Page 50 of Something Old

I want her.

She’s my wife and I want a proper relationship with her.

She’s beautiful and funny and sweet and warm and kind - when she isn’t shutting me out - and I am desperate to go back to the way things were before I fucked it all up by being the coldest asshole on the planet.

“Dammit.” I swear under my breath as I head inside too.

I guess there is only one thing left to do to make her see how much I feel for her now.

The next morning Leora heads out, to my relief she takes the Corvette. Thank fuck for that. And while she is out, I get all the house staff to work.

I am moving her entire bedroom into mine. She is my wife, and she will no longer be staying in a separate room from me.

This bullshit has been going on long enough, and it’s time for us to be a proper couple. That means sharing a room and sleeping in the same bed.

To make sure she can’t argue against this I also have the house staff put her bed in storage. Out of the way. So, there is nowhere else for her to sleep but in my bedroom.

This time I am not pacing when I wait for her to come home.

I’m relaxed, getting my work done, feeling less distracted because I know I’ve made the right choice.

When I hear her Corvette arriving home, I get up to greet her.

She walks into the house with a few items in her hands. I take them and set them on the entrance hall table then pull her against me to hug her. She stands stiff and awkward but doesn’tpush me away. “Hello, Leo. The chef was just about to start dinner. Have you got any requests?”

“No, he can go ahead with whatever he had planned.”

Her voice is bland, empty, too calm. I want to shake her or slap her and bring back that bubbly beautiful girl who first moved in here after we got married.

I really miss her.

I want her back.

Leora waits for me to stop hugging her, as patient as ever, then steps away, picks up her things and heads upstairs - towards her room which isn’t her room anymore.

I wait in the living room. Giving her the space to figure it out for herself.

From upstairs I hear an angry shout.

“What the hell is going on, Masaccio?”

She comes running down the stairs in a rage.

“Where are my things? What have you done with my clothes?”

“Everything has been moved over to my room. You and I will be sharing a bed from now on.” I say, ignoring her outburst.

“Is this some kind of joke? Because it’s not funny. Put everything back right now.” She yells at me. But I look down at my phone and ignore her. I knew she wouldn’t be happy about it at first, but she will adjust.

“My bed isn’t even in the room anymore —I—I—” she stammers.

“Leo, it’s going to be fine. We are husband and wife. My bed is very comfortable. All of your things are packed in your new cupboards. Everything is there.”

She glares at me for the longest time. I stare back, my expression relaxed, soft even. She will come round. She has no choice.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Leora

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