Page 21 of In the Cover of Darkness

I can feel the tears threatening to spill over with the emotion flowing through me right now. I don't want Nova to think she's done anything wrong so I keep my eyes fixed firmly on the bench in front of me. Sensing her move, she comes and sits next to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“I've been there. Where you're sitting I mean, and without Ace helping me when I needed it, I might not have made it. I'm in a position to help you so don’t think for a second you're taking advantage of me, and I don't think you're a charity case either. I own a couple of businesses in town that I always need decent help with, so you'd be doing me a favour when you're ready.”

Wiping my eyes, still trying to hide the tears that have now well and truly started flowing, “What business do you own? I only have experience as a receptionist. I wouldn't want to—”

“I'm going to stop you right there,” she says gently. "You will not talk me out of hiring you, it won't be reception work but I own Beans and Pages, on the Main Street of town. It's not complicated work but as long as you can serve coffee and stock bookshelves then I can't see there being any issues."

Looking up at her smiling, I say, “I saw them when we drove through town yesterday. I love to read—”

“And she's in love with coffee, literally in love with it so it will be a perfect fit when you're ready,” Dante says, as he enters the kitchen, kissing my head as he takes the seat on the other side of me. Still looking at Nova, I see her eyebrows raise as soon as Dante kisses my head.

“Oh, we are so circling back to that,” wiggling her finger in the air as she moves back into the kitchen, flicking her eyes between me and Dante, giving me a big grin.

The conversation flows freely after that and just as I'd hoped, she's as easy as Ace was to get along with. She's smart, kind and funny, and I'm excited to have made a new friend. We agreed that once my bruises have healed and my broken wrist is no longer aching, I will start with a few hours in both stores to make sure I like it before committing to more. Both Dante and Ace pop in and out of our conversations throughout the day. Unfortunately, they never leave us alone for too long, so we don't have any free time to talk about them, but Nova makes it very clear that it will be happening the first real chance we get which makes me laugh. Before long, she's giving us all hugs goodbye, making Dante visibly uncomfortable again with her hugging him, saying, “See you round losers,” and walking out the door just as fast as she came.

“Nova is amazing,” I say, Ace smiling at me. “She's everything I want to be when I grow up.” Smiling Ace says, “Yeah, she's special alright … one of a kind,” before leaving Dante and I alone by the fireplace together.

“Mila, I want to say sor—”

“Can I borrow your phone?” I say quickly cutting him off. There are two things wrong with what he was starting to say. First, he used my real name, not sunshine, or my heart stopping, baby, but Mila. No good ever comes from someone using your first name like that.

Second, he was starting to apologise, and I know it was about our kiss in the barn earlier. I'm not even sure it was a kiss, but our lips definitely touched and I desperately wanted him to kiss me, then take his large strong hands and explore my body with them, maybe confess his undying love for me and then have passionate sex on the workbench.

Sighing to myself I'm convinced that yes, it was a kiss, we definitely kissed, that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Despite him wanting to apologise for it, I'm not sorry, and if it happens again I wouldn't be upset, quite the opposite in fact. I'm trying to convince myself about our kind of almost kiss which is why I need to talk with Charlie and get some perspective.

“Sorry, I mean, can I borrow your phone to call Charlie?”

“Who is Charlie?” he growls. I can see the jealousy rolling off him and I realise my mistake. He thinks Charlie is a man. I would roll my eyes if I wasn't already feeling unsettled over being about to explain everything that's happened so far to her. I know I will feel better in the long run but it still has me a little anxious. Also, this whole possessive jealousy he's showing should be a red flag, right? The only problem is I think it makes me want him even more. Where Trevor was all about control, Ihave no doubt that if I told DanteNoat any point he would listen to me.

Hopefully, Nova and I can become close friends, so I have someone closer to home to unpack why I'm so attracted to this mountain of a man who's overprotective, possessive and has already said he's willing to kill someone for me. I should be scared of him and the things he says, but all I feel is safety and comfort.

Reaching out, placing my hand on his forearm, I attempted to say for the third time, “Sorry, I mean, can I borrow your phone to call Charlie, my friend. Her name is Charlotte but everyone calls her Charlie. We've been friends for a long time, but she moved away and then my ex. Well, I wasn't allowed friends anymore so I memorised her phone number and would call her from work occasionally. I also had a fake social media account which we would message on.”

