Worse still, Matteo hadn't said a single word about the police, the arrest, or his plan.
The realization hit Adrian like a physical blow. He didn't want me to know, Adrian thought, his heart shattering into a thousand pieces as tears soaked the pillowcase. He's keeping secrets from me now. He thinks I'm weak... he thinks I'm just a problem he has to manage. The feeling of being excluded, protected like a fragile child rather than treated as an equal partner, cut him deeper than any injury ever could.
A few minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open.
Matteo stepped back into the dim bedroom, fresh and smelling clean. He wiped his damp hair with a towel, his dark eyes immediately settling on the quiet, motionless figure beneath the duvet.
