Layla nodded and they turned, Reginald escorting her out of the pool. Stepping to the rack, they toweled off, Reginald going languidly about his business, though he eyed Layla with pleasure. Dressing wasn’t as much fun as getting undressed the night before, but they accomplished it in the nick of time. A group of Sirens suddenly moved in from an adjacent hall, stripping naked and taking to the pool with eager energy for an early swim.
Leading Layla out the doors, Reginald took her back the way they’d come. Reginald was recognized as they traversed the early morning halls of the palace, receiving bows and startled looks as they passed Siren servants and members of the court. Layla couldn’t blame anyone. Reginald was their Clan Second, he was powerful, and he was gorgeous still dressed in his cream attire from the evening before with his hair slicked back and shining like pure gold.
And he was smiling.
It was the smallest smile, but pleasure beamed from Reginald’s every pore as they returned to Layla’s rooms and he beckoned to her breakfasting table. Layla smiled as she sat, Reginald’s blithe mood infectious. Before he could serve her though, she reached out, filling his plate from the seabird eggs, bagels with lox, crab with butter sauce, and more from the silver platters. Reginald lifted a golden eyebrow at her, though it was teasing. Sitting back, he let Layla pour him coffee, mixing in a lump of sugar just the way he liked. Layla filled her own plate next and drowned her coffee with cream, then began tucking in, eating without any of her well-practiced niceties.
“My Partner has an attitude this morning.” Reginald observed with a smile as he took up his fork and began to eat.
“Yes, I do. Deal with it.” Layla smirked around a bite of bagel. “And so do you, I see.”
“Yes.” A smile still curled Reginald’s lips as he sipped his coffee. “Though I do hope you’ve not forgottenallthe elegant manners I taught you.”
“No, I just only use them when I need them.” Layla quipped, loving this new side of Reginald.
“I’m glad.” He spoke softly, then chuckled. But in the next moment he sobered, setting his coffee cup down with a precise gesture. “Layla. I need to speak with you about something this morning. Before I take you to Leni so you can see her lab and talk with her about her technology.”
“Ok. Shoot.” Layla frowned as she took another bite of bagel and lox.
“Last night,” he began, holding her gaze with something intense in his eyes as they bled back to pale blue, “I wanted to give you something. But the moment never presented itself.”
“Give me what?” Layla frowned, thinking of Vindaris’ comment yesterday that Reginald had some kind of gift for her.
“Something… personal.” He continued, watching her with an intense quietude.
“Okay. I’m listening.” Layla spoke, still confused and setting her bagel down now.
“Last night,” Reginald continued, taking a deep breath as if to fortify himself, “I asked you to wear the blush silk dress, the Sirennic bridal-reception wear that so raised my father’s ire… because I wished to give you these.”
Reaching into an inner pocket of his suit, Reginald produced a white silk case studded with grey pearls. Layla saw it was a jewelry case as he quietly slid it over to her upon the table, watching her with a deep look – intense and vulnerable all at once. Taking up the silk case, Layla opened it.
And felt her eyes tear up at the incredible set of pearls and diamonds within.
She knew at once what they were. Lifting out the choker, Layla saw they were a new set ofLouenou Virdiijewelry, made specifically for her. Crafted in a vastly different style than Avri’s pearls, these were fashioned with such artful design that Layla knew Reginald himself had overseen their creation. Not exactly a choker, but a necklace of ornately filigreed platinum inset with floral clusters of champagne and blush pearls and tiny diamonds, the necklace slithered over her fingers as Layla removed it from the case. Ornate and vastly detailed, it seemed to sigh over her skin like something alive as she held it, shining like Siren-scales in the sun.
Looking at the necklace’s lovely filigree, Layla had thought it was only pearls and diamonds, but in the centermost piece for the hollow of her throat clustered a tiny group of stones set in a platinum fleur-de-lis. One was an aqua topaz the same color as Adrian’s eyes. One was a sapphire, pure blue and decadently deep. One was a dark amethyst, stormy with royal purple in its depths. And the last was a beautiful grey pearl, dark-bright and full of vicious luster. The four stones surrounded a fiery red-gold citrine, the necklace stunning. As Layla stared at it, glancing to the filigreed earrings and bracelet, each with the same cluster of stones, she felt her lips fall open.
“They match the dress. And they match us – the Bind.”
“They match the dress. And they match the Bind.” Reginald spoke quietly, watching her with his intense, careful presence. “I had the dress and the pearl set made for you some months ago. But I never shored up the courage to invite you here so I could give them to you. Until you called.”
“They’re bridal presents.” Layla glanced up, very aware that she was still wearing the cocktail dress from the evening before as she stared at Reginald.
“Traditionally, the bridal-wear of my clan is done in grey pearls and silk,” Reginald spoke quietly. “By asking you to wear a gown made of two different colors of pearls, neither from my clan, and with blush-champagne silk, I was making a statement before my father. The pearls were meant to complement that, but we never got that far. The colored gemstones represent each man in your Bind, and yourself, and the color of the pearls and fabric represent an unaligned state, like a Siren Queen. I made these gifts not to signify that you are mine, but that I am yours, Layla. And that you stand above us all – in a state no other can ever truly possess for themselves alone.”
Layla blinked at him, and suddenly understood. Slowly, she set the lovely necklace down upon the table. “You were making a statement to your father that you’re Bound to me, rather than the other way around. And that I’m above you.”
“I was making a statement to him that Iloveyou,” Reginald spoke quietly, holding her gaze. “And that I will forsake any social order to support you in your life.”
Layla’s throat closed. It was suddenly hard to breathe as tears stung her eyes and her vision watered. With her next blink, her tears shed down her cheeks and Reginald reached out, tenderly cupping her face with one palm. “Would you like to wear them?”
“Yes!” She spoke quickly, nodding fast even as she laughed shakily. “Yes.”
“Yes.” Reginald’s gaze held no apology, impressing the full danger and beauty of his gift with his grey-blue eyes, though they shone with gold. “I do not know who among my people will be upset by this gift I give you, Layla. I do not know who might retaliate. But I know they show my love, and like the renegade prodigal that I am, I can show my love for you no better way than this.”
Layla watched him, digesting what he was saying as he lifted the necklace from the table. Watching her, he set the necklace around her neck, fastening the clasp. Lifting the earrings from the case next, he slid them into her ears. Last came the bracelet, clasped around her wrist in a dance they had done months ago before she had gone to Manarola.
But this was different. These weren’t another woman’s pearls Reginald bound her with now; these were Layla’s. His love for her shone in his eyes as he finished, his fingers quietly holding Layla’s as he brushed his thumb over her hand. As they watched each other, Layla realized for the first time that he was a true dominant – giving her all the power in their relationship.
