A Heart Healed

Even if she lived off her parents and just saved for the rest of her life, it was never going to be very likely that she’d have a penthouse that was beautiful enough to be featured in magazines and television reality shoes.

“I had to admit, I imagined you’d own a mansion or something,” she joked as they climbed out of his car and walked to the elevator. Security stationed inside the garage stopped them and searched her pockets and made sure to note all of her details down before she was allowed to join Marc in front of the elevator doors.

“What if I told you I owned the building?” Marc said, watching her jaw drop slightly before he started laughing. “I’m kidding. I only own the top floor for now.”

The ride up to his apartment was filled with questions about how Marc managed to even begin to afford this place in addition to maintaining his billionaire status. It seemed he had a lot of sources of income that the media didn’t know about that he had to swear Naomi to absolute secrecy to even tell her one name.

When they reached his apartment, Naomi was more than surprised to see Ezra waiting for the pair of them with a grin on his face.

“Hey, Doctor,” he greeted before Marc stepped forward.

“What are you doing out of bed? We spoke about this before I left. Where is that nurse of yours?”

Ezra scoffed. “I don’t need her that much, I just went to the bathroom. I’ve gotten a lot better at aiming than I was when I left the hospital.” The younger blonde turned to Naomi with a smile. “Maybe you can come check how I’m doing after you’re done with this idiot,” he suggested. “The walls are soundproof by the way,” was the last thing he said before he pushed himself down the hallway and into what she could only assume was his bedroom here.

“Wow, he’s actually come a long way if he can maneuver his chair that well.”

Marc rolled his eyes. “Probably had a lot of practice while he was with our mother.”

“I’d love to meet her one day,” she said.

“No, you don’t!” Ezra shouted from his room, making the both of them laugh. Marc took one of her hands in his once again, rubbing her skin with a knuckle with a soft smile.

“You’re probably the only woman I’ve ever brought back here, you know. Not just anyone can be this close to my brother and I by normal means.” She stepped forward, closer to his chest, with a smile.

“How about this close?”

Marc laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist and crushing her up against his front. “I’d prefer you this close for the foreseeable future.” She reached up and pulled her face to his, bringing their mouths together in an affectionate kiss, a smile on her lips as she moved her arms up to wrap around his neck.

“I think I can make that happen. How about we start off with a tour of this place, starting with your room,” she suggested with a smile before he literally swept her up in his arms and carried her in a rush through his lavish apartment. The black and white tones of everything in his place made everything look so clean and pristine. It really did remind her of the description that Ezra had used for it.

A tomb. Everything was perfectly frozen in time. Forever on its place, never to be disturbed.

It was odd considering the amount of energy those two were showing when she had arrived there. Everything else looked like a showroom at one of those interior decorating stores as they passed by. The place looked as if it was never touched or even seen by anyone, let alone the two residents who lived in this place.

She looked up at Marc who smiled down at her with all the warmth that was missing from the rest of the place. “Naomi. I know what you must be thinking about this place. Don’t focus on any of it. Just focus on me.”

“If you don’t like it, why not change it? It’s not like you can’t afford to.” He seemed to think about it as if the idea was something that was new to him. Why hadn’t he changed anything? This place was something that his mother may have had her interior decorators go through with more than just paintbrushes, so maybe that was why? She never visited on the other hand with her living in Paris full time so why not?

“I’ll think about it. Thank you for the idea.”

Marc stopped in front of a set of black doors, letting Naomi pushed down the handle to open it before he pushed it open with his back. “We’ve arrived at our destination,” Marc announced as he set Naomi back on her feet. She stepped forward into the bedroom, looking around at the beautiful décor that just seemed to match the rest of the house with its all-white color scheme. It was like stepping into heaven or something.

**********

The next morning

“I forgot that I had something to tell you.”