He brings her home

It's dark out, and Daisy and Darien are worried about Jem. It's easy to guess she might be with Matteo Valdez but what if she's not?

She wasn't taking any of her calls nor was she texting back. Darien hates that Jem had to make him worry so much on their first day as friends again.

His blonde friends left nearly an hour ago and now Aubrey should be closing but the two of them sat idly in the shop waiting for Jem to return.

Daisy turned the sign at the door to reveal closed to passersby. They were both too exhausted and worried to keep tending to customers.

"Maybe they are having sex," Darien blurted out after over thirty minutes of silence between the two.

She looked at him quite stunned but then shook her head. It's not possible, she knows a little bit about their friendship. That couldn't be the case.

"That can't be it."

"What else could be going on? Maybe it was a bad idea to have her meet someone I don't know. Jared would never forgive me if anything happened to her."

"If she's with Matteo Valdez, I'm sure she's safe..."

Darien's gaze rested on her while his mind thought about Jem and her mysterious friend, Matteo Valdez.

Daisy didn't realize he was staring at her, she was focused on the door. She hoped that her trust in Matt wasn't broken. She hoped Jem is really okay.

***

Jem is cleaning the coffee mugs and putting them back on the shelf while Daisy watches her. Jem couldn't stop staring at him eat the cupcake he ordered while going through his phone.

She hadn't seen such a beautiful smile on her lips ever since Keith dumbed her.

"So Matteo Valdez uh?" Daisy winked wearing a wide grin.

Jem turned to look at her and then at Matteo Valdez. The light in her eyes was priceless.

"I don't know Daisy, I feel... I feel so safe around him. He's a perfect man."

***

She believes she will see Jem the next day feeling so much better because Matteo finally gave her the answers she had been looking for.

***

Matt knows he has done his best to act by his brother's requirements without question. He can't keep doing it to himself, and his little Jemima.

He watched her all through the drive to her home so glad that he was the one who had to take her home. If it was anyone else he wouldn't be able to ever forgive himself.

They finally arrived in front of her house and he sat there staring at her the building then at his little girl. Thinking to himself why he has never been here before.

He has never had to take anyone home before, so it's not news to him. What stuns him is the fact that this little girl makes him break every one of his rules and principles without even trying.

Jem was stretching and moaning and groaning, she felt like throwing up again. Her stomach wouldn't stop hurting, and her head wouldn't stop spinning.

She held onto her forehead, her brows tightly furrowed together. He couldn't imagine the pain she must be going through.

He helped her out of the car quite sure she would puke again and she did, this time he was aware so dodged it and it all went to the floor.

He patted her back waiting for her to stop puking. After a while, she lifted her head and held onto her cheeks.

"My teeth," she groaned then she showed him her numb teeth, It felt like she had lost them. "I can't feel my teeth... Do I still have a face?" She slurred still showing off her teeth.

Answering a weird question like that is absurd, he can't just exchange chat with a drunk girl.

"You need water."

He pulled her close into his embrace then lifted her and carried her in his arms.

She was so drunk and exhausted, her mind was all over the place but it didn't hold her from feeling dazed. Matter Valdez finally showed up after ignoring her for no particular reason.

He is caring for her again like he used to when they first met. She felt so safe in his hands, it felt like nothing or no one could hurt her... Well no one but him.

It was not that hard for him to find her bedroom, it was the first bedroom he barged into.

She is staring up at his perfectly sculpted jawline, her vision a bit blurry.

She kept blinking hoping she would finally be able to see him.

Gently he placed her on her bed watching her face as her head touched the pillow.

Their eyes were fixated on each other their face only six inches apart.

He didn't realize he hadn't taken the time to observe how breathtaking she was, her eyes were red and cheeks flushed, her face worn out from all the drunkenness yet her beauty unharmed.

His heart was throbbing, and the pain growing inside him was tormenting.

He looked at his shaking hands holding himself back from touching her cheek. Her soft-looking cheeks.

Her vision was not so blurry anymore she could see his stary eyes more clearly now. His flawlessly shaped lips.

Those lips. She gulped dryly from just staring at them. She couldn't believe her eyes, Matteo Valdez was in her bedroom alone with her.

If it was a dream she has no intention of ever waking up again.

He didn't realize she was grabbing onto his shirt until he tried standing up. Her grip on his shirt was pretty strong.

She's scared that if he leaves she might not see him again.

He looks at his shirt and then at her timorous eyes, he can see right through her. Her emotions were written all over her face.

"I just want to get you some water,"

"Every time you walk away I have to be in trouble before you show up again. I can survive as long as you don't leave."

"I promise I'm not leaving, yet"

"Take me with you..."

"Jemima, you need to rest your head, I'm not going anywhere not until you look okay to me."

She grinned. His concern for her sometimes is flattering, but when he chooses to be resentful toward her it's something else. It's like he is two entirely different people in one body.

"I thought you'd say that," she chuckled

"What do you mean?"

"You care about me but you hate me,"

"I don't hate you, Jemima."

"Then why have you been avoiding me especially after I accepted to be your wife you completely turned your back on me."

Matt couldn't answer that, she seemed so serious but drunk. He doesn't know how to tell her the truth about what's going on.

"You wouldn't understand." He said with a stoic expression.

"Make me then."

"I can't Jemima,"

She gulped dryly, swallowing the urge to say something she might regret. She doesn't know why she keeps expecting him to be the Matteo she used to know.

That man was a mask to hide the heartless demon he is. She tilted her head to gaze in another directions and left hold of his shirt.

He bit his lower lip disappointed at himself for hurting an already broken girl.

"I'll get you water to drink." His voice came out hoarsed but sexier.

She clenched her fist gribbing her blanket and closed her eyes, Her body, and her soul wanted to resist him but she couldn't. She's in love with everything about him, too in love that she feels like she might go crazy, if that's even possible.

He stood still for a short while watching her wrestle with her emotions with guilt lining his face. After which he left shutting the door behind him.

As soon as she heard the door close she opened her eyes allowing a tear to crawl down her cheeks. The pain he brings upon her always supersedes every other pain she feels inside.