Chapter 9
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I race through the hedges, working my way through the back side of the house toward the staff wing.
Fireworks are going off above me, colorful flashes booming all around me.
I have, like, a thousand texts from Jules, but I don’t have time to read them right now. Instead, I call her, needing her to let me in when I get close to the door that leads into the staff wing.
“There you are! Where have you been?! Adrianna’s going to be here any minute,” she answers, panic streaking her voice.
“I’m around the corner. I’ll be hitting the back door in less than thirty seconds.”
“Okay, hurry!” she urges.
“I literally cannot run faster!” I whisper-shout, very out of breath.
Pausing for just a second, I kick my heels off and carry them as I continue running.
A beat of silence passes between us before I hear a little giggle in my ear. She squeals, and I can practically see the smile on her face.
“Sooo … how was it? I imagine there was a special someone keeping you so busy and distracted alllll night.”
“Shush. We are not talking about this right now!” I scold, literally running for my life.
When she squeals again, I roll my eyes.
“That means there’s something to talk about! I knew it!”
“Oh hush. I’m here,” I pant.
The door opens, and a beaming Jules greets me, frantically checking her phone for messages from Myra, who is waiting upstairs to tell us when Adrianna shows up.
“Come on. Come on.”
I burst inside the hall, and we race down the side stairs to our suite. Adrenaline floods my veins, a shit-eating smile stretched across my face.
This is so dangerous and such a risk, getting caught by Adrianna. But I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never felt so goddamn alive in my entire life.
We make a speedy pit stop at her room, where my change of clothes, hair tie, and makeup wipes are stashed, waiting for us.
Jules fusses with the back of my dress, undoing the clasps and zipper. I step out of it, hastily changing into pajamas—an oversize shirt and shorts.
She pushes me back to her bed, and I drop down onto the end of it. She shoves a makeup wipe into my hand, and I start working on the right side of my face while she tackles the left.
It’s messy, chaotic, and my heart has never felt so full.
“I’m going to need every detail—you know that, right?” she says eagerly, and I know if it wasn’t for Adrianna’s impending arrival, she’d be holding me hostage to tell her everything.
“I know.” I grin before wiping off the remnants of my lipstick.
Jules gets a text and checks it. Myra says that Adrianna’s on her way to us, currently passing through the foyer.
We work faster than ever, my adrenaline at an all-time high as we remove every trace of my magnificent night.
Jules tosses the wipes and stows my dress in her closet as I throw my hair up into a messy bun. I grab my phone from the bed—which I’ve somehow not lost tonight—and rush out the door.
“After she leaves, I’m coming over,” Jules whisper-shouts as I rush out of her room and into mine.
Carefully, I shut my door, kill the lights, aside from the lamp by my bed, and slide between the covers.
A very curious Gus is watching me carefully, probably wondering if I’ve completely lost it—and to be fair, I might have.
He’s lying on his little bed of scrap fabric, and I give him a couple pets before grabbing my sketchbook from the nightstand and a pencil. It’s not even fully settled onto my lap before I hear the door handle jiggle.
She’s here.
“Gus, hide,” I whisper, shooing him under my covers. It’s like he knows he can’t be seen by her, curling up against my side as I lay the blanket down.
The door flies open, and Adrianna’s eyes are wide, her brows furrowed, like she expected to find the room empty, finally getting to punish me again. But not tonight.
Her cat, Duke, eyes me from her arms, his beady eyes squinting like he genuinely hates me. It’s honestly impressive she’s trained him to loathe my existence because I’ve never met an animal besides him that dislikes me.
Her eyes meet mine, a fury brewing in her stare. “Cirella.”
“Yes, Stepmother?” My breathing is erratic, but I calm it, masking the racing beat of my heart. My speech is steady and smooth. “How was your party?”
“It was perfect.” Her eyes narrow threateningly. “Did you stay in your room all night, like I’d ordered?”
“Of course.” I smile up at her before turning my attention to my sketchbook, picking up where I left off on this dress. The sound of my pencil scraping the paper fills the room. “What would I even do at a party like that? I’ve never been to one.”
She chuffs. “And you never will.”
With that, she steps out of my room and slams the door, the clicking of her heels fading as she struts away, likely feeling on top of the world.
Not thirty seconds later, Jules is already bursting through the door and plopping onto my bed. “Tell. Me. Everything.”
Lifting the covers, I offer Gus my hand, and he happily crawls aboard. He nestles in as I rest my hand on my lap, giving him tiny pets.
