15. Scarlett
Chapter fifteen
Scarlett
I ’m an imposter.
A fake.
A phony.
All of the above.
Standing in front of the floor-length mirror in my bedroom, I slide my palms over the black satin fabric hugging my hips and feel everything except the one thing I should feel: beautiful.
My hair, styled in waves, cascades over my off-shoulder sleeves and down my back, while my makeup is done so flawlessly that no one would ever notice the deep bags beneath my eyes. My four-inch heels match the silver clutch on my nightstand. My skin has been buffed and polished to perfection. And the scars on my back are hidden beneath the backing of my dress, concealing all evidence of my past trauma.
At least, in the physical sense, that is.
But as I stare at the woman before me, I don’t recognize her.
I only pity her.
Grabbing my clutch, I exit my room and slowly descend the stairs, careful not to trip and fall. Just as I take the last step, Leo appears in an all-black suit, looking the part of my black knight in shining armor.
His eyes, burning with evident desire, sweep over every square inch of me. “You look perfect.”
I fight the urge to shy away and instead stand tall, reveling under his intense gaze. “Thank you.” I wish I could see myself through his eyes. Maybe then I would feel better about tonight—more confident and assured, less fearful and uncertain.
But tonight is not about me.
It’s for Madeleine.
And I won’t miss another important event in her life—especially not her engagement party.
Not now, when I’m here.
Leo holds a black shawl for me, wrapping it over my shoulders. His hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining, before guiding us out the front door to the waiting car. A driver stationed by the front of it opens the door.
With every inch the car drives beyond the safety of the solid stone walls surrounding the Alarie Estate, the more rapidly my heart pulses with apprehension.
Leo reaches for my hand residing on my lap. “Nervous?”
I nod, unable to speak.
“Don’t be.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it tenderly. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I relax the tiniest bit, knowing this is true.
Knowing he will always do whatever it takes to keep me safe.
The rest of the drive goes by in comfortable silence until we reach the venue, an Alarie establishment, and I see groups of people walking through the entrance.
That tiny pulse of nerves within the center of my chest turns into a full-blown thunder at the thought of being in a room filled with so many unfamiliar faces.
“Maybe…maybe this was a bad idea,” I say, gazing up at Leo, who frowns. And the thought that I might be disappointing him upsets me more than I care to admit.
“It’s up to you, Scarlett. I would never force you to do something that would make you uncomfortable. But I think it’s a good idea to get back out there again. Slowly. With me by your side.” His hand cups my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin back and forth. “We’ll have guards with us tonight, including Eli, and as promised, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I nod. He’s right. Of course, he is.
“Besides, Madeleine will give me absolute hell if you don’t make an appearance. She’ll probably key one of my cars.” He smirks, twirling a tendril of my hair.
I let out a small chuckle. That is precisely something Madeleine would do. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
He lightly grips my chin, tilting my face up. “You have nothing to be sorry for. This is a lot. And I would understand if you want to turn this car around and go home. But I’m giving you the choice to decide.”
I peer out the window to my side, spotting several women and men dressed to the nines, laughing and conversing. They look happy and normal.
And that’s all I want.
To feel normal again.
“I want to do this for Madeleine,” I murmur, facing him. “This is a big night for her, and I’ve missed so much over the years. I don’t want to miss anymore.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
His grin grows. “That’s my girl.” His rough voice awakens the butterflies in my stomach. “But if it becomes too much for you and you need to leave at any point, let me know. Okay? We’ll take it one step at a time.”
I nod, taking a deep breath.
Leo exits the car, and after I slide across the seat, he holds out his hand for me. Wrapping my shawl tighter around my shoulders, I place my hand in his, stepping out into the cool night air.
The second the car door shuts behind me, several pairs of curious eyes stare at us in probably both awe and fear. It’s expected, seeing that I’m standing hand in hand with one of the world’s most feared men. But it feels a little more intense than I anticipated.
Eli and a few other men appear and walk closely behind us before Leo signals to the other men to disperse throughout the property.
Hushed whispers float through the space as we bypass the crowd waiting outside. Once we make it inside to the top floor where the party is taking place, I feel a slight weight lift.
Step one feels completed.
“Okay?” Leo asks, leaning closely to my side.
I turn into him, his familiar scent comforting my unease. “Why was everyone staring?”
This gets him to smile. “I’ve never been seen in public with a date.” He bends down, brushing his lips over the side of my neck. “But tonight, the whole world will know you’re my wife.” He lifts my hand, pressing his lips directly on the wedding band.
My wife.
“I’m going to sweep the room, boss,” Eli declares before taking off, preparing for anything that might go wrong.
