Chapter 19 – Marcella #2
For the next hour, we work side by side, sorting tiny garments into piles, and laughing at the number of silver rattles that seem nothing short of useless.
She tells me stories about her childhood, living in the US until she bounced around Europe with her father after her mother died.
I don’t give her much in return. I can’t.
I make up bullshit stories, the lies prickling my heart.
The more time I’m in this job, the closer I get to this family, the more I hate every word that comes from my lips and every action I take against them.
Now I’m questioning everything, and I don’t like most of the answers I’m coming up with.
“Mommy!” Phaedra comes racing in wearing her adorable little gold bikini, with Arthur, also soaking wet, hot on her heels. “Guess what Oncle Rowan taught me?”
“Future queen, you’re dripping water everywhere, and you look like you’re freezing,” she says, her tone holding more amusement than censure, only for all of us to shriek when Arthur shakes his fur out like a dog would, sending sprays of cold water every which way.
Our hands fly out to ward it off. “Ah! Arthur. You’re getting us soaked! ”
“That’s because they ran in here without wrapping her towel around them.
And yes, I’m including the ferret in that statement.
” Rowan enters, flanked by Sabrina and Zayer.
He chuckles, holding up Phaedra’s towel that she gratefully takes.
Arthur scurries up to Sabrina, rests himself against her, and nuzzles into her towel.
Rowan throws me a side-eye as he enters but almost immediately dismisses me as if I’m not here.
Awesome. I mean, I don’t want his attention.
That’s the last thing I want. But a girl still doesn’t like to be cast aside immediately after a guy finger fucks her to orgasm.
I, on the other hand, had every right to dismiss him. Naturally.
Not so charming anymore, are you, Prince?
“Better. Now, what did Oncle Rowan teach you?”
“How to do a flip off the diving board.” Sabrina crows.
“Sabrina!” Phaedra cries, stomping her foot indignantly. “I wanted to tell her.”
Sabrina simply shrugs in a you snooze, you lose way.
“Phaedra, come here and tell me about it.” Bellamy pats her thigh, and Phaedra walks over and sits on the floor beside her.
“We did flips. I made a full circle on the last one.”
Bellamy claps. “Amazing. That sounds so fun.”
“I did it three times in a row,” Sabrina chimes in.
“That’s great, legendary princess. It sounds like you all had fun.” Bellamy giggles. “Zayer, my love, that towel is for drying, not being a superhero.”
“I’m not a superhero,” he protests. “I’m a sea monster. Rawr!” He lunges toward me with his tiny fingers splayed like claws.
I playfully cover my head with my arms and scream in fear. “Ah! Oh no! Don’t get me.”
The wet little thing jumps on me, the water from his trunks seeping through my pants. It’s cold and definitely unpleasant.
“I’ll save you!” Sabrina declares, throwing herself at Zayer and covering him with her towel, which he does not like. “I’m a friendly shark and protect humans from sea monsters.”
“Sabrina!” Zayer whines, pushing her towel off his face.
I’ve never had siblings. Not really. Not in this way where I’d play and fight with them. I’m much older than Jaqueline, and Samil was much older than me. But their dynamic is adorable and fun to watch.
“I’m a sea queen, and I declare that everyone has to listen to me and that there can be no monsters or sharks. Only mermaids and sea fairies.”
My lips bounce at Phaedra’s declaration, and I see I’m not alone in that as Rowan and Bellamy are silently laughing. No one else can feel the tension, but it buzzes and hums like its own entity. It’s a lot of work not to look at Rowan, and I wonder if he’s having the same struggle I am.
“I should get back to work,” I declare.
Bellamy nods. “Thank you for your help this afternoon. I feel so much better about all of this.”
“I’m glad. It was fun.” I offer her a smile and shift Zayer so he’s sitting on the floor and climb up to my feet.
“I want to get changed and have a snack,” Sabrina states.
“Me too, me too,” Zayer jumps in.
Bellamy slowly peels herself off the floor, and Rowan helps, taking her hand and hauling her up the rest of the way.
“Children, why don’t you go to your rooms and get dried off? Zayer, I’ll be up in a moment to help you change.”
The children run out of the room, making a beeline straight for their bedrooms, and I curtsy at both Rowan and Bellamy and leave the room, only to stop when I hear Rowan speaking to Bellamy now that he thinks I’m gone.
“I don’t know about spending all this time with Marcella. I’m not sure it’s safe. We know nothing about her.”
“Rowan, she’s been living and working here for over four months, and there hasn’t been an issue with her.
Emily promoted her because she’s the best housekeeper, and thus far, I haven’t seen any reason to argue that.
She’s sweet and kind. Yes, she’s very reserved and formal, but I can’t blame her for that. It’s her job to be that way.”
“There are security concerns—”
“What security concerns? Do you know of a threat?”
He blusters out a heavy sigh. “Not specifically, no.”
“You, me, and Sebastian looked over her background check. Over her family, who we also looked up, and they checked out without so much as a speeding ticket. She’s not Charlotte. She’s not trying to ingrain herself in our family or slide in between Sebastian and me.”
“I know.”
“Then what is this? Is it because you’re attracted to her?”
He laughs mirthlessly. “No. It’s not because of that, though that certainly doesn’t help anything.”
“What’s the problem with that? I honestly don’t get it. Is it because she’s a housekeeper?”
He makes a dismissive scoff. “No. I don’t care about that, just as Sebastian didn’t care that you were a schoolteacher and a nanny.”
“Then what is it?”
“Just be careful with her. That’s all I’m asking.”
She makes a noise, and I hear her move. “I will be.”
What on earth changed in the last twenty-four hours for him to say that now?
Is it because of what happened in his room?
How exactly does that make me a security risk and a threat to Bellamy and the children?
I mean, I guess I technically am, but I don’t see how he could know that from one sexual encounter today.
I bet this is how he is with all of his lovers. Plays until he’s satisfied and finds or conjures reasons to get rid of them. What an asshole.
Before they can leave the room to check on the children, I slink away, unease prickling at my skin and leaving me unsettled. I don’t know how much longer I can stay here without everything falling apart around me.