Chapter 38 #2
Quickly, I slip the phone into a hidden pocket of a jacket of mine at the back of the closet. Thoughts swirl as I hurriedly finish getting dressed.
I make my way through the corridors, my steps filled with apprehension.
Carina and Adina’s request is peculiar, and I wonder what lies behind their sudden interest in me.
I navigate the halls, passing by maids and guards with a newfound sense of awareness.
They are all watching me, and I can feel Javier behind me, following like my shadow.
As I reach the grand foyer, I find Carina and Adina waiting for me. Carina’s smile is warm but guarded, while Adina wears her usual composed expression. “Sienna, so glad you could join us,” Carina says.
“What is this about?” I ask, unable to hide the curiosity in my voice.
Adina steps forward, her eyes fixed on mine. “You’ll be joining us in the city.”
I take a deep breath, sensing the weight of their words. Great, now I have to survive not just Carina but also the queen, just my luck.
As Carina, Adina, and I prepare to leave for Adina’s hair appointment, a sense of unease settles within me. I try to blend into the wall, becoming a mere shadow in the grand foyer of the castle.
Just as we’re about to make our exit, we run into Vin and Xandros. When I see them, I feel the blood from my face drain, and I am unable to breathe.
The two men walk toward us, hands clasped behind their backs, powerful enough to bend steel with a single squeeze.
My gaze instinctively locks onto Xandros, and I can feel my heart skip a beat.
His presence still has the power to stir emotions within me, a reminder of the tangled web that binds us together.
Trying to hide my apprehension, I wait for the interaction to unfold.
“What time do you think you’ll be done?” Vin asks, his voice laced with an underlying tension.
His arms are folded across his body as he stands with his feet spread apart.
He wears his black hair loose, framing his porcelain white skin, highlighting the deep lines in his forehead and around his eyes.
His face is devoid of expression as he stares at me, his eyes showing no signs of recognition or compassion.
“We should be back by 2 PM, though you’re leaving a little earlier, aren’t you, Carina?” Adina replies, her smile concealing any hint of the hidden turmoil within our lives. Carina nods.
However, when Vin’s eyes land on me, he shoots me a glare, and I avert my gaze, my heart racing. The encounter is brief, but the weight of his disapproval hangs heavy in the air. As the queen and Carina stride away, I move to follow, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere.
I try to pull away from Xandros’s grip when he clasps my arm tighter. He stares at me. “What happened to your cheek?” he whispers, his voice laced with emotion, he lifts his hand where Rehan accidentally got me when I didn’t dodge fast enough. He brushes his thumb over the mark.
My gaze quickly shifts to Javier behind him, and Xandros questions me further before I can answer. “Did one of them do this to you? Tell me and I will handle it,” he adds, his eyes searching mine for answers.
I shake my head, my voice filled with bitterness. “No, Xandros. The mark on my cheek is a result of your actions, of you handcuffing me to the bed!” I lie effortlessly.
Xandros looks taken aback by my words; he releases his grip on me and takes a step back. Guilt flashes across his face, and I can feel his remorse through our bond. “No more handcuffs,” he concedes, his voice softening. “You must remain with Carina and Javier at all times. Promise me,” he whispers.
Reluctantly, I nod, knowing I have no choice but to comply.
The freedom I crave is still out of reach, replaced by the suffocating constraints of this new reality.
The restraints of my mate and his family.
Xandros leans down, pressing his lips to my forehead as he pulls me into his embrace.
“Xandros!” I hiss at his actions, glancing around nervously for King Vin, thankfully, he has wandered off elsewhere.
“I missed you,” he whispers.
“Funny, you handcuffing me to the bed says otherwise,” I retort, and he growls. “You knew you’d be punished for running, what did you expect?” he hisses at me angrily.
“Not to be handcuffed to a bed like some bed toy,” I growl. Xandros sighs when I hear someone clear their throat. Both Xandros and I tense.
“Sienna, dear, are you coming?” Carina’s singsong voice calls out from the doorway, interrupting our conversation.
Xandros turns to see her standing there, a picture of innocence.
“I might be coming home earlier. Mom wants me to call her. Can you send the other car at 1 PM for me instead of 2?” Carina asks, her gaze shifting between Xandros and me.
Xandros nods, seemingly lost in thought and I step away from him, this situation growing more tense, yet Carina doesn’t seem upset, more accepting of their strange relationship. I want no part in it. Glancing at Carina, she digs through her purse, retrieving her phone.
Carina’s a vision in a white summer dress, its skirt a modest knee-length, and the neckline dips low between her ample cleavage.
Her hair is tied into a high ponytail, and she’s wearing a pair of silver peep-toe pumps.
“I’ll organize it,” Xandros answers her, and she nods.
“The car will be here in a moment, Adina already called for it,” Carina tells me, and I nod, watching as she turns back to the door and steps out to stand with Adina.
“Go,” Xandros tells me. I glance once more at the door leading outside, knowing I have to play my part in this intricate dance.
With a heavy sigh, I step away from Xandros, not even slightly excited about being stuck with these two women all day.
Javier follows silently, remaining close as I expected he would.
Stepping out the door, I move to join Carina and Adina, and we head toward the waiting car.