“What’s changed?” I ask. Forsythe frowns, disappointment flickering over his expression. And I hate that so I glance at the others. “I mean it. What changed?”
The prince almost tenderly laces his fingers with mine, drawing my attention back to him. His answer is devastating in its simplicity. “Everything.”
They don’t give me time to process or question it though, guiding me out of the elevator when it stops, and into the lobby of the building. A lobby I realize I’ve never seen, since I was brought in through the parking garage.
It's small, but luxurious. Opulent, if a little dated. It feels like an old building, nothing too modern in it.
“Your highness, My lords.” The attendant standing behind the security desk dips his head in deference. There are two door men standing outside the double glass doors, watching as we move toward them, readying to open them.
“Deep breath, Pix,” Court murmurs to me just on the other side.
The warning makes my anxiety spike. Are there people out there, crowds? Paparazzi? Is there something dangerous out there?
I don’t even have time to dig in my heels before the doors open and we’re stepping outside.
There are no crowds. No flash of a camera. There aren’t even really any passersby and I wonder if they somehow cleared the street, just for this. For my safety.
There is, however, a limo sitting at the curb, a man in a black suit standing by the back door.
“Is that… are we riding in that?”
Instead of answering, the prince ushers me over. The chauffeur nods his head respectfully as he opens the door for us. “Your Highness. My lady.”
My lady?
My mind whirls at the title. So much so that before I know it, we’ve all piled into the back of the limo and we’re moving.
“Ren?” Court asks, from next to me, ghosting a hand down my arm almost cautiously. “Are you okay?”
I blink at him and shake my head, catching the rest of the pack watching me with somewhat wary expressions. My firstinstinct is to tell them I’m fine, not to worry about me. But who does that serve? Not me. And not them.
Besides my scent it broadcasting my nerves to them.
“I’m… I’m feeling a little overwhelmed,” I admit, fingers fidgeting in my lap. “I wasn’t… I wasn’t expecting all this.”
Forsythe’s lips tighten, like I’ve displeased him somehow. And maybe I have.
But in the next instant that thought is banished, as he leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “I’m sorry,cor mea. The last thing we want is to overwhelm you.”
“We just want to show you off,” Court adds, lacing his fingers through mine.
“But if it’s too much, we can turn around and go back to the flat,” Thayer promises me.
Back to the flat? To the space that has been my cage for the last few weeks? “No,” I shake my head. “I’m fine.”
And I will be, whatever they have planned has to be better than spending another night on the couch. Sure, it seems like we’d all be together this time, but… “I mean it, I want to do this.”
Grieves grumbles something, and pulls me onto his laps, banding his arms around me. “You’ll be safe, bubbles. I promise you that.”
I nod and relax against him, stroking his forearm with my free hand while Court places tiny soft kisses on the pads of my fingers on the hand he’s claimed for his own.
“I’m not worried about my safety,” I tell them honestly. “I know none of you would ever let anything happen to me. But I am still… worried.”
“About what, sunshine?”
“Well for one, I haven’t been around anyone but all of you for weeks. I’m not sure I know how to behave in polite society.” I say it like it’s a joke, but I’m actually terrified. “Wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”
“Never,” Forsythe tells me firmly. Not vicious or snarling or frustrated. Just sure and confident. “You could never embarrass us,cor mea.”
