Unsure if I heard Xavierwhisper in my ear, I opened my sleepy eyes to an empty room. With a disappointed sigh, I climbed off the bed, crossed to the door and opened it. I checked the landing in case it wasn’t a dream. The hallway was empty. Shoulders sagging, I left the door open and went to the bathroom.
Somehow, I’d made it through lunch today, sitting across Xavier and trying to act like his dismissal this morning hadn’t affected me. Then the tears came, and instead of joining him for dinner, I allowed sleep to claim my exhausted body.
What I didn’t understand, though, was why he was so against us having any relationship. I couldn’t help feeling like he was playing games with me. One minute, warm and inviting, the next distant and authoritative. Dangling affection, only to yank it away when I reached out and grabbed it. Maybe he just saw himself as my temporary guardian or my savior. Sadly, I didn’t want either of that with him.
Walking out of the bathroom, I blew out a soft sigh wishing I could understand him. A few minutes later, I was sitting at the window with my arms around my knees, watching the stars twinkle against the midnight blue sky, when a soft knock drew my gaze to the door.
“Hi.” Saint stood there, dashing in a black tux I’d heard Levana mention earlier that morning.
Living in this house, I’d learned the difference between all the words that described something pretty. So while Saint was a handsome man, his father’s beautiful face and warm smile took precedence in my heart. Just walking into the room, he’d steal my breath. Tears stung my eyes. I hated what they represented.
My hurting heart.
I stood, swallowing down the tears and smoothed the folds of my summer dress. “Hi.”
“Anything interesting out there?” He gestured with his chin toward the window.
Throughout the week Xavier was gone, I kept asking myself what I’d done wrong that night. Thankfully, Levana and Saint kept me busy as if they sensed my unhappiness.
I shook my head. “Not really, unless you enjoy staring at the stars.”
He drew closer, and I realized that my fear of men didn’t include Saint. Whether it was how he treated Levana, because he was just an extension of his father, or the gentle kindness to his expression every time he spoke to me, I trusted him.
“Would you like to do something a lot more interesting then?” He smiled, and I could understand Levana’s undying fascination with the man. I nodded. “Would you like to go to the ball?”
Disappointed, I shook my head. “Your father said I’m not allowed to.”
Saint’s chuckle had me tilting my head in surprise. “You might obey my father, Mikaela. I don’t have to.”
“Saint?” Levana walked in just as I was about to reply. “What’s the emergency?”
He turned sideways. “Hey, baby.” I loved how he treated everyone with indifference, yet when Levana appeared in a room, he wore his heart on his sleeve.
She looked from him to me. “Are you okay?” Concern drew a line across her brow.
“You look so pretty,” I said instead, my eyes skating down the royal blue dress that hugged her chest before falling to the floor in soft folds.
She neared me, smiling. “Thank you.” Her gaze drifted to Saint. “You have that mischievous look on your face. What are you up to?”
His eyes twinkled, the love on his face made me envious of her. Every time I watched them together, my heart fluttered harder and faster, wanting what she had with him. But with his father.
“I’m taking Mikaela to the ball, and I need your help to get her ready.”
I gasped, looking at the two of them.
Laughing, Levana linked her hand with mine. “Why do I get the feeling your father doesn’t know about this.”
“He doesn’t.” Saint grinned.
“Let’s see what you have in that dressing room, Mikaela.”
As I walked toward it, he stopped Levana. “Make some magic happen, baby. I want my father drooling. Call me when you’re done.”
“Okay,” she replied before joining me in the dressing room. Levana walked around inspecting the dresses Xavier had bought for me. “These are stunning.” She fingered the material on two of them.
I sighed, remembering the day Xavier took me shopping. “I’d admired all the dresses but hadn’t taken any because I didn’t know what wearing these kinds of dresses felt like. They reminded me of all the fairytales I read. Even with Xavier there, I felt like I didn’t deserve them. Two days later, they were delivered. He had them trimmed to my size...” I trailed off suddenly, not wanting to disobey him. “He said I’m not allowed to go to the ball,” I murmured, my eyes on that dress I’d been fascinated with. Against the light, it was a swirling mixture of blue and green, so pretty that every part of me wanted to wear it.
With a deflated sigh, I turned to walk out. Levana stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” she asked softly, coming around to face me.
