Chapter 12
Maya
This was unbelievable. It was literally just like the picture.
I stood on the balcony of the massive hotel with a comfortable white robe around me and a glass of champagne in my hand.
I could feel excitement coursing through me and I wasn’t sure what it had been about earlier, but Henry’s calm confidence had me feeling better about the Lorn situation.
I could tell they were all still a bit worked up but I was doing my best to keep everyone positive.
A pair of arms looped around me and I looked up at Marco, his mint green eyes filled with heat.
“It's beautiful!” I stated with excitement, “Do we get to go see it up close?”
“Would dinner inside of it count?” He offered, I tilted my head thoughtfully.
“I said see it up close…not sure if that counts,” I let out a small shriek following my slight teasing tone, as Marco picked me up and placed me on the railing.
My legs locked around him. I would have been scared but I knew he had me and it gave me an opportunity to look at his well sculpted chest, a tattoo running right along his collar bone.
My fingers played across it as he let out a low rumble, making me shiver in anticipation.
“Was that sarcasm, Maya?” Marco arched his brow, his eyes flashing with heat.
Now, I had figured out Marco’s secret. He was a bit bossy and usually that was fine by me, as I said I deferred to him a lot.
But I'd noticed the few times I’d countered back he reacted differently than I would have expected.
Instead of getting frustrated like he did with Sai, his dragon rumbled a lot and Marco growled, usually looking like he wanted to kiss the heck out of me.
Or more. I was very much in love with that idea.
“Maybe...” I grinned, biting my lips. “What if it was?”
Marco’s hand smoothed over the back of my neck and tilted it back slightly, so that he was looking over my face with a heat and affection that I was coming to love.
A serious look passed over his eyes and he opened his mouth to say something before the french doors of the balcony opened.
I really had been interested to know what he wanted to say. ..
“Kitten,” Sai complained with a rumble from the door, “I wanted to take you shopping and now he’s distracting you.”
“Damn right,” Marco rumbled, nipping my neck.
“What are we shopping for?” I asked curiously, “I don’t need any more clothes, really. Half of my things still have tags on them.”
Sai offered me a searing smile as I blushed. Marco placed me down on the balcony, offering a rumble of frustration as Sai scooped me up against him.
“I want to get you a birthday present,” he chimed, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Okay,” I blushed as he tugged me towards the balcony doors. What woman could say no to that?
The twins were passed out still as I searched through my suitcase, trying to decide what would be fun to wear.
After much debate, I quietly got ready, brushed through my hair and pulled it up in a long ponytail.
Slipping on a mint green skirt that went out at my waist, I paired it with a black tank and sweater that went with my over the knee boots and pale tights.
I was slipping on my jacket right as Croy woke up, walking out of one of the many bedrooms.
To say that this hotel was fancy was the understatement of the century.
I mean truly, the walls were a pearlized pale color that reminded me of clouds.
The carpet was extremely soft, the entire room lighting up in an elegant pale pallet, only interrupted by pink flowers.
Somehow I knew that the boys had requested those.
I shook my head appreciating for the millionth time how lucky I was.
Croy offered me a sleepy smile, dipping to kiss my head before sitting on the couch and turning on the television.
“Where are you headed, sugar?” He asked curiously, then focused on my outfit. “Especially looking like pastel candy.”
“Is that a bad thing?” I turned in a circle showing him the outfit as he groaned, shaking his head.
“No, you just look delicious enough to eat,” he mumbled as my face flamed, thrilled he thought I looked good.
“Ready, kitten?” Sai asked, walking out in a dark jacket and looking ridiculously handsome.
I nodded and took his hand, feeling a bit guilty we weren’t saying bye to the others but honestly most of them were sleeping.
We’d decided to sleep when we got to Paris and we woke up Sunday morning, no doubt realizing we were off schedule.
Marco was disappointed because he didn’t think we’d be able to visit his property before we had to head back. I continued to tell him I was fine with missing school, plus it was clear we’d been so exhausted we had fallen asleep the minute we’d arrived, it only makes sense we need more time off.
I swallowed, trying to not think of Lorn because I didn’t want anything interrupting my time with Sai. His warm rough hand was wrapped around mine as we took the elevator down, talking about where exactly he wanted to go.
