Chapter 5

The next morning, I wake up to Xavier shaking me awake. "Dionne, wake up. You need to get ready." he says, sounding slightly annoyed. Not angry, like he used to be.

I guess that's something good.

"Okay, okay, I'm getting up." I say, stretching.

"I'll be at your school earlier today. School ends at, what, 4:15?" he asks, looking down at his ring-filled hands.

"Yeah." I say.

"I'll be there by then. Now get up, unless you don't want breakfast before you leave." he says, sliding out of my room.

"Thank you." I yell after him, getting up to go get in the shower. When I get out of the shower, I smell the beautiful aroma of bacon and sausage cooking.

I get dressed and I put some perfume on, then I get downstairs while putting on my shoe. I must've stepped wrong because when I put my foot down, I slipped and twisted my ankle.

I would've hit the ground, but someone was holding me up. I look up and I see Xavier with concern in his eyes. It quickly fades into seriousness as he picks me up.

When I get to my feet, I wince, not being able to stand on my right foot. "Fuck!" I curse, grabbing my ankle.

He sits me on the floor and analyzes my foot carefully, every brush of his fingers sending electricity through me. He looks up at me slowly, locking his eyes with mine.

He felt it too. I can tell.

But obviously, he doesn't want me to know that. He carefully sits my foot down and stands up. "You've twisted it. It's already swelling. Stay here." he says.

And I do.

He brings me a plate of breakfast. Pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, and orange juice, and he sits on the floor in front of me. I look up at him with an arched eyebrow. "You want me to eat right here?" I ask.

"I wouldn't want you straining your ankle trying to get to the table. No disrespect, if you take offense to this, eating on the floor. Like a dog." he says.

"It wasn't that deep, Xavier." I say with a small laugh.

A small smile wells onto his face. It's the first time I've seen him smile this whole time.

"Eat. I'll call a doctor to look at your foot." he says.

I start to eat on the floor and Xavier watches me with careful eyes, analyzing my every move. "You act like I might get up and twist my ankle again." I say, smiling.

There it goes. His smile again.

"No, I'm ... I'm just trying to read you." he says, looking me over carefully.

 "Y'know, I can speak. Ask me anything."

He looks at me carefully and inhales before asking me a question.

"Why're you so afraid of my father? I mean you've got good reason, it's just a question." I look around, and as if reading my mind, he says: "They're not here. My parents are out."

I look back at him and I hesitate again. But then I speak.

"He reminds me of my father. He's a very frightening man. He ... " then I cut myself off. Why would I even try to say that?

"He what?" he asks, wanting me to say more.

"I can't tell you." I say. He scoots closer to me and sighs, showing vulnerability for the first time.

"I told myself to get to know more about you because whether I like it or not, I'm starting to notice more and more that every day you're here, I grow attracted to you, and not just because we're getting married, but because I just am. I know I'm not very good at showing emotion, but it's how I feel. And I want you to trust me." he says, now inches away.

He backs away and his eyes go wide, surprised at his sudden outburst of emotion. Still, I take his words into consideration and I sigh.

"Can I show you something?" I ask. He nods his head and I ask him to help me up. He picks me up and carries me upstairs and I try my hardest not to get too comfortable.

He puts me down on his bed and I start to take off my shoes. I take off my shirt and he looks away.

"Would you like some privacy?" he asks, still looking away.

Well, here goes trusting him.

"No. It's okay to look, I have underwear on." I say. He continues to look away. "I'm trying to show you something, Xavier." I say, laughing.

He turns to me slowly and his eyes go wide when he sees the bruising on my body.

"Dionne ... " he says. "What happened?" he asks, as I turn around to let him see my back.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone." I say before telling him what I have to say.

"You can trust me. I promise." he says.

I take a deep breath before speaking.

"My father, he was ... abusive. Physically, verbally, and emotionally." I finally admit. "I tried standing up to him one time and this was the result. He beat me black and blue with his bare hands. There were more scars, but they healed and went away over time." I say. "It's the reason I flinch at the slightest things. I never know what might happen. It's also why I don't speak much to you or your father. I'm scared of what might happen to me. What you might do to me. You're ruthless. Merciless. I wouldn't want to do anything to piss you off."

"I hope that's not how you think of me. Towards you anyway." he says.

"I'm starting to see a little more that that's not who you are at all." I say blushing, looking at him in the mirror.

"Dionne, I'd never put my hands on you. Never, not in that way. I know I may come off as disrespectful to women I don't know, but I'd never lay a hand on any woman, especially not my wife." he says.

He's been keeping his distance this whole time, but I don't say anything, I just pick up my clothes and I hand them to him. He helps me put my shirt on and then puts me on the bed.

"I'll get you some shorts so you won't have to wiggle into these." he says, going through his drawer.

He gives me a pair of shorts and helps me get them on. He picks me up and takes me downstairs to the living room and picks up his phone. And calls a doctor.

"She'll be here in 15 minutes." he says, gently smiling at me.

I don't know how he got to this point overnight, but I'm not gonna complain. I like it.