Chapter 13 #2
The wait wasn’t helping the nerves that had started to intensify.
I hadn’t even bothered to get dressed yet, wrapped up in a robe and sitting on a large comfortable chair near the window.
I could hear the twins’ voices from where they stood in the hallway, laughing about something, but my other mates were spread throughout the complex, even Az helping out.
I wanted to be helpful, but apparently there wasn’t much for me to do.
I totally didn’t believe them since they were so busy—I think it was their attempt to get me to relax.
Something I would normally be a huge fan of…
but the prospect of leading felt very heavy.
I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, and this type of situation left a lot of risk for me to do exactly that.
“Maya.” Anani’s voice had me sitting upright as he offered me a concerned look. “What’s wrong?”
“All this waiting around is making me nervous,” I admitted.
It totally didn’t help that Anani looked so dang handsome in his dark suit.
I hadn’t originally expected it to be such a formal event, but considering the gown hanging in my closet, I wasn’t completely opposed to it. It was freakin’ beautiful.
“We got word that your parents are expected shortly,” he explained, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “I’ll be here to walk you down, I promise.”
Inhaling, I nodded and put on a brave face as I walked into the bathroom and examined my face and hair, both of which had already been styled by a professional.
I didn’t speak a word of French, but the woman didn’t seem to care, talking to me for nearly an hour as she worked.
She seemed super sweet; I just wished there hadn’t been as much of a language barrier.
I really needed to learn a few other languages.
Slipping out of my robe, I freshened up my lipstick and then pulled on the undergarments that had been left for me—a pair of panties and a sleek tan bra that was strapless.
I smiled as Anani walked in, holding the gown before hooking it on the bathroom door, his eyes running over my frame as he let out a low rumble.
I shivered as he approached and kissed my shoulder gently.
Without a word, he helped me into my dress—one that seemed hand-tailored to me, and not only because of the fit.
The A-line ball gown had a top that was tight like a corset, and it had these short, fluttering sleeves that capped my shoulders and emphasized the heart-shaped neckline.
The material of the bodice was soft pink with a chiffon overlay that was nearly transparent except for the crystals that were hand-sewn onto every inch of it.
That gorgeous technique was continued down into the skirt, the color shifting from a light pink to an ombre effect of lavender near the hem.
It created a stunning effect, and my face lit up as Anani gently zipped it up the back before smoothing a hand over my waist, his voice a bit rough. “Peanut, you look absolutely gorgeous.”
I turned into him and offered my lips, Anani brushing a kiss over them. I let out a hum of pleasure, attempting to deepen the touch, but the clearing of a throat had me pausing. We both looked to the door where Ledger stood, a cocky grin on his face.
“As much as I hate to interrupt…” he teased.
“Bullshit.” Anani barked out a laugh. “You’re just jealous.”
Ledger shrugged. “Accurate. I always want to kiss Maya.”
“I’m never opposed to you kissing me,” I pointed out, my heart beating rapidly as I thought about being between the two of them—especially knowing how dominant Ledger could be after what happened on Halloween.
“We can do all the kissing later,” Anani mused, pressing his lips to my temple as I tried to not pout. Was it obvious I was looking for a bit of a distraction? “Are they good to go?”
“They just arrived a second ago, and they brought a fair amount of people.” Ledger’s jaw clenched.
“Is he here?”
Anani was obviously referring to his father.
“Not that I’ve seen, but I haven’t fully checked,” Ledger admitted. “I would normally say it wouldn’t be an option, that they wouldn’t think to invite him, but even when we got the restraining order it was mostly kept under wraps. He was at the other event in the Dreki realm.”
“Fuck, I hope he’s not,” Anani grumbled. I nodded in agreement, leaning into him.
“Let’s do this. I promise it will be alright,” I said confidently, though inside I felt anxiety over the concept of the twins being uncomfortable.
As we walked down the steps of the Mediterranean house, I realized briefly that I hadn’t put on shoes…and found I didn’t care. As nervous as I was, this was my happy place, and if that meant walking around barefoot because that’s how I was most comfortable, then I wanted to keep doing that.
My anxiety grew as I looked through the window, finally getting a full-scale view of how many people were outside.
Faces both familiar and unfamiliar drew my attention to the center aisle that had been created in the yard, the setup almost like an outdoor wedding.
At the focal point along the coastline stood my mother and fathers, all of them seemingly caught in conversation.
I breathed out a sigh of relief as I realized my mates were lined up along the aisle so I would have to pass each one, instantly making me feel a world better.
Ledger squeezed my hand as we finally reached the archway to walk outside, Az leaning against the surface as he looked over me with an appreciative rumble.
“Are you ready?” he asked. I nodded and looked towards Marco, who was a few feet away, his eyes heated.
“You’ve got this, baby girl.”
I felt emboldened by his words and gave him a small smile. When dignified music suddenly started, the crowd stood to face me—and that was when I heard Ledger curse and felt Anani go stock still. My gaze followed their line of sight, my pulse instantly increasing along with a seething indignation.
Their father was here.