“I’m sorry.” Cirella’s voice is frail and soft, like she’s walking on eggshells, and I hate every fucking second of it.
“You insolent brat. I told you toneverlock that bolt.” She chuckles softly, no humor in the sound, and my blood turns toice. “It’s a good thing we had to swing back for the night so I could catch you breaking the rules.”
“I’m sorry,” Cirella apologizes again.
I look over to Asher to anchor me so I don’t break my promise because it’s becoming increasingly impossible by the second.
Ash nods sharply, giving me the encouragement I needed to stay put, and he mouths,Don’t.
“I’m sure you are,” Adrianna scoffs.
Her heels click across the floor toward Cirella’s dress forms on the far wall, and my lungs freeze when I see her cat trailing behind her.
Shit, what if he sees us?
“I see my gown still isn’t finished. You realize the rehearsal dinner is in six days. Are you trying to make me look like a fool?” Adrianna scowls.
“N-no. No,never. It’ll be ready, I promise,” Cirella assures, staying in place.
“It’d better be. Or I’ll make another visit to the house to collect some moretrash.”
“No.” Cirella’s voice is stronger, surer, and I’m so proud of her, but she shrinks back down as Adrianna turns to her, taking a step closer. “Please.”
“You’d better make sure that dress is done by the time I get back, or it’s allllll gone. Do you understand me?” she warns, and my brows furrow.
I’m desperate to know what they’re talking about and even more desperate to berate some sense into that woman.
“I promise,” Cirella states. “It’ll be perfect.”
“I believe you,” Adrianna hums, strolling back over to her.
Cirella stays rooted in place, not cowering back a step, which I wouldn’t blame her for.
“I know you don’t want your dear stepmother to look bad on her big day.”
The floor falls out from under us. There’s no way we just heard that correctly, right? Stepmother? No … that can’t be true.
My head whips back to Asher as his head shakes in disbelief.
What the fuck?
Her cat purrs, the noise far too close for comfort, and I turn to see him a mere foot from us. I pull Gus tighter against me, shielding him completely from the cat’s view.
Please, God, don’t look over here.
“Don’t lock your door like that again. I need to be able to check on you. That’s how our deal works.” Her tone is nothing but lethal.
“I know. I understand,” Cirella promises.
“Duke,” Adrianna calls for her cat as she throws the bedroom door open.
He trots along, finally letting me exhale, and he disappears with the evil woman.
The door slams shut, and the click of her heels fades down the hallway. We give it a second, not wanting to leave our post too soon.
“You can come out. She’s gone,” Cirella whispers, still standing by the door, still shrinking herself and her voice to the shell of her being.
We wiggle out from under the bed, Gus carefully in my hands. Ash and I both get to our feet, and I look up, finding my anxious girl with her arms wrapped around her waist.