My lips tingle as I remember Dean’s and Asher’s kiss, the dancing, the oversharing, everything … which brings a whole new slew of emotions.
“Hey, think your thoughts out loud. I’m dying here,” Jules groans, reaching for Gus, who happily betrays me, cuddling into her hands. “Don’t get jealous. I might have spoiled him tonight with treats.”
“No wonder he just stabbed me in the back.” I laugh. Giddiness bubbles up in my chest as my mind shifts back to tonight. “I may have met someone … or two.”
“Eeeek! I knew it!”
Pure glee takes over her face, and my heart melts. It didn’t even happen to her, yet she’s over the moon … for me.
“Did you dance?” she gasps. “Did you see their faces? Do you know who they are?”
I try to answer her questions in order, anxiety starting to creep up my neck. “We danced, I did see them without their masks, and I know who they are.” I wince, running my hand down my face.
“Oh no, were you not attracted to them?” she whispers.
I groan, flopping backward onto my pillows and covering my face. “Unfortunately, that is the least of my problems.”
She pauses for a moment before prying further, trying to guess the reason. “Why are you being weird about it? Are they married or something?”
I laugh, dropping my hands to my sides. “God, no. But they’re the last two guys on the planet I can ever be involved with.”
“Ugh! Forbidden! That’s so hot.” She grins, clearly entertained by my torment. Her eyes light up as I see an idea form in her mind. “Two guys who you can’t be with?” It clicks. “No fucking way. Tell me who, Ciri!”
“By the look on your face, you already know,” I sigh.
Her whisper is far more of a shout. “Dean and Asher?!”
Slowly, I nod, and she nearly loses it.
“Both of them?” She smirks.
I nod again, biting down on my lip, fighting to contain the smile tugging on the corners.
“Wowww.” She beams proudly, pursing her lips. “Good for you.”
My heart races as I recall just how good it really was. On top of Asher’s lap … Dean kissing me … it was like a scene out of a smutty little fairy tale.
I’m suddenly aware that I’m touching my lips, reminiscing on the best night of my life. One that is now at its end.
“But now it’s over,” I murmur. “For good.”
“Oh, you never know.” She winks.
I sit up. “I think I do because pursuing that in any capacity is far more reckless than everything I did tonight.” I huff. “Besides, they could be doing this stuff every day, and I was just the next in line for temporary entertainment.”
She hums. “Hmm. I doubt that. Don’t sell yourself short. Besides, I’ve worked here for over a year now, and, sure, they’re flirts, but I’ve genuinely not seen them consistently keep anyone around. Don’t dismiss it just yet.”
Gus pads back over to me across the comforter, not minding my sketchbook in the slightest as he uses it as a ramp to crawl up into my arms.
“Oh, here.” She digs into her sweatshirt pocket and pulls out the mask—my mask. “I thought you might want something to remember the night by. I figured it would be better to store your dress in my room in case Adrianna ever came snooping.”
My eyes thoughtlessly scan the room, an idea brewing in my mind. “I do need somewhere in here to hide my mask.” An idea blossoms. I quickly hand Gus back to Jules and hop off the bed, walking over to the double dresser. “There’s a gap between them that I’ll tuck it in.”
Taking one last good look at the blue lace and silk mask, I push it between the dressers, storing it out of view. “Perfect.”
Jules yawns as I turn back to her.
“Go get some sleep. We have to be up early,” I remind her, and she nods, setting Gus on the comforter and rising to her feet.
She strides over to me and pulls me into a hug. “I hope it was the most magical night, Cirella. You deserve it.”
The back of my eyes burn, and I’m not entirely sure why. But I squeeze her back, tighter than ever. “Thank you. It really was.”
She leaves the room, abandoning me with only Gus and my never-ending running thoughts about Dean and Asher.
A tear streaks down my cheek, and I wipe it away, staring at the drop on my finger.
What the heck is happening to me?
Tonight was truly magical, more special than I ever could’ve dreamed. So, why am I so sad?
Perhaps because it was only temporary. A glimpse into another world that I’m not a real part of. My last name may hold weight in their universe, but as long as I’m Cirella Matthews, I’m no one who matters to them.
They’re Dean and Asher Kensington, for God’s sake. I imagine the expectations they live with in regard to everything in their life likely includes who they are allowed to seriously date.
They’re basically American royalty, and typically, princes marry princesses.
Princess. I can practically hear their nickname for me, whispered into my ear.
But without the mask, I’m not a princess or someone they would likely give the time of day. I don’t think everyone gets their happily ever after.