23. Snow
Chapter twenty-three
Snow
I wake to a pounding sound on the bathroom door.
Once again, I slept rough. I rise from the empty bathtub, a yawn splitting my mouth. I decided to sleep in the bathroom after I found Angel watching me bathe, and I’m still a little unsettled by that.
“Snow?”
It's Saint, and I quickly stumble out of the tub, fixing my hair in the mirror before I reach for the doorknob.
I don’t know why.
Saint has seen me far worse.
I slept in Prince’s pajamas, and I even rolled up the bottoms so I wouldn’t end up tripping.
His PJs looked stupid and big on me, but they were the only clean clothes I had.
My old ones are lying in a stinking pile in the corner.
I won’t dare wash those with the guys’ clothes.
Those I will put on a separate cycle.
No point giving Prince any more ammunition.
I unlock the door, finding Saint with his fist in the air.
Looks like I got him mid-knock.
His eyebrows rise as he appraises me in Prince’s pajamas, and I bow my head, wrapping my hands around my arms.
Now I feel even more stupid.
He points. “Those are Prince’s.”
I sigh. “I didn’t have anything else.”
He nods, still regarding me strangely. He takes note of the rolled-up legs, a small smile curving his mouth.
“No need to worry. I’m sure we can get you some new clothes.”
His eyes find mine again. “Why were you sleeping in the bathroom? And why was the door unlocked?”
Shoot. How do I tell him that his creepy, one-eyed twin snuck in last night and watched me bathe? I don’t want to get Angel into trouble with his brother.
All he did was stand there and stare at my face.
I sigh. “Angel…”
Saint doesn’t need to hear anymore the moment I mention the name, and now he groans, palming his face.
“Fuck. I should have known.” He removes his hand from his face. “Sorry. Angel can be quite… eccentric.”
That’s one word for it.
He's crazy. Saint doesn’t need to sugarcoat it for me.
Saint eyes me up and down. “Are you all right? He didn’t scare you, did he?”
Maybe a little.
But honestly, he didn’t scare me enough.
I should have been way more terrified having a maniac watching me in the tub.
All I could think about after he left was how nice he would look in the tub with me.
“No, no, it’s all good.”
Again, he hikes a brow, and I suck in a breath. “So, when do I start?”
He blinks. “Oh, yeah, right. That. Right after breakfast. You must be hungry.”
He heads for the door.
I stumble after him. “Wait. I am joining you for breakfast?”
“Why not? May as well meet the whole family.”
The whole family…
Haven’t I already?
I’ve counted five of them so far.
“How many of you are there?” I ask, speaking out of turn.
Saint regards me again with a smile. “You’ll soon find out. Let’s go.”
Damn.
Does that mean Prince will be there, too?
I don’t think I am quite ready to eat at the same table as that man.
What if he gets trigger-happy with me again?
“You’ll be fine,” Saint reassures, seeming to read my mind. “Most of my brothers are friendly.”
Most?
I hesitate.
Saint waits patiently at the door. “Well?”
When my stomach answers for him, he merely laughs and steps outside, waiting for me to follow.
In the end, I decide to join him and his family for breakfast as he leads me through the halls of Prince’s wing.
I can’t help but wonder which room is his as we pass several doors, and I half expect Prince to step out of one as we make our way through the halls.
But so far, I’m safe, and I push the man out of my mind as Saint leads the way.
I pick up the sound of voices when we reach the bottom of the marble staircase, and my nerves get the best of me.
Saint stops. “It’s fine, Snow. They won’t harm you.”
“They?”
He doesn’t elaborate as he guides me to a communal area with a bar and couches, and then through another archway into a dining room.
All chatter stops the moment we enter, and I keep my gaze on the floor.
Four sets of eyesfall on me, and I’m too afraid to look.
So, there are more of them, and I really am out of my depth.
“Snow," Saint whispers, and I meet his gaze.
He encourages me to look up, and now I take stock of the faces around the table.
I recognize Angel and Knight. The former’s single eye flares while the latter only has a warm smile for me, and I recall how the doctor’s fingers felt on my ribs when he checked my bruise. I flush bright red. My gaze lands on Hunter.
He waves, a broad smile on his face. “Hey there. Remember me, Sweetness?”
I have no answer to give.
Hunter smirks, placing a hand over his eye. “Maybe this will clue you in...”
Angel shoots him a death glare, and I’m just glad that his look isn’t directed at me.
Hunter stops, returning to his cornflakes. “S-sorry… It’s… It’s good to see you again, Snow.”
How could I forget our first encounter? The last time we met, he was wearing an eye patch and a wig.
If it's any consolation to Angel, Hunter looked nothing like him.
