Chapter XII
Arien entered S?ren's room carrying a plate of food.
"You know food isn't really optional."
S?ren barely looked up from his laptop,"I've been busy."
"As usual," Arien sighed, "is there anything I can assist with?"
"No need."
"As usual."
Arien took a seat, lingering as if to say something.
"What is it Arien?"S?ren tried to keep his abrasive tone at bay and pay his brother attention.
"Nothing really..."
"Speak Arien."
"You're not going to want to hear it but fine. It's just that I had a good day with Soleil. Well, better than good actually, but I'll spare you the details."
S?ren's jaw clenched, he definitely did not want to hear about it. Didn't want to hear about anything to do with the girl.
Clipped gravel, "That's good."
Letting out a laugh, Arien quipped, "That sounded like it pained you to say."
S?ren's jaw loosened and lip quirked, "Whatever."
"I know I enjoyed it more than I should have, she's just so intriguing. A lot like you actually." Arien was now pacing as he spoke.
S?rendoubted that but took the bait, "Is that so?"
"Yeah, I mean, she's just so serious and in her head most of the time. And it's like she'd never heard of fun - all she did was work out there it seemed. And she doesn't seem like she trusts anything, anyone. But by the end of the day today, she kind of loosened. She joked."
Now a smile adorned his face as if remembering, softly adding, "It makes me want to do anything to have that again."
S?renstudied his brother, letting the words sink in. He could already see the mate bond working, or maybe it was simply Arien's accepting hard nature at work, but he knew the girl to already hold his brothers affection.
Arien spoke more, explaining his feelings and thoughts like it was so natural to do with his twin.
S?renlistened and absorbed everything as it was so natural for him to do when it came to his twin.
Arien finally bid his brother goodnight.
"Goodnight Arien. Thanks for dinner."
Forcing himself to pick through the plate of food,S?rencouldn't ignore the uneasiness that crept in after his brother's talk.
'She doesn't trust anything, anyone.'
As much as he disliked her, he could understand that sentiment.
S?rendidn't either, save for Arien. And the painfully biting fact he had to admit was that his actions towards her probably hadn't helped that.
And what he wanted to do tomorrow wouldn't either.
And her becoming comfortable and accepting towards Arien would come to a halt if he did that again.
S?rendidn't like changing his plans once he had his mind made up.
But the one exception to that rule was his brother. It was only ever Arien that he made concessions for.
Wrestling with his thoughts until he could no longer, resignation set in as he rung the doctor back once more.
The garden was my place now. I spent most of my days walking down the different sections of plants, or lounging under the pergola, or hidden alcoves.
It felt overgrown and wild enough to get lost in, it wasn't the perfectly manicured garden and I relished in that.
No one else save for Arien really came here either. Ranveer gardened but sparsely.
I'd taken to carrying botany books around, trying to learn the plants. Kill time.
My mother had been calling more frequently, missing me, wanting to visit while I made excuses.
She'd also met someone, she sounded happy.
I didn't trust him and warned her to be careful.
But again, she sounded happy. And I was naturally not very good at trusting people, so maybe this had more to do with me than her. ..
Once more, I wished I was outside so I could find out more about this guy. I could've used some contacts to investigate him. Instead I remained uselessly trapped in here, which was frustrating me to no end. I hated feeling this useless.
I had briefly considered asking Arien but I didn't want him knowing too much about my mother, didn't want to share more of my life with him. And I definitely didn't want to owe him for any favours.
A dangerous thought wormed its way to the forefront of my mind.
S?ren. He would manage to get answers instantly.
I ignored it for awhile. There was no way I was going to him for help.
It didn't have to be help, I could bargain for something...What information did I have though that could even be of any interest to him? More info on Zodiacs operation? I wracked my brain but could think of nothing else of use. This wasn't my smartest or safest idea yet.
Not to mention that he was unstable. Frighteningly so.
It's fine, he wouldn't really hurt me because of Arien.Probably.
I couldn't help my mother from here. And there were so many bad people out there, what if this guy was one of them?
I had to try.
Resigned, I headed back inside to find someone I'd usually go to great lengths to avoid.
Constance let me know thatS?renwas still out, so I waited in the entrance hall. Arien too was gone for once.
The strangeness of the fact that I suddenly lived with two men dwelt on me. Come to think of it, I didn't even know where their rooms where. This fact, the entire situation actually, should disturb me more that it admittedly did. I was clearly becoming used to this strange environment.
