Tainted Innocence

Chapter XIX

He came over, grabbed the fork, took a first bite and practically moaned.

"God, that tastes so good."

Lynn beamed.

"I'm glad you like it.", she said softly.

"Like it?", he repeated excitedly, "It's so delicious I want to kiss you for spoiling me with delicacies like this."

Their eyes met at his last sentence, and Lynn gulped.

I want to kiss you.

It had been a joke, of course.

Still, there was that tiny voice inside of her that wanted him to do just that. It got instantly berated by another voice that accused it of casting a slur on Matt's memory.

Lynn averted her eyes.

Although she had accepted that Matt was gone, the wounds on her soul were still sore.

Even if some irrational part of her longed to feel even the most basic forms of physical intimacy, her conscience wouldn't let it prevail.

She heard him clear his throat.

"It was metaphorically spoken, my dear. Don't worry."

Too occupied with the surge of vastly contradicting emotions that swept through her heart at his words, Lynn failed to hear the disappointment tinged with hurt in his voice.

"I know.", she breathed.

"Enjoy your meal.", Lynn added as she turned to exit his study.

Upon returning to the kitchen, her eyes fell on Ecco who had sat down at a small table and was currently reading the newspaper.

"Those maniacs are getting restless.", she heard the woman mumble under her breath.

Lynn pulled a face.

The people Ecco had referred to were the reason Jeremiah didn't leave the bunker anymore.

His brother Jerome had been long gone, but the latter's former followers had recently begun to start a cult around his person. Since neither Ecco nor Jeremiah could tell whether Jerome had ever informed some of his followers about his wish to kill his brother, Jeremiah had decided that it was best to keep a low profile.

Unfortunately, his resolve had ultimately ended his relationship to the girl he'd wanted to date. Although Lynn had never met her, she felt both sorry and relieved. Sorry that he hadn't had a chance at getting a girlfriend and relieved that, as of now, there was no competition for his attention left.

They ate in silence, as was usually the case when Jeremiah didn't join them for lunch. Lynn assumed that Ecco couldn't stand her at all, although she remained short on the actual reason why the woman disliked her.

Maybe she saw her as a distraction, maybe even as a possible threat to Jeremiah's life. Ecco was some kind of bodyguard after all, and they were trained to view each and everyone as a potential danger to their client's well-being.

Peeking up from underneath her eyelashes she studied the woman's face.

Ecco was a mystery. Her past was as hidden in the shadows as her true name, and Lynn knew the woman would never reveal her identity to her on her own accord. For all that she knew she could be sitting opposite a cold blooded murderer right now. It honestly creeped her out.

She spent the rest of the day finishing a paper for university which was due on Monday. Late in the evening Lynn retreated into the living room. Since it was Friday she didn't have to go to sleep as early as she normally did.