The DarkNess Within Him | ✔

Chapter Fifteen

His lips against my ear when he utters those words are taunting and I can't help the knot quickly forming within my stomach.

"So you did recognise me?" I breathe out in a small croak, startled by his accusation. I actually thought he didn't recognise me. How foolish of me.

Matthew chuckles against my ear. His chuckle is light and somewhat airy but I can't get past the way my body is pressed against him intimately. The only thing between us is my silken night dress and even at that, I can still feel the warmth of his chest seep into me and create trembles right down my legs.

"Seriously Mikayla?" Matthew says through the chuckle "How could I ever forget the girl who used to watch me?"

I turn around to face him abruptly, my lower back now pressing itself against the kitchen table. His arms are now set around my waist trapping me and when I look up to find his eyes, they are a piercing black through the dimly lit kitchen.

I don't say anything, unsure what I should even say in the first place. I just hold his eyes. His intense gaze against mine, feeling it sink into my stomach direly. My toes curl and I am suddenly aware of how his hands feel steady around my waist. I am also aware of the fact that despite this tight situation, for once, I actually don't feel cornered or threatened.

"Why have you been pretending like you didn't know who I was Kay?" Matthew asks me and I clench my jaw at the name Kay.

That's what he used to call me because he said Mikayla was two syllables too long and he knew another Kayla. He's using that name on purpose to remind me of the past, to remind me that despite what I presumed, he hasn't forgotten anything.

"I wasn't pretending Matt!" I retort brashly, my voice loud as agitation hits me in the chest.

"The minute I saw you Kay, I saw the recognition in your eyes for me. I know you knew exactly who I was. I'm just curious as to why you've been acting like you have amnesia." He says in an amused tone, pulling his arms away from my waist and I cross my arms over my chest.

"I wasn't sure Matt." I lie, avoiding his gaze and then he goes towards the fridge and opens it.

"Mmhm. So you say." Matt chimes while pulling an apple out of the fridge, the lighting of the fridge beaming over his naked chest and I force myself to turn away. I look back at my half eaten plate of pasta, the fork I dropped earlier staring back at me on the plate.

I don't think I'm hungry anymore.

Matthew comes before me, elbows propped across the table from me as he chews on his apple. His eyes meet mine and I can't identify the glint embedded in them.

"You're still upset over what I did to you six years ago aren't you?" I can't help the gasp that escapes from my lips at the directness of his words.

I don't know how to answer to that. All these years, I admit that I have wished for some explanation of that night and now that it's staring at me straight in the face, I'm reluctant to thread the path of truth.

"Why would I be?" I shoot back.

"Why wouldn't you be?" He counters with a deadpan, eyes meeting mine again.

"It's been years Matt." I brush off with a sigh, taking my hands from across my chest and setting it on the edge of the marbled table.

"Then why did you act like you had no idea who I was when we both know that you knew exactly who I was the moment you laid your eyes on me?"

I purse my lips and think for a moment. "I haven't seen you since that night Matt. Then you mysteriously showed up in my office out of the blue one day so please forgive me for letting curiosity get the better of me. I was more interested in what you wanted than re-hatching the past. Besides, you didn't seem to recognise me and I thought that it would make things less awkward."