Chapter Twenty-Four #2
Drayven looked away, but not before I saw regret plastered all over his expression. Good. Just because there was something growing between the two of us didn’t mean I didn’t feel angry about what he’d done. How he had made me feel. How he had made others view me.
Nico's hand on my shoulder had me feeling moderately calmer, but I still felt flushed. When the Reaper stood and walked over to me, he didn't respond, simply pressing a kiss to my forehead, which pissed me off so much more. Before I could yell at him, though, the door opened.
"Adrien," I whispered as the Wraith walked in, not acknowledging Drayven when the Reaper closed the door and leaned against it, watching our interaction.
I smiled up at the man as he approached, ignoring Nico's presence and dipping his head to brush his lips against mine.
A tremble went through me, and I blinked in confusion as clothes were pressed into my hands.
He pulled back, and I frowned, looking down at the clothing.
Adrien walked over to the windows and pulled open the curtains, making all three of us wince uncomfortably as bright morning sunlight flooded the room. I recognized the clothing in my hands now. It was the outfit I'd laid out for the voting ceremony today. How had he known that?
"Room is cleared, but I figured you wouldn't want to go back there," he explained softly before opening the rest of the windows, something that had the others groaning and shifting in response. It would have been funny if I hadn't been feeling so off about everything.
"Thank you," I whispered to Adrien. I would never want to go back there.
I watched as Colt managed to sit up. His eyes met mine, his face blank of emotion.
So much so that I didn't believe it, and I wondered what he was hiding.
No one felt that much indifference. Especially not someone who had slept on the floor of this room, not wanting to leave.
Without a word, the Fallen Angel walked towards me and brushed my hair over my shoulder, his gaze roving over my neck as he let out a low rumble.
He was gone then, as if he had never been there in the first place.
What the hell had that been?
"Prick," Nico muttered. My lips twitched.
Damien hopped off the bed, still in Hellhound form, and trotted over to me.
I bent down, wrapping my arms around his warm body, and he let out a low rumble.
I felt tears sting my eyes, knowing that what we had been through last night would alter our relationship completely.
What had once been lighthearted and sweet was now far more serious.
He had killed someone for me. That was the truth of it. He had killed someone to protect me.
I watched as he moved to the bathroom and closed the door with his snout. I needed to get in there as well, but I wasn't exactly super eager to go to this voting ceremony without a plan.
"What should I do?" I hadn't meant to ask the question out loud, but I instantly knew I had the attention of all four men in the room, including Finias, who hadn't moved from the bed but was watching me with an intense expression. What was he thinking about? Did I want to know?
"We tell them what happened," Damien walked out of the bathroom, naked except for the towel wrapped around his muscular hips, the shower running in the background.
"You were almost fucking killed, and someone is responsible.
" With that, the door to the bathroom closed, and I tried to keep the surge of desire at seeing him practically naked—along with the memory of his truly naked body last night—from seeping out, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of Nico.
"He's right," Nico admitted, sitting back down in the armchair. "I am almost fucking positive that my family had something to do with the attack."
"Why do you think that?" I was hesitant to believe that he was so willing to openly blame his own family for such an act of aggression.
Nico briefly explained his thoughts and how his father had acted, and I struggled to process what he was saying.
He was telling me his family had tried to kill me and, instead of being on their side, he was here with me.
What did that mean? I swallowed and looked towards the windows, where Adrien was now leaning, his eyes categorizing each emotion that flashed across my face.
"The assassin who attacked you was from my house," Finias admitted when Nico finished, standing from the bed. My eyes widened briefly at how he looked in a t-shirt that was skin tight against his muscles, those sexy tattoos literally covering every inch of available space outside of his face.
He continued, "Although that doesn't surprise me. Nothing my parents do surprises me." There was an edge of sadness to his words that had everything inside of me lighting up fiercely and protectively.
I hesitated before meeting both of their gazes, "I know your loyalties lie with your families and houses. I hope what you are saying isn't true—"
It was.
I continued, "But if it is, I also understand that you probably don't want to stand with me as I accuse them of what happened last night."
"Wrong." Finias stepped up close to me, smoothing his fingers up my jaw. “I stand with you.”
“Oh.” I could feel my cheeks heating as Nico shifted, drawing my attention.
“My house is not who I am. I have always thought my parents were bastards…but this is different. Their games have turned ruthless and deadly.”
Was it wrong that I already felt ten times better going into this meeting?
I knew their opinions wouldn’t change the votes, but the emotional support really altered my perspective.
Plus, while the votes were important, there was a deadly game being played, and support when it came to that was far more essential.
My gaze flew to Adrien, who was watching me with an affection that shouldn’t have been possible in the short time we’d known one another.
“My house stands with you,” Adrien stated without hesitation. “But you don’t ever need to question me, even if that wasn’t the case, beauty.”
Damnit. These men, I swear. How was I not supposed to have feelings for them when they acted like this?
“You should get ready,” Drayven suggested. “The vote starts at noon.”
My gaze met his. It was shadowed with concern, but the normal aggression that existed around the others was extinguished. He just seemed worried. I nodded and moved towards the bathroom right as Damien walked out. I leaned into the hug he gave me, his arms wrapping around and enveloping me.
I had been nervous about the voting ceremony before because I’d felt the need to prove myself. Now, I was cautious and furious because proving myself wasn’t the concern…it was surviving this damn Summit.