "Mmm, I've never been big on napping, but I think it has something to do with you." He snuggles up next to me.

I don't say anything, not trusting my voice at the moment. He kisses my neck and then moves up on his elbow to look at me, but I turn my face away. "Hey, you okay? Are you hurting?" His hand holds my chin as he turns my face to look at him.

"What's wrong?"

"What's this?" I hold my hand up and his eyes move to the ring on my hand.

"A ring."

I exhale and sit up moving towards the edge of the bed but he pulls me back towards him. "It's an engagement ring, Elenora. Don't you like it?"

"I...I love it. It's gorgeous."

He smiles wide at my response. "But why, Rico?"

"Because we're engaged, remember?"

"No. We're not." I fold my arms. "We've only talked about it and you didn't even ask me, you slipped it on my finger when I was passed out. So romantic." Rico chuckles and I glare at him.

"Forget it, it doesn't matter. This whole thing is fake and the ring is probably fake, too." I move the blankets away from me and start to get up but Rico pulls me back again and hovers over me.

His face is somber and he moves next to me, lifting my hand in his to look at the ring. "It was my mother's."

He runs a finger over the ring. "My father had it custom made for her. It was her favorite color and when you mentioned the color mint was yours, I thought it was fate." His eyes move to mine and there's a ghost of a smile on his lips. "It's a perfect fit, too."

"Why not use a fake ring though?"

"You are the most confusing woman I've ever met." Rico kisses me. "It didn't sound like you wanted it to be fake less than a minute ago and now you're asking why it isn't?" He nips at my jaw then moves to my neck.

"It feels wrong to wear something with so much sentimental meaning behind it, and you and I—we're...we're just..."

"We are just what?" Rico prompts.

"You said it yourself, this is to throw off my dad's enemies, even though it seems like it's not working if you ask me. And while we have...chemistry, we also bring out the worst in each other it seems, even though you were pretty bad to begin with, and you're not the relationship type. Let's not forget you like to remind me how I'm not your type either—"

Rico cuts me off with a kiss.

He moves his mouth over mine as I give in to the kiss, he deepens it. His hand holds my face as he pulls away and his lips linger on mine before he rests his forehead on mine.