Breaking Down His Walls

12 - Scary movies

The house felt emptier without Luca's presence, a palpable gap in the dynamic that had shifted now that the eldest King brother was gone. The day had passed in relative quiet, though there was always some small buzz of activity in the mansion: guards patrolling, Matteo making jokes, Greyson doing... whatever Greyson did to keep himself busy. But for Amelia, things just felt off.

She was still feeling raw and emotional from her period, and though Matteo had done his best to keep things light, the absence of Luca lingered at the back of her mind. It was strange how much comfort she had come to associate with him. His easygoing nature, his protective aura—it had all made her feel safe. Now, with him gone, she felt a little lost.

It was evening, and the house had quieted down again. Matteo was probably off watching some movie, while Greyson... well, she hadn't seen much of him since the morning. Amelia had retreated to the library, hoping to distract herself with a book, but she couldn't focus. The heavy storm clouds gathering outside weren't helping her mood either. Thunderstorms were predicted again, and that sinking feeling of anxiety began to creep in.

As she stood near the large windows, watching the dark clouds roll in, a soft creak of the floorboard behind her made her turn. It was Greyson, standing in the doorway, his usual silent, brooding self. He hadn't made his presence known immediately, and Amelia wondered how long he had been watching her.

"Are you... okay?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual, almost hesitant.

Amelia swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Greyson's gaze narrowed slightly, his eyes scanning her face as though trying to detect if she was lying. Amelia shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "You're a bad liar, you know that?"

She sighed and turned back to the window. "I just... miss Luca. It feels weird without him here. And with the storm coming again, I just feel... off."

Greyson was silent for a moment, then, to her surprise, he moved closer, joining her by the window. The air between them was tense, charged even. Amelia was suddenly very aware of how close he was standing to her. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, and it made her stomach flip in ways she wasn't sure how to handle.

"You don't need to rely on Luca for everything," Greyson muttered, his voice gruff.

Amelia glanced up at him, frowning. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He looked down at her, his gray eyes unreadable. "You can handle yourself. You don't need him here every time something makes you nervous."

She felt a flicker of frustration at his words. "I never said I needed him," she shot back, a little more defensively than she intended.

Greyson raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth quirking in what might have been a smirk if he wasn't so reserved. "Could've fooled me."

Amelia crossed her arms, huffing. "What's your problem?"

He didn't answer right away, just kept looking at her, like he was trying to figure her out. After a moment, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "No problem. Just... Luca's not always going to be here. You're stronger than you think."

His words, though meant to be encouraging, only made her feel more unsettled. She bit her lip, trying to ignore the tightening in her chest. "Well, it's not just about that," she mumbled. "It's... everything. This whole situation is new and weird, and I'm just trying to adjust."

Greyson nodded slightly, his gaze softening in a way that she hadn't seen before. "I get that," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "This world isn't exactly... normal."