Whisper in the Walls

Chapter 12

MARA

Mara woke up the next morning with her face half buried in her pillow. A low groan passed her lips as her body ached with how sore it was from the night before. With Brahms' help they managed to unpack a few larger boxes she had been putting of. His height came in handy when it came to hanging up new shelves and putting her things onto them.

The first thing she noticed was he was missing from the bed. He had insisted sleeping in the same bed again and Mara was too exhausted at the time to try and argue against him. She remembered lying down as he went to the kitchen for water but must of passed out before he came back.

Getting out of bed she made her way to the closet and changed into the outfit she set aside for her meeting today. A simple pastel pink skater dress with black leggings under it. She drew her black cardigan over herself when Brahms came into the room.

"You're really going to leave?" His voice was full of disappointment as he sat on the edge of the bed and watched her brush her hair.

"Brahms," she started, "I'll be back I promise." She walked over to him as he tilted his masked face up to her. She could clearly see his worry filled eyes beyond the mask as she stood between his legs. "I need to leave soon, okay?"

"Alright," he sighed out before he tapped his one knee against the side of her thigh. She took a step back as he stood and he motioned to the hallway. "I made you breakfast."

Mara followed him to the kitchen and was surprised to see he made eggs benedict. After eating he walked her to the door in silence. She wished she knew what he was thinking as he stared down to her. Her small messenger bag hung from her one shoulder as she slipped on some flats. Brahms watched her as if committing her to memory when she reached her hand out to his and brush the back of it with her fingers to get his attention.

"Brahms can you lean down?" Confusion shone in his eyes but he did as he was asked. Once he was level to her face she kissed his masked cheek. "I owed you a kiss since I fell asleep last night. I'll see you when I get home."

He nodded as she left and locked the door behind her. She hoped he would be okay while she was gone. He had so many doubts about her coming back.

- Later that night...

It was a hour drive to the office her publishing company was located at and she had never been more thankful for GPS. Even with it she had managed to get lost a few times. Mara was relieved her meetings only took a few hours and left plenty of time for her to grab lunch before shopping for Brahms. It was already getting late by the time she left the city to head home.

Pulling up to the estate she watched the rain drops accumulate on her windshield. It reminded her first night with Brahms. That only been a few days ago and so much has changed. She still had a hard time wrapping her mind around it. One day she was shopping for things for the house and now she was shopping for a man she just met who happened to be living there the whole time.

Mara managed to get inside before the rain got too heavy but her hair and cardigan were partially soaked through by the time she shut the door behind her. She set down her work bag and the shopping bags with various things she had picked out for Brahms and slipped out her sweater and hung it over the chair by the door. It shocked her that he wasn't already at the door but with the rain he most likely didn't hear her car pull up.

"Brahms?" she called out. Silence answered her as she slipped her shoes off and made her way upstairs. It was dark as she called his name again.

"You... Came back?" Lightening flashed outside and it illuminated his silhouette as he walked towards her. If he didn't say something, he would of sneaked up on her with ease. His body was pressed closed to hers as he tilted her chin up to him.

"I told you I'd come home." She couldn't see his eyes with how the darkness shadowed them. His thumb ran over her bottom lip as his chest brushed against hers as his breathing increased. "Brahms?"

His hand cupped her cheek as the other snaked around her back and quickly pulled her tight to him. She couldn't get a word out before his porcelain lips crashed onto hers. A sudden pain jolted through her as a whimper ripped from her throat. When he pulled away and let her go she saw the reason for her discomfort.

Her blood streaked his mask's bottom lip.