“What store did you want to go to?” I asked curiously.
“You’ll see.” He flashed me a smile as we entered into the brisk air.
“It’s so busy.” I looked around realizing just how many people there were. I did notice a few men in dark suits trailing behind us but Atlas had already explained that it was necessary, so I went along with it.
“Lots of people want to see exactly what you did,” he offered me a warm smile, “did it live up to your expectation?”
“Paris?” I tilted my head.
He shook his head. “The Eiffel Tower.”
A massive span of grass stood out in front of us as I looked up at the massive structure and tilted my head curiously, Sai’s arms securely around my waist. “It’s big,” I noted and narrowed my eyes, “but I expected it to be larger, I mean your dragon is sort of my point of reference. Also Atlas because both of you are huge.”
His chuckle was sexy and dark as he rested his chin on top of my head, “If we ever go to the Dreki realm, you will see just how big the structures are, quite literally made to fit several dragons comfortably.”
I turned into him tilting my head back. “Do you think that’s a possibility?”
His ears turned pink. “I mean I know I would like it, I am the youngest out of seven, so I don’t get to see my parents very much anyway. I think it would be cool for you to meet them.”
“Six siblings?” My eyes went wide. “Sai that’s insane, I am so jealous. That must have been so cool.”
He shrugged and looked over my shoulder as a flash had me squinting. I watched as a man with a camera scuttled off but it was too late, people were noticing us which was never good. Intertwining our hands Sai shook his head and led me down the path we were already taking.
“Why are they taking pictures?” I asked curiously.
“Because your story is resonating with far more people than we expected,” he spoke quietly and then flashed me a smile, “plus, you're fucking perfect so they can’t help themselves.”
Before I could answer, we crossed the street and my eyes focused on the small shop we were heading towards. “Cartier?” I asked curiously.
“Yep!” He winked and I inhaled the soft perfume surrounding the place as we stepped through the glass door. My mouth popped open slightly because holy shiny, sparkly, and glittery. Oh, this was bad.
“Sai,” I whispered, “there are a lot of sparkly items in here, this is totally a bad place for me.” It was. I had found working in the craft shop that I loved anything shiny or that had glitter. It was why glitter was my second favorite color.
“That means it's the perfect place,” Sai explained, clearly elated.
A woman with elegant blonde hair and soft eyes walked up to us, shaking both our hands.
She spoke in a beautiful language that must have been French.
When Sai answered back in the same fluid language, I was in awe.
Something he said made her look at me with a soft smile.
After that, the experience was somewhat of a blur.
There were moments when I still felt like this was a dream.
Like I was going to wake up and still be in that basement.
Still be alone. There was no way that Maya, the one that had grown up in a basement, was in Paris shopping for jewelry with her mate.
There was no way that Maya would be trying on earrings that cost more than anything I’d ever owned until a week ago.
I spent about two minutes trying to tell Sai that we didn’t need to be doing this, but he seemed so excited…
I didn’t want to ruin his smile. This was the happiest and most light hearted I’d ever seen him.
I was laughing at something Sai said, after being in the shop for far over an hour and beginning to accumulate quite the collection of purchases, as a diamond cross caught my eye and a pulse of pain hit me straight in the chest.
“Maya, are you paying attention?” My father chimed as I nodded, trying to refocus on the section about World War II.
Was it just me or did this Hitler guy he loved seem like a total jerk?
I didn’t know a lot but the rest of the history I read told me it wasn’t normal to commit mass murder.
My eyes blinked as tears welled at thinking about the little biography I’d read on the side notes about a woman that had lost her entire family.
I couldn’t imagine having someone that important to me that I would be so heartbroken.
If my mother and father disappeared… I wouldn’t be upset. I could escape.
Was that proof I had the devil inside of me?
“Are you crying?” My mother’s sharp voice had me freezing as I shook my head.
My father closed my book, tugging it away as my mother crouched down in front of me, grabbing my chin so hard I let out a small cry. Stepping away, my father sighed as if disappointed and I shook as the door sounded, leaving me alone with her.
“Why are you crying?” She hissed. “Are you not thankful?’