CARINA

15: SPAGHETTI AND CANNOLI

DANTE'S POV

I entered the room after lots of deliberations. I've never been in a dilemma until now. I always did whatever I wanted, daring others to stop me if they could. But with her it was becoming... different

She was asleep on her bed and that explained why she didn't respond when I knocked. She was only in a skimpy night-wear and lazily sprawled on the bed. My movements may have been heard because her eyes opened slowly

She looked around the room until her eyes settled on me. She sat immediately and backed against the headboard looking alert. I can't explain the satisfaction I have whenever I see fear on the face of people anytime they see me, but I felt uneasy and sad seeing as she was scared of me

I'm not used to this unfamiliar feeling

"W-what are you doing here?" her voice held so much doubt. She pulled the comforter up to her chin, protecting her body from my wandering eyes

I forced myself to look away from her now covered body and decided on what to say. I had so many things I wanted to say but I didn't know how to bring myself to speak them

"Yesterday I..." what do I say in moments like this?
"...hurting you was never my intention and it wouldn't even be in a fucking million years to come. I just don't enjoy anyone occupying my personal space and I panicked when I saw you with the picture. Can you not be scared of me? It is...I don't..."

"I'm not scared of you" she cut me off

"But yesterday..." I trailed off

"Yesterday umm" she fidgeted anxiously

Her cousin told me she still lived in the past because she refused to talk to anyone about it

"I know" I said and she looked at me like how she does whenever she wonders how I discovered something about her and I loved looking at those expressions

"How..." her stomach rumbled cutting her sentence off

"Let's dress your scars and get you something to eat first" I pointed to the cuts on her fingers

She looked outside from the window "It almost dark and I don't think anyone would like to deliver food here. I'm not the best cook so how do we eat?"

I slowly walked to her and when she didn't push away, a sense of relief went through me

"I'm Italian Carina, so it's natural for me to like cooking" She only looked at me in disbelief "You don't believe I can cook?" She shook her head slowly "Why don't you come and watch me cook. You would believe me then"

"Okay, I would love to see you mess it up" she said with a sassy smile

"I know you love to seduce me but you better change into something less revealing else I won't be able to guarantee your safety tonight"

"I do not seduce you!" She said with wide eyes and pointed her index finger at me

I only gave her a cocky smirk and walked out. It's only been a few hours and I've missed her old self, her argumentative self

If bringing my walls down by an inch will make her happy then I'd do it...just for tonight

Mackenzie's POV

HE pushed a plate of three tube-shaped shell towards me and I looked at it trying to figure out what it was. It was a fried pastry dough with creamy fillings . I could immediately tell it was going to be crunchy and tasty. He didn't disappoint with the spaghetti though

"This is cannoli and the fillings are ricotta. Is a famous dessert among Italians and Sicilians" he explained as if he could tell I was wondering what it was