Then he looked back at me. “Come, Mikaela, let’s give my father a little heart failure.” Laughing, he held out his other arm for me to slide mine into.
Even though excitement spun through me, a current of caution rushed down my spine. I knew the feeling. It always struck me when Master accused me of being disobedient. Would Xavier be angry that I defied him?
When we stood at the entrance to the ballroom, I froze. All eyes turned on us.
“Relax, Mikaela, they’re all just jealous because I have two beautiful women on my arms,” Saint soothed.
Smiling, Levana reached around his back to gently squeeze my arm. I swallowed nervously, accepting their friendly coaxing. Confident they had my back if I slipped on the high heels I wasn’t used to, I straightened my spine.
“That’s it,” Saint smiled, telling me he’d noticed.
With a soft nod, I stared forward, wondering if I’d find my way. Yet in a room filled with so many people, my eyes drifted without hesitation, finding a man among men, latching onto the tall, authoritative figure who held the key to the chains around my heart, the only binds I’d willingly succumbed to. With his back to me, I admired Xavier’s broad frame until Rhett said something to him. He turned around so leisurely, it was like watching a slow-motion movie scene.
Chapter 40 – Xavier
Plastering a smileon my face, pretending that I wasn’t a walking ball of irritation, was fucking hard. Especially since I could still feel Mikaela’s soft skin linger on my fingertips. The suppleness of innocence edged by a hint of seduction. Her scent—a subtle blend of jasmine and lavender still feeding my senses, its sinful fragrance igniting my desire just by memory alone.
“You’re distracted tonight.” Rhett approached me, holding out a bourbon, pulling my attention. “A case of you’ve seen one, seen them all?” He glanced around the room.
“Something like that.” I accepted the glass, knowing that wasn’t the case right now. “Where’s your twin?” I grinned, referring to Adrian.
Rhett rolled his eyes. “Probably chasing some skirt.” While Rhett and Adrian were cousins of the same age, anyone looking at them would think they were unidentical twins. They each had friends, yet their shared kinship as family was remarkable.
My gaze drifted around the room, my heart unsettled, my head on the wrong side of restraint, and my legs eager to run back upstairs.
“What’s wrong, uncle? You look positively pale.”
“Probably upset stomach,” my less than salient response received a cocked brow before Rhett snorted a laugh.
“Forgive me for saying this, but you’re the worst liar I’ve ever encountered. And that coming from me is saying something.”
I chuckled. “Long story, son.”
“That wouldn’t be the reason, would it?” He tipped his glass at something behind me. “If it is, let me preface it with a holy fuck.”
His laugh had me slowly turning. Words eluded me for the first time in my life. The vision of loveliness leaning slightly into Saint as though asking for his protection enthralled every one of my senses, stealing the air to my lungs.