Finally, my gaze finds the last male, and the first thing I notice about him are those wide, violet eyes.
He can’t take them off me, and I’m not sure what passes through his mind.
While handsome, he’s more boyish than the others, and he has to be younger than me, even.
For the first time since I got here, I’m not the first to look away as the violet-eyed male peers away at last, a red blush taking over his face.
Wait.
He’s shy…
It's precious.
Hunter has a weird smile on his face as he regards the shy guy beside him, and I’m pretty sure he elbows him.
But the shy male won’t look at me again as he focuses on his plate of toast.
Saint speaks. “Snow, Casper. Casper, Snow… I believe you’ve met the others...”
Casper doesn’t look up from his toast. But I do hear him mumble a small. “H-hi…”
Knight regards him kindly, reaching across to pat his shoulder, and it seems they all take care of this one.
Could that be because he is the youngest?
Or because he is ridiculously cute, like a puppy?
Even I want to take care of him and tell him it will be all right.
He reminds me of a shy baby deer.
Thank God they’re not all so terrifying.
Knight and Hunter are a pretty close second there, but I am aware of every moment Angel stares at me with that lone eye again.
He makes me feel exposed, and again I cover my breasts, even though I am fully dressed this time in Prince’s clothes.
“Well sit, Snow.”
I look at Saint, then at the table, wondering where is best to sit.
Anywhere far from Prince and Angel, then I’m satisfied.
Hunter jumps to his feet, yanking out the empty chair beside Casper. “Here, Casper will keep you company, Snow.”
Poor Casper slumps in his seat, turning beet red, and I almost don’t want to take the chair in fear of making him uncomfortable.
But the seat is far from the head of the table, which I assume is Prince’s chair.
So, Casper it is.
Finally, I take my seat beside him, and now an uncomfortable silence passes over the table.
I don’t think Casper is even breathing beside me as he grabs his knife, and I wonder if he is as unhinged as the others.
Are they all disturbed deep down?
They are mafia men, like my father was, after all.
And all mafia men are unhinged on some level.
Hunter pipes up. “So, Casper… are you going to offer Snow something to eat?”
Casper growls, peering around at Hunter as he grips that knife tighter.
I watch the whole interaction with bated breath.
Knight sighs. “Don’t goad him, Hunter.” His kind gray eyes find me. “Help yourself, Snow.”
My eyes widen as I gaze at the spread.
So much to choose from.
I can’t help covering my plate with sausages as I haven’t eaten meat in days.
I grab seven sausages in the end.
Hunter laughs. “Sausages. Good choice, Snow.”
He's still chuckling as I cut off a section of meat, pushing it into my mouth as I take my time to chew.
It's good sausage.
Hunter laughs louder, but then Angel throws a roll of bread at his face, making him stop at once.
Now, we all eat in silence.
When that ominous presence enters the room, I freeze in my seat, swallowing my food extra slowly in fear of offending him.
Prince has arrived, his eyes on me as he pulls out his chair.
“So, no Moth today?” he asks, and I wonder who Moth is.
Why is he named after an insect?
“Doesn’t seem that way,” Saint replies.
Something passes between all six men. Is this a regular occurrence with this Moth character?
Does he often skip breakfast?
Prince cuts into his bacon angrily. “Never mind…”
Again, they all share a look around the table, and I peer up curiously.
That’s when my gaze lands on Prince, and that green eye glows in warning as he shoves a piece of bacon into his mouth.
Fuck. That action should not turn me on, and I look away quickly before he notices.
“So, Snow…did you enjoy your first night here?” he asks.
His tone is far from friendly, and I am almost too afraid to respond.
What if he doesn’t like my answer?
My eyes find Angel, and again, I glance away when I recall him watching me in the tub.
I don’t care to mention it, though. What if I create a rift of some kind?
“Y-yes, sir. I did.”
Hunter snorts. “Sir?”
Prince turns his gaze on him. “Quiet, Hunter.” He regards me again. “So, no trouble at all?”
I keep my gaze on my plate. “None, sir.”
Prince settles in his seat. He doesn’t say anything about the clothes, but I do feel his penetrating eyes all the same.
“That’s good to hear. When you’re done with your breakfast, you can make a start on your chores.”
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
An awkward silence passes through the group.
I’m pretty sure they all regard Prince with some form of contempt, and they are unhappy with the way he speaks to me.
I would take his sharp tone over a gun to the head any day, though.
Still, maybe I have more friends here than I realized.
But I won’t get too comfortable.
After all, they aren’t really my friends.
I am their prisoner.
I’m alone here. There’s no two ways about it.
I only have myself to rely on.