I didn't like the thought of that. I didn't like my strange conditioning, something akin to Stockholms setting in most likely.
I catalogued the places I'd been to - here, the kitchen, the dining hall, sometimes study reluctantly, library, porch and my room.
Where were their rooms? I knew they weren't near mine but where?
It was disconcerting to live in a house that I hadn't even fully explored, to scared to really find out the rest of it.
The sudden sick desire to see them, snoop on them crept up inside me. I resolutely crushed it.
I'd done a lot of stealing and breaking entering for Zodiac. If I was honest with myself, I enjoyed it perversely. It excited a sick thrill within me snooping through places I shouldn't be. Everything about being where I shouldn't interested me more than it should any sane person.
I saved that thought for later.
It was now an itch that I needed to scratch.
But I would keep myself from giving into the temptation, I was getting too comfortable here.
Being lulled into a false sense of security.
Nothing really terrible had happened in this house so it was a weird place of limbo.
But that didn't mean something bad wouldn't happen if I kept being so unguarded.
The door banged open, startling me from my thoughts.
S?ren.
He strode in, not noticing me for a second. Face looking stormy. Well what else was new really...
I swallowed, maybe now wasn't the best moment.
He stopped a few feet away from me, waiting.
"I wanted to speak to you."
The impatience was clear, "You are."
Of course he wasn't going to make this easy. Mustering my courage I started, "Well I needed something and thought maybe you could...assist? I could tell you more about Zodiac in return?"
Silence, as if uninterested.
"Or something else," I rushed out, "I can do something else. Tell you something else."
His impassive face didn't change but he finally spoke, "What do you want?"
I tried to pick my words carefully, "Information on someone. Like a background check."
Now he frowned, a look I was accustomed to seeing on his face, "Why?"
He didn't look like he trusted me for a second.
As much as I hated to share more. I knewhe wouldn't help me if he thought this was a trap or I was scheming.
"My mother," I really hated talking to him about her, hated giving him this power, "she's met someone and I want him checked out. I would've done it myself if I wasn't well, stuck here."
I took a deep breath, forcing those words out had been hard. And he could still say no.
"Why not ask Arien?" this question briefly surprised me, threw me off, not having an answer ready.
"I- I just didn't want to share this with him."
His voice dropped lower, "Why?"
Why would I want to share with him? What kind of line of questioning is this anyways, shouldn't he be asking more about my mother? As much as I knew I had to keep my calm, he was quickly frustrating me as he always managed to.
"I just don't want him to know," now I couldn't temp down my unfurling irritation, "he thinks we're friends or whatever, forgetting I'm a prisoner here. I don't need to be bonding with him."
I didn't want to encourage his twisted infatuation with me either. Didn't want to provide him with more reasons to keep me here.
I immediately regretted my words asS?ren's face darkened and he stepped closer.
Uh oh.
Now he spat out, baritone so dropped it was almost a growl, and filled with loathing, "What's wrong with you? Arien has done nothing but cater to your every whim since being here."
Everything except let me go.
I wisely kept my mouth shut this time.
Folding my arms across my chest as some sort of protection, "I just don't like him and don't plan to."
I once more immediately regretted my words, sometimes I just couldn't help my mouth.
His hands clenched before taking a step back, as if fighting to wrangle his emotions back under control.
I let out a breath at his retreat.
Now appraising me with hard eyes, "Despite your ungratefulness and how little I care for you - fine."
The relief flooding through me was instant. He was agreeing to help me.
He continued, "Arien has the doctor arranged for you tomorrow, a check up and vaccines. In return I want you on your best behaviour."
I almost grinned in relief. Easy. I could do that.
"Okay, yes."
"I'll get the information on this man to you as soon as I have it."
Then he was hurrying out of the room, as if unwilling to spend a single second longer around me.
That went better than expected. Content, I made my way back out to the garden.
S?renwas almost perversely pleased at being proven right once more.
His initial feeling about her was right, this is why he didn't relent once certain about something.
She was ungrateful, deceitful, scheming...but most of all, Arien would be hurt if he knew how she really felt towards him. Damn her. His temper rose at her complete disregard for his brother.
At how this worthless girl thought she could use him as she saw fit and then discard him without a moments notice.
S?renwanted to wring her neck. Wanted to make her compliant.
Instead he called Dr Thule. At least her request would make his plan easy.