Chapter 31
The walk from the car through the front doors to the elevators felt like miles.
Every time Ethan’s hand brushed near mine, the air crackled.
He didn’t look at me, his focus fixed ahead, but I could feel his aura pulling at me.
We stepped into the elevator, and the ascent began. We hadn’t spoken since the car.
The elevator doors slid open and the hairs on my arms stood.
Something was wrong. Ethan stepped into the foyer, and my senses, usually dull, suddenly sharpened.
There was a sickeningly sweet, invasive floral scent—cloying and oily as it hit the back of my throat, making my back straighten and something rip inside me.
My gaze darted to Ethan to see if he noticed this, but he seemed distracted.
His phone went off, cutting through our silence.
He picked it up. That was the first time I’d seen him use it.
He glanced at me before walking out onto the terrace.
His voice vibrated through the glass, a low rumbling I felt more than heard.
“As promised, I’ve sent out the contract. They’re safe so long as they keep their end of the deal.”
I stepped into the living room and the first thing I noticed were the lilies, arranged in a sleek glass vase right in the center of the coffee table.
That explained the strong smell. They hadn’t been there this morning and the space looked tidier than it had been.
A blush shawl was draped over the back of my chair—the one I’d been sitting in this morning.
Someone had been here, and they hadn’t just cleaned; they had marked their territory.
Every square inch of the space I’d started to think was mine felt like I was the intruder.
My spine was ramrod straight as I clenched my fists. My nostrils flared, the scent burning like a warning. I knew why Ethan didn’t notice the intruder; he was used to her being here. Was she still here?
“I have to handle something,” Ethan said, his gaze tense as he appeared at my side. “I’ll be back soon.”
He said he’d replace her, but she was still here, still present in his life.
I wouldn’t beg for the truth anymore. He might be the King who brought kingdoms to their knees, but I was the woman destined to rule at his side. I wouldn’t stand in Sabine’s shadow, and I wouldn’t be a guest in my own home.
I nodded, turning my back to the elevator before the doors hissed shut. He left without another word, leaving me alone in her floral-scented silence.
I headed toward our bedroom ready for whatever waited for me.
I hated that I froze when I saw her for the first time.
Sabine lay in bed, her legs spread, completely naked—all honeyed skin and effortless elegance.
She was a masterpiece of soft curves and confidence, making my outfit feel inadequate by comparison, and my position laughable.
When her eyes locked on me in the doorway, they raked over my outfit, then landed on my unmarked throat.
The feeling of another woman being in my space hurt me more than anything I’d dealt with before.
This act of betrayal shook the foundation Ethan and I had been building on.
The knowledge that this was what he got from her had my heart splintering.
“You heard him leave. Your act and your presence are unwelcome,” I said, my voice steady. I wouldn’t let her see any more than she already had.
“Ethan prefers I wait until he’s had his fill,” she said, her voice a smooth purr. I flinched, her words striking me harder than any slap. Her blue eyes flashed with satisfaction; she had drawn first blood.
“You’ll get up or I’ll drag you out of here by your hair,” I promised.
“I’d like to see a wolfless bitch try,” she scoffed. She sat up and crossed her arms, the movement highlighting her perfect tits.
“Moving me to the lower suites doesn’t make him all yours. It only means he’s made space for you. I’ve been in this bed since he took over, and I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”
I made my way into her space, refusing to let her occupy an inch of my peace even as my heart cracked. Something surged through my veins, a low snarl bubbling behind my ribs. Elevators chimed and the sound of his footsteps echoed down the hall.
“You’re a tool for his pleasure, Sabine. His words, not mine,” I said, my voice steady even as my blood boiled.
Ethan froze in the doorway. “Deal with your whore. Today. Or I’m gone. I won’t share you with her.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond. I walked out of the room. He moved out of my way, and I retreated to the kitchen. I needed distance before my anger consumed me. I hated that they were in that room together, but I couldn’t sleep in there, couldn’t be in there now that she’d laid in our sheets.
Everything blurred as I made my way down the hallway and into the kitchen. I was leaning against the cool marble of the counter, my chest heaving, when the sound of the bedroom door clicking shut echoed like a gunshot. Ethan hadn’t immediately dragged her out; he was still in there with her.
There was a mug and teabag waiting for me. My fingers trembled as I boiled water. I couldn’t sit still.
My skin crawled, my hearing sharpening. I heard the explosion before I heard the words.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ethan’s voice was a low growl that spiked into a snarl.
Her voice was quiet, timid through the walls.
Then came a sharp bang against the wall followed by her sobs.
I’d wanted him to get rid of her, but the raw violence of the impact made a weight drop in my chest. I wanted her gone, not slaughtered.
I couldn’t be responsible for her death. Would he hurt her?
A loud growl made the walls vibrate. His wolf was in full control and he was enraged by the intrusion in his den.
I heard the door swing open and bang as feet scrambled down the hallway.
She screamed and then skidded against the floor before grabbing her shawl, wrapping it around her body.
Our gaze locked, her hair a mess, eyes glassy, overflowing with terror making her blue eyes look fractured.
Twin tracks of mascara ran down her cheeks before she turned toward the elevator.
The sound of her stabbing the elevator button desperately echoed through the open floor.
As soon as she was gone, the door closing, I exhaled a breath of relief. With shaking hands, I poured water into the mug. I clung to it like it could settle the war in my heart.
A moment later, Ethan appeared in the kitchen. His aura poked and prodded at me, checking to see if I’d been hurt. He took a step toward me.
“Adea,” he started, his voice thick as his hand wrapped around my wrist.
“Get out. I need to be alone,” I snapped, my voice cracking. I pulled my hand away and he released me. “Don’t come near me right now. I smell her on you, Ethan. She’s in the halls, in our sheets.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, and I heard something break in it.
“Please.” I finally met his gaze. I was already angry before we got home, but the betrayals were stacking up, and I didn’t hide my hate. “Leave.”
His mouth opened like he wanted to argue, green eyes flashing gold. Then, he walked into the hallway and when the elevator chimed, I knew he was gone.
I moved to the living room, the place that smelled less like her.
I collapsed onto the deep cushions of the sectional, pulling my knees to my chest as I braced the heavy matte black mug between my palms. I drank the tea quickly, the hot liquid scalding my throat as I swallowed.
I was desperate for the calming effect that came all too quickly.
The room began to tilt as my gaze locked on the cloudless sky outside.
Exhaustion fell over me, and the canvas of the sky blurred into a smear of blue. My muscles refused to work. I couldn’t move, my head lolled uselessly against the velvet of the seat, and the room spun one last time before the world went dark.