Like someone trying to kidnap me… again . I swallow the lump in my throat, my eyes wearily traveling over the room. Could he be here tonight?
Leo presses a kiss against my temple, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine, instantly distracting me from my thoughts.
“Cold?” he asks, noticing my slight tremble.
“Just a little,” I lie, knowing he sees straight through it.
He brushes his lips against the shell of my ear. “Shall I warm you properly when we leave here?” My lips part, a quiet gasp escaping me. My core burns with need from the insinuation of his words. And having a repeat of the other night, the one when I came apart in his arms, sounds exactly like what I need right now. But maybe more.
“I think—”
“Scarlett!” Maddy approaches, stunning in an off-the-shoulder ivory strapless gown that flows to the floor. A thigh-high slit appears on her left side as she takes a step.
I smile, reaching out to embrace her. “You look amazing.”
“Me?” she questions, looking me up and down. “What about you? This dress is stunning.”
My cheeks heat up from the attention.
“So, where’s the man of the hour?” Leo asks, brows raised as his gaze sweeps the room. “He is here, correct?”
Maddy bites her bottom lip, nodding. “Oh, he’s somewhere—”
“I’m right here, sweetness.” A tall man with slicked-back blond hair appears by her side, seizing his arm tightly around her waist. His smile appears slightly too big as he takes in Leo and me. More so me, his eyes focused on parts of my body I wish he would avoid.
Leo adjusts his stance, tucking me slightly beneath his hold. “Alastor.”
“Leo,” Alastor responds before his eyes move back onto me, traveling up and down my body. “And who do we have here?”
“My wife,” Leo answers for me, his voice deepening. “Scarlett Alarie.” He enunciates my new last name with possessiveness. And it does something to me.
Alastor’s creepy smile grows. “Ahh. So you’re the girl who was kidnapped.”
Suddenly, Leo steps before me, his back muscles beneath his jacket tensing as he forces himself into Alastor’s face. “Do you think that’s funny?”
“Not at all,” Alastor replies calmly, putting his hands up in mock surrender. “Merely stating a fact.”
Leo sneers down at him. “Keep your mouth shut if you know what’s best for you.”
“Noted.” Alastor’s expression remains neutral.
A thick tension swarms the air around us, the silence almost suffocating.
“Come on, boys.” Maddy gives a nervous chuckle. “Let’s all play nice tonight.”
“Of course, darling.” Alastor leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Is it my imagination, or did Maddy just cringe? “Wouldn’t want anything to stop us from becoming husband and wife now, would we?”
She shakes her head, her expression turning serious. “Of course not.”
“Alastor!” a woman nearby shouts for his attention.
“Excuse me.” Alastor dips his head before slipping away. The eerie smirk on his face, thankfully, disappears from view.
Leo tenses beside me, pinching the bridge of his nose. His free arm loops around my waist, tugging me against his side. “What the fuck, Madeleine?”
“What?” she asks, peeking around the impressive room. She brings her polished fingers to her mouth and chews on her thumb’s nail—a nervous habit she’s had since we were children.
“You had to pick the biggest asshole in the room to fall in love with?” Leo’s tone drips with disgust.
“It’s not…” She shakes her head, dropping her shoulders. “You don’t understand.”
“Then why don’t you try to ex—”
“I have to go to the bathroom!” Maddy rushes out. She turns toward me, smiling, but her tired, melancholy eyes tell me a different story. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ll come find you later!”
“Of course.” I watch as she turns and walks away, her steps rushed. After meeting Alastor for, at most, two minutes, I can’t help but wonder what she sees in him. He doesn’t seem like the kind of man she used to go after. In fact, as Eli approaches, I realize that Alastor is the exact opposite of Eli in every way. The man Maddy spent her teenage years crushing on. And crushing hard.
But I guess those days have passed, seeing that she’s happily engaged to someone else.
“Everything’s cleared,” Eli informs Leo.
“Good. Now go find my sister.” He jerks his head toward where Maddy disappeared. “And try to find out what the hell is going on with her.” Leo gives Eli a cautious look, one that causes Eli’s expression to turn stone cold before he nods and takes off after her.
“I take it you’re not a fan of her fiancé?”
“You could say that.” He runs his hand through his hair, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Don’t ever find yourself alone with him. I don’t trust him for as far as my eye can see.”
I frown. “But you trust him to marry your sister?”
“Oh.” He shakes his head, chuckling, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Their wedding is not happening.”
“What—”
“There you two are.” Mrs. Alarie approaches, appearing elegant in a deep blue cape gown. “I just saw Madeleine storming off down the hall. Is everything all right?”
“It will be.” Leo’s cold gaze is focused on the back of Alastor’s head.
