The Bertinelli Family's Revenge

Chapter 26. Cake

Ashton's POV

Riley leans more into me as we watch the movie. Today we've had another chill day. Me and Riley went on a walk around the property and returned to the house to watch movies in our room. 

We had a TV facing our bed so Riley set up a cute movie date for us, with a bundle of blankets surrounding us and some snacks she stole from the kitchen. She's laying her head on my chest as we watch Finding Nemo. I found out a few weeks ago that she never watched any cartoons as a kid so whenever we have a movie night I make us watch a Disney movie. 

"Why does he have a small fin?" Riley asks. 

"It's an injury from when the barracuda attacked his egg," I explained to her and she nodded. 

"Are you liking the movie so far?" I ask her playing with her hair.

"Yeah, it's good. I like the little blue fish." She says talking about Dory. We were a little more than halfway through the movie when Riley moved her head and slowed her breathing. 

"Riley," I whisper expecting her to be asleep. She doesn't say anything so I move my head to confirm that she did fall asleep. I press a kiss on her forehead and pause the movie. I move the snacks to the floor as best I can with the limited mobility her head on me allows. 

With the bed mostly cleared I lay down and hug her closer to me. Comfortable I fall asleep with the warmth of Riley next to me. 

"No." Whimpers wake me up. Eyes half closed I looked around the room to see the movie paused another whimper caused me to look down at Riley. Her hands are clutched tightly into my shirt and she whimpers. 

"No." Her face clenches her face up like she's in pain. "No." 

"Riley," I say trying to wake her up. "Riley wake up. It's okay, wake up."

She continues to whimper with her breathing getting harsher. I start to shake her shoulders a little, saying her name. She gasps and leaps up looking around the room with her harsh breathing taking over the silence. I sit up with her calling her name. She looks at me with fear trapped in her eyes. 

She launches herself at me crying. I rub her back up and down whispering in her ear. 

"It's okay. Shh, it's okay. You're okay, I'm right here. You're safe." I continue to rub her back knowing exactly what she is crying about. It's the same nightmare she's had for almost two weeks. It's her being attacked again but this time no one helps her. 

I've tried to help her but nothing has worked yet, so I assume letting her work through this is the only thing that she needs. 

"Everything's okay. You're here with me. Remember we're in Russia at your Dad's house, we fell asleep to Finding Nemo. Remember the little blue fish." She nods into my chest calming down slightly. "Yeah, and the Nemo's little fin and the dentist's niece. You said that she annoyed and reminded you of some girls at our school." I continue to tell her stuff reminding her of where she is and that she is truly safe here. 

"Thank you." She sits up sniffles and wipes her eyes. 

"You welcome, but there is no need to thank me for comforting my girlfriend." I kiss her forehead and help wipe her puffy eyes. "How 'bout we finish the movie and we can do whatever you want," I suggest to her. 

"Anything?" She asks. I get a little scared but nod anyway. Her smile makes it worth whatever pain she is going to make me go through. Her eyes light up and her little dimples show. 

"Can we paint our nails?" She asks. I nod at her and she jumps up and leaves the room for a few seconds. I take the time to finish putting the snacks in one spot and throwing away the trash we made earlier. 

Riley comes back in with two little bottles in her hands. Her smile once again appears and she jumps on the bed next to me holding out the two bottles to me. One is a light, baby blue and the other is black. 

"We're gonna match, you can play the movie now." I unpause the movie as she sits in between my legs and moves my hands around her waist so I can't see them. I watch the movie as she alternates between painting her nails and mine. 

She doesn't let me see them until she confirms they are dry. I move my hands to see that my nails are mostly black with my middle finger is blue on both hands, while hers are the opposite.

"Do you like them?" She asks as she turns herself slightly towards me. I smile and kiss her. 

"I love them almost as much as I love you." We both freeze once the words leave my mouth. She stares at me as I stare at her. 

"What did you say?" 

"What do you think I said?" I ask her gulping. 

"That you love me." 

"That is what I said, yes." 

"Did you mean it?" She asks. I take a second to build my courage. 

"Yes, I did. I love you, Riley." I repeat myself to her. 

"I love...cake." She says with a completely blank face. 

"Umm," I say not sure how to respond to that.

"I'm kidding. I love you too." She smiles. We both lean in and kiss each other. She pulls away first smiling. 

"So cake huh?" I ask her. She laughs and pushes me back. I fall onto the pillows and look at her. 

"I love you," I tell her. 

"You sound like a simp." She tells me. 

"Remind me why I love you."

"What's not to love?" She presses a teasing kiss to my lips before laying down on my chest again and asking me to rewind the movie.