Sighing, I look anywhere but at Dante and continue my explanation. "I know I've talked to you about what happened but I'm embarrassed over how bad I let things get. In a way, I was just his puppet. He controlled everything. He would go through my phone every day. Control the money, food, my access to the outside world. I only went to work because he needed the income, but I'm sure if he could have he would have kept me locked away at the house. Charlie became my lifeline. When I could make contact with her, it was a blessing and a curse. I would get a taste of the outside world but also panic that he would find out and I would be punished. He had the power to take away the last scrap of who I was, which Charlie held onto me for. I just need to let her know I'm safe."

Pulling me into his arms, he surrounds me with everything I've found him to be. Safe, secure, kind, passionate, someone I'mdeveloping feelings for even though I probably shouldn't. After a long moment, he pulls his phone from his pocket and passes it to me.

“The code is 6452 to unlock it. You can use it whenever you need until we get you a new phone. I mean it sunshine, use it whenever you need to. I won't monitor it or try to control it. It's yours.” Then he gets up and leaves me alone next to the fire, giving me privacy to call my best friend and tell her about my life falling apart, and slowly being put back together.

???

“Thank gods you're alive,'' Charlie repeats for what feels like the hundredth time. It's not a bad thing and I love her to bits, but I want to move the conversation along. I explained what happened to me and meeting Dante, staying with Ace, Nova and her job offer, as well as about how beautiful Hidden Valley is, and how lucky I feel all of a sudden. She's still worried about me though and to be honest I can't blame her. She's been wanting me to leave Trevor since the moment I met him, so the sudden change of circumstances has her worried on a different level. What scares me though is that she already knew I had left Trevor because he turned up at her house one day, screaming at her from the front lawn. The police came and arrested him, but it left her shaken and left me on edge that he would find me somehow.

We soon fall into a natural rhythm and she tells me about all of the bad dates she's going on and that she's thinking she needs a change soon. When I'm established in Hidden Valley I'm going to have her come and stay with me, and if I'm lucky she will fall in love with the place too. It's silly to think that I feel more at home here than I've ever felt and all I've done is driven down Main Street, but there's a feeling here I can't explain. It feels like home and I'm not going to let that feeling go if I can help it.

Almost three hours later, I realise the phone battery is about to die and we reluctantly end the call, promising to be in touch again soon. Letting her know as soon as I have my own phone she will get sick of me from how much I'm going to message and call her.

Taking a minute to bask in the silence, with only the crackle of the fire to keep me company, I can't help but smile at how the universe handed me Dante when I needed him. I've reconnected with Charlie, and am starting to make a friendship with Ace and Nova. I’m so fucking lucky to have four people who bring me happiness and maybe even love in my life. It's also at this moment that I realise I'm no closer to understanding these growing feelings toward Dante. Charlie was no help and simply said the age-old advice ofyou've got to get under someone new to get over someone. I know it's hard for her to form an opinion when she's not met Dante but I had hoped for a little more clarity. As much as I'd love to feel his naked body above me, inside me, all around me, I know I'm not ready for that yet and am not sure if Dante would ever want something with me when I'm no longer a damsel in distress.

Making my way to the kitchen I start to pull together ingredients for dinner, planning to stick to the agreement Ace and I made the previous night. Slowly the aromas circulate the house and both Ace and Dante appear, ready to tuck into a simple dinner of pulled beef on polenta with salad.

Chapter 20 - Mila

The house is dark and quiet. I can hear it creak and groan as it settles under the weight of the snow. We finished dinner and I said goodnight, explaining I was tired after a long day. I've figured out how to wrap my arm in plastic so I can take a shower and even managed to awkwardly wash my hair one handed. I'm ready to get into bed, wearing only Dante's T-shirt and underwear, but I'm stuck standing in front of my bedroom door wanting to sleep with Dante but knowing that if I do it's setting the expectation for both of us that this is the new normal. Unless he tells me to leave or sleeps somewhere else of course. I can take a hint where I'm not wanted but I also think that won't happen. There's this feeling I get around him and I'm sure he feels it too. Like the low hum of electricity that gets louder when we are together.

Fuck it. Opening the door, I creep into Dante's room. I can still hear them downstairs talking quietly and moving about, so I'll just go to sleep in his bed and hopefully that lets him know I want this. Fuck, I don't even know if that's whatthisis, but I feel safer with him nearby so if he asks I’ll just say I was scared and hope that he doesn't kick me out. I'm in heaven sliding intohis bed, completely surrounded by his smell. It's so relaxing and comfortable that it doesn't take me long to drift off to sleep.

???

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