Mrs. Alarie nods, perfecting her smile as guests begin to fill the space. “And where are your brothers?”
“Vin and Alex will be arriving shortly. They were held up at the casino. And Mauro wasn’t planning on coming. You know these things are difficult for him to—”
“He’s here,” I interject, noticing the hulk-sized man walking through the room. Mauro appears entirely out of place in a suit that looks a tad bit too small for his burly frame. His finger pulls at his collar as he approaches, a few strands of hair escaping from the neat bun.
“Mauro.” His mother beams. “You look so handsome.”
He grunts in response, a light shade of pink spreading up his neck. He’s uncomfortable, feeling out of place amongst those who don’t understand him.
Just like me.
It pulls at my heartstrings to know that even though he appears solid and unbreakable from the outside, he’s hurting on the inside.
Fragile.
Without thinking it through, I find myself wrapping my arms around him, my cheek pressing against his chest. “I’m glad you’re here.”
His body freezes beneath my hold, and I wonder if I crossed a line I shouldn’t have. Have I made this worse for him?
“You know, you can hug her back,” Leo quietly remarks.
Mauro’s arms slowly curl around me, and I feel his body relax. I want to tell him that I see him. That I know the pain he feels. But I stop myself because maybe I don’t. Maybe we all feel pain at different levels. What may cause one person only a little heartache or grief may cause someone else more pain than they may be able to handle. Either way, I want him to know that I’m here. That we’re all here.
He awkwardly pats my back a few times before we part, showing a slight smile as Leo heaves me back to his side.
“Madeleine will be so glad you came,” Mrs. Alarie says softly, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
He nods and examines the room, his eyes hopping from person to person as if seeking out someone in particular.
A quartet in the corner of the room starts playing music as the wide French doors open, signaling to guests that dinner is ready. Leo leads us inside the room, nodding to familiar faces as we find our table. Fancy embroidered name cards distinguish everyone’s seats, and as I attempt to take mine, Leo squeezes my hand and shakes his head. He swiftly switches our nameplates, placing me to his right. Our hands part so that he can pull out the chair for me, and I sit as I lift the hem of my dress.
Leo doesn’t appreciate the distance of his chair from mine, so he inches his chair closer and sits, shoulders straightened, eyes on alert, glancing around the room as his hand lands firmly on my thigh, his thumb slipping beneath the slit, finding my bare skin to dance back and forth across.
It’s his way of ensuring everyone in the room knows I’m his.
My attention slides to my right as the chair at the head of the table moves.
“Ah! Leo, I’m so pleased you brought your beautiful wife tonight. I thought you planned to hide her behind that fortress forever.” An older gentleman with a French accent chuckles, smiling warmly.
“Not at all.” Leo turns toward the man, his hand moving from my thigh to the back of my neck, his thumb stroking my skin in a calming gesture he knows my body craves. “It is an honor to introduce you to my wife, Scarlett. Scarlett, this is Uncle Claude, my father’s eldest brother.”
I turn toward Claude, holding out my hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” He takes my hand and leans down to kiss the back of it. I know this man means no harm. One could sense his warmth and kindness from a mile away. But Leo knows me. He knows my discomfort of being touched by anyone beside him, so he immediately stops it.
His hand jumps across, yanking mine toward him.
“I must warn you, Claude; Scarlett is mine, which means only my lips touch her skin.”
A shudder runs through me at the thought.
Claude smooths a hand over his salt-and-pepper hair. “He was always the possessive type. Even toward an old man like me. But I’m flattered you consider me competition.” He takes a sip from the glass before him, appearing unbothered.
Leo’s hand moves back to my thigh, slipping under the slit and then sneaking about an inch higher up my leg. The rough pads of his fingers gently squeeze before slowly caressing my skin.
I let out a deep breath, my insides turning molten beneath his touch. A familiar ache begins to grow between my legs, and to distract myself, I glance around the room, studying all the well-dressed couples taking their places at their tables.
Madeleine and Alastor are seated at the closest table to ours at the head of the room. Vin and Alex arrive, taking their seats across from us beside Mauro, while Mrs. Alarie sits between a few women I don’t recognize, chatting away. The room is packed with faces I don’t know, but my eyes snag on a man in particular, one well-dressed just like everyone else in the room, sitting at a table with a few other men at the other end of the room, and who is…staring at me.
I freeze. His eyes watch me. Study me. Violate me. An overwhelming surge of fear engulfs me as his lips curl into a menacing smile. His hazel eyes reveal that he’s not Le Diable, but then, who is he?
Leo squeezes my thigh, bringing my attention to him.
