Page 27 of Taking Adalisa (Montgomery Syndicate #2)

ADALISA

I don’t know how many hours Matthias and I have been lying here. am I going to do?

“You’re thinking too hard.” Matthias runs his hand through my hair.

I snuggle into his chest and let my body relax. Maybe then I’ll convince him I’ve stopped thinking. It’s hard to just stop. I can’t turn off my brain and not think about my brother being after me once again.

I can’t just not think about it. It doesn’t work like that.

“I never thought I was going to see him again,” I whisper. “I had fully prepared myself to never see him again, and to hear that he got out of prison, and I wasn’t even notified. I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Matthias continues to stroke my hair, calming me down little. If this was any other time, I would be half-asleep on his chest, begging him to continue even after I was asleep. Maybe later he’ll do this again if I ask… or beg.

“When I went to his sentencing, they told me he was going to be in prison for the rest of his life. That he would never get out. Then to hear that he has? It makes me sick to my stomach,” I mumble, wrapping one arm around my stomach as I adjust my head on his chest. “It shouldn’t happen. He shouldn’t be out.”

Tears pool in my eyes, and I blink several times, wanting to get rid of them. I don’t want to cry. It needs to go away so I can try to move on and live my life.

“I need to leave.” I push off Matthias’ chest. “I need to leave and hide. I don’t want to be near him. If I leave, then he won’t be able to find me.”

Matthias sits up and shakes his head. “You are not leaving. He will follow you until you are too tired to continue to hide. Then he will catch you and harm you. I won’t have you getting hurt. You are going to be a good girl and follow everything that I say to do. You will be safe then.”

I open my mouth to say something when he places his finger across my lips.

“No. I will not hear an argument because we are not discussing it. You are going to stay here where you are safe while I find him and make him wish he had never gotten out of prison.” Matthias pins me with a look. “You aren’t going to argue. If you do, you will end up over my knee or in time-out.”

My mouth hangs open as I stare at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m dead serious. I don’t mess around when it comes to your safety. You are important to me, and I’m not going to let you go. Not now and not ever.” He gets off the bed and stands to his full height. “Now come on. We need to get food inside you.”

I tentatively take his hand, not feeling up for eating but knowing I need to. He will make me since he knows I haven’t eaten anything all day. But the thought of food makes my stomach cramp with a force, and I double over and take a deep breath.

“Adalisa?” Matthias’ panicked voice fills the room. “What’s wrong? Tell Daddy what’s wrong.”

I clench my eyes shut, not wanting to look him in the eyes. He is going to think I’m silly for my stomach cramping with the thought of eating food.

“Addy, answer me right now. I need you to tell me what to do.” He kneels in front of me so his face is below mine.

“Shh, you’re okay,” he whispers. “I’ve got you. Just tell Daddy what’s wrong so I can make it better.”

Tears form in my eyes as I look at him. Genuine concern is written across his face as he stares into my eyes.

“Come on, Little one. Tell Daddy what’s wrong. I’m here,” he coos at me. “I’m not going anywhere. You can tell me anything.”

I shake my head and stand, my stomach still protesting as I look at him. I rest my arm on my stomach, trying to calm it down, but nothing is working.

“Oh, Little one,” he whispers. “Come on. Let me carry you to the kitchen.”

Matthias picks me up before I can say or do anything. I wrap my arms around him and lay my head on his shoulder. Just this once, I won’t fight him. Until I have the energy to do things for myself.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers as he starts to walk. “I’ve got you and nothing is going to happen.”

“Is everything okay?” Nala asks.

“She just had a rough time at the store,” Matthias gently replies. “Have the groceries arrived?”

“Yes, they just arrived, and I was about to put them away.”

“No need to.” Matthias sets me on the counter but still holds me. “I’ll put them away. I need to make something for Adalisa to eat.”

“Let me know if I can do anything.” Nala’s voice gets further away.

Matthias pulls back so I can see his face. “You are going to sit here and watch me cook. I know this isn’t the same as you doing it, but I wouldn’t let anything happen to your food.”

I don’t know if I am going to be able to eat food I even make, not that I have the energy for that at the moment.

“I know you don’t feel like eating, but I’m going to make something light so you can eat some of it.” Matthias kisses my forehead. “Let me take care of you. You’ll be watching the food the whole time.”

I should insist on me making it, but one gentle hand placement on my knee has me looking at Matthias.

“Everything is going to be okay. We’re going to take this slowly. You just sit there and relax while I cook.” He sounds so caring and gentle.

He knows I need it, so he is giving it to me. What did I do to deserve something like this? Nothing. I have done nothing.

“I’m going to make a simple chicken noodle soup,” Matthias continues to talk to me. “I had Diego go to the store and stock up on a lot of things so we could make a variety. Sadly, this won’t have much protein in it since I figured you wouldn’t like him buying a precooked chicken.”

I nod in agreement. Every single time I walk by them I love to smell and look, but the thought of someone else handling the food makes it impossible for me to eat. Granted, everything is handled by other people, but I try not to think about it too much.

“We are going to get this water boiling, then put the pasta and some seasoning in it, and then I’ll feed it to you,” Matthias says as he starts to prepare the soup.

I watch him carefully, wanting to make sure he doesn’t do or add anything that I don’t know about. But he doesn’t try to hide anything. He explains everything he is doing and what the ingredients are, like he knows it’s going to calm me down.

“All done!” He dishes some out in a bowl and places a couple of ice cubes in it. “We’ll give this some time to cool off, and then I’ll feed you.”

“You don’t have to,” I mumble, feeling all shy.

I absolutely loved it when he fed me the other day, and I wan more of it.

“I won’t have any of that.” He boops my nose. “I will be feeding you, and you will do as you are told.”

I nod, not having much fight in me. Not that I want him to stop.

“Such a good girl. Do you want to sit in the dining room or right here?” he asks.

I think about it for a second. If we go sit in the dining room, anyone walking by will be able to see us, but if we stay in the kitchen, no one will unless they walk in here. I look at Matthias, wanting to stay in here, but what if he wants to sit down?

“How about we stay in here. You look really comfortable,” he offers, like he knows what I really want.

I relax against the counter, taking a deep breath as I wait for Matthias. True to his word, he tests the soup against his lips before bringing it up to my mouth.

“The temperature is just perfect for you,” he tells me.

I close my eyes as I swallow, prepared for my body to fight me on this. I didn’t cook this. I didn’t buy any of the ingredients. But my body doesn’t do anything, surprising me.

“Good girl,” he whispers, and I look at him. “Such a good girl for Daddy.”

I am a good girl for Daddy. Taking another bite, I relax onto the counter, leaning my head against the cabinet. Matthias continues to feed me until all of the soup is gone from the bowl. Matthias quickly places everything in the sink before turning to me.

“Come on, let’s get you in bed so you can rest while Rolo figures out where your brother is.” Matthias pulls me into his arms and starts walking. “He’ll work everything out, and then I’ll take care of your brother. You don’t have to worry about anything else.”

But I can’t help but worry. I am going to because Gerard found me, and I don’t know how. I made sure not to live in the limelight, not that I would like that. When I moved to New York City, I for paid everything in cash.

I must have done something wrong.

“You’re okay,” he whispers into my ear. “I’ve got you. Nothing is going to happen.”

Matthias keeps reassuring me like he knows something is going to happen and wants to convince me that. Should I be worried?

“Adalisa?” a voice I recognize shouts out.

My head shoots up, looking in the direction of the door, and my eyes go wide.

“Margery?”