“Is everything okay?” he asks, his eyes most likely noting every trace of anxiety on my face.
I clear my throat and throw on a smile, not wanting him to know I’m overreacting to the sight of a man I don’t even know. “I’m fine.”
He leans in and brushes his lips against mine. “Just say the word, and we can go.”
“Not yet.” I pick up my fork and stab a piece of the salad. “I can do this.”
“I know you can.”
At around the third course, I feel myself going into an overdrive of nerves and paranoia.
I keep catching the man blatantly staring at me. But every time Leo’s head turns in his direction, the man innocently shoots his eyes to his plate.
There’s shrill laughter and deafening conversations. Knives and forks scratching against plates. Chairs scrape across the floor as people come and go. Music wafts through the enormous room.
And the cherry on top of my oversensitive mind is Leo’s hand crawling deliciously closer to the danger zone. His thumb grazes my skin, subtly inching nearer as he leans in to converse with Claude.
I feel…everything.
And it’s all too overstimulating.
Too goddamn much.
Abruptly, I push myself away from the table, my gold cloth napkin falling to the floor as I stand, nearby watchful eyes landing on me.
Leo stands, towering over me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I scratch the side of my neck; my skin feels too tight. “I-I need to use the restroom.”
“I’ll go with you.”
I place my hand on his chest, trying to subdue my trembling. “I’ll be right back. I saw where it was when we walked in. Besides, it’s not like you can go in the ladies’ room, anyway,” I tease, trying to assure him I’m fine when I know I’m not.
“You’re sure?”
I nod. “I’ll be back before dessert. Promise.”
He appears hesitant before leaning closer. “You have five minutes. If you’re not back by then, I’ll come find you.”
“I expect nothing less.” I place a kiss on his cheek and turn, smoothing out my dress as I exit the room.
I need air.
And I need it now.
Bypassing the restroom, I continue walking straight ahead through the deserted hall toward the balcony doors. The moment I swing the glass doors open and step outside, a rush of cool air cascades over my bare skin in a welcomed embrace. I close my eyes, letting out a deep breath.
I’m safe.
I’m safe.
I’m safe.
I repeat the mantra as I open my eyes and advance toward the railing, taking in the view of the city before me.
I’ve never been much of a city girl, but even I can admit this is pretty extraordinary, especially from so high up. The lights twinkle around every building and lamppost beneath us, reminding me of tiny fireflies, which causes a smile to form on my face.
Still, nothing rivals the beauty found on the Alarie Estate. A place I’m itching to get back to.
Just a few more hours.
I don’t want to disappoint, Leo.
I can do this.
“I would imagine this view is quite different from what one might find chained up in a cellar with no windows.”
Every muscle in my body stiffens as terror descends upon me. My fingers, clutching the railing, tremble as the stranger’s presence inches closer to my body.
“You are so very pretty, Scarlett.” A deep Russian accent assaults my ears. His breath trails across my exposed neck, and I take a step away, moving on shaky legs out of his reach, inadvertently cornering myself.
My eyes widen. “Y-you?”
He smiles, the same creepy smile he gave me only an hour ago from across the room. “My apologies for not properly introducing myself.” He dips his head. “Many call me Fedya.”
“And why are you here?” I place my hand between us to keep a semblance of distance. “I assume you’re not here for either the bride or the groom.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I’m here on behalf of my employer.”
“And who do you work for?” Unease fills me, certain I know the answer to this question.
His smile grows. “Now, Scarlett, you’re a smart girl. You know the answer to that.”
No. This isn’t happening. I internally shake my head, waiting for the man to disappear with no such luck. This is just one of the regularly occurring nightmares I have. It has to be. My pulse thunders in my ears as every brain cell I have yells at me to run.
Quickly, I step to my right, but he blocks my path, caging me against the stone banister. Fisting my hands at my sides, I grit out as calmly as I can, “Get out of my way.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He steps closer to me, all the space between us vanishing. “I’m afraid you’ll be leaving with me tonight.”
All-encompassing terror sideswipes me as I grip the railing tighter for support, my knees on the verge of giving out.
“My husband won’t let that happen!”
The man looks around, laughing. “Where is he? He won’t even notice I’ve taken you until it’s too late. And once I have, I assure you, he’ll never be able to find you.” His gaze hardens. “Not this time.”
Tears streak down my cheeks. Is he right? Will Leo not even notice that I’m missing?
No! He’s wrong! He doesn’t know the things Leo would do to keep me safe. He would burn down the whole goddamn world to find me.
“You’re going to make him a lot of money.” The man raises his hand, appearing ready to wipe the tears from my face. “You’re so young. So beautiful. So fragile—”
Boom!