Chapter 26 Buttoning up my pajamas, I step out of the bathroom and turn to the fireplace that has become my personal nemesis. I prod the dying fire with the poker. I'm about to pick up another log, hoping it catches alight, when my room is suddenly invaded by a person I least suspect. "Get dressed!" Carina's command slices through the tranquil silence, her voice as cold as the icy draft that seeps into this room each night. Her entrance is abrupt and uninvited, unsettling the peace I've cocooned myself in for the night. Her appearance is unlike anything I've seen before. Not only that, but her mascara is smeared, giving her an almost spectral look. Her usually well-contained hair is a disordered mess, and her eyes... her eyes are the personification of torment. I can see unshed tears glistening, making them seem more glassy than usual. This isn't the composed Carina I'm accustomed to, and it fills me with a chilling dread. She wanders over to my dresser, plucking some tissues from the box and cleaning up the mess of her mascara. A question forms on my lips, and I swallow it down as I catch the dangerous glint in her eyes as she peers back at me in the mirror. The tension in the room is electric, charged with Carina's unpredictable wrath. My fingers fumble with the buttons of my pajamas, my heart pounding wildly against my rib cage. "Why? What's-?" I stutter. She cuts me off. "Did you hear me? I said get dressed. We're going out!" I scramble to my closet, pulling on the clothes closest to me, my hands trembling. Once dressed, I turn to find Carina hunched over the minibar. She uncorks a bottle of Xandros's whiskey, pours herself a glass, then another, which she shoves into my hands. I instinctively pull back, and her icy glare has me swallowing hard, taking the glass from her. I balk at the offering, but her cold, hard gaze leaves me no room for refusal, as I down the glass choking on its harshness. "Are you... alright, ma'am?" I dare to ask, my voice wavering slightly from the burn of the alcohol. Her answer is a scornful laugh, one that leaves an icy trail down my spine. "Ma'am? Makes me sound so old and worn out. Well I guess I am old, that's beside the point, I am nobody's ma'am," Her voice fades into a bitter whisper as she takes a hefty swig straight from the liquor bottle. "We're leaving." The words leave me stunned, and I barely have a moment to process before her hand clamps around my wrist. Her grip is ironclad, dragging me along as she strides with purpose through the castle's grand hallways and out into the open air. Her impatience manifests in the form of her foot, tapping rhythmically against the cobblestone floor. Her demands for a car echo around us, making the guard nearby jump into action. I feel like a lamb being led to slaughter. "But...where are we going?" I ask, my words getting swallowed by the night. Carina doesn't answer, her stony silence causing the icy tendrils of fear to weave their way around my heart and twists knots in my stomach. Carina impatiently taps her foot, scanning the area for something. "My Queen?" the guard asks hesitantly. "Where's a fucking car when you need one?" she grumbles, rounding on the guard standing nearby, "You, fetch me a driver, now!" The poor man scurries off, leaving me standing there with Carina under the dim moonlight that is being obscured by the clouds. "Where are we going?" My question falls on deaf ears once again as Carina continues to ignore me, pulling me further away from the castle toward the fountains, her grip never loosening. Panic rises in my chest as we move further from the castle. I've yearned to escape this place, although right now, I feel far from safe with Carina. A few heartbeats later, a sleek black car pulls up beside us, and without releasing her death-grip on my wrist, Carina yanks open the back door and pushes me inside. She slides in after me, her harsh breaths filling the air in the confined space. The driver takes off, and I gaze out the window, the castle's imposing structure growing smaller in the distance. My throat is dry, my heart pounding with fear. My chest tightens at the sight of the castle, which had been both my cage and my sanctuary. Now, it's just a distant silhouette against the night while Carina fixes her makeup, using a small compact from her clutch. The city lights begin to blur as we race through the silent streets. The tension inside the car is palpable, a volatile mix of fear, uncertainty, and the stench of Carina's alcohol-tinged breath. I can barely focus on anything else, the overwhelming sense of impending doom wrapping around me like a cloak. "Where are we going, Carina?" I manage to ask again, my voice barely more than a whisper. The words hang heavy in the silence of the car. Carina seems lost in her own world of thoughts. She leans back in the plush leather seat, her eyes closing as she takes a deep, shuddering breath. The veneer of strength she usually wears has all but shattered, revealing a woman on the brink. For a moment, I forget she's the one who's been tormenting me. "The city," she whispers after an agonizing silence, her voice so soft I almost miss it. "We're going to the city." As her words sink in, a cold shudder ripples through me. The single word resonates in the tense silence. The city. With Carina... at night. A place I spent my human years fearing. Night is when the monsters come out to play, yet now I am one of them. However, that doesn't make me feel any better, since Xandros has ordered me never to shift. I might as well be human still, just with heightened senses. The moonlight casts an eerie glow on Carina's face, revealing the lines of worry and the sheen of tears her foundation couldn't quite cover. A newfound fear grips me. If this woman, who prides herself on her strength and ruthlessness, is this broken, just what kind of terror awaits me at our destination? The car pulls up in a part of the city I am not familiar with, though it doesn't hold the same seedy edge that Mal's or Toby's held at night. We stop outside a nightclub. Stepping into the club is like entering a world I never knew existed. Neon lights flash across the darkened space, casting a surreal glow on the patrons. The bass from the music is a tangible entity on its own. Jazz music playing from speakers drowns out every sound except the beating of my heart. It seeps through my body and syncs with the pulse of fear that's beating within me. Carina's hold on my arm is firm, leading me further into the depths of the club. An aura of power radiates off Carina, causing patrons to part and give way. Their eyes linger on us, a mix of curiosity and wariness. I can't shake off the feeling of being blind to the danger as we navigate through the crowd. I glance at Carina, her icy exterior seeming to take pleasure in the control she commands. Carina is a force, captivating and terrifying, while I stand beside her like a shadow, her presence eclipsing mine, which I am perfectly okay with; I don't want the attention she is getting, I can practically feel their eyes boring into us. It's clear she's respected; out of awe or fear, I am unsure. The thought does little to alleviate my worry. I'm the outsider, the unwanted tag along on a night that feels like a twisted version of a girls' night out as she downs so many drinks at the bar that it would leave me on the floor. I sip mine, but as soon as I finish one, she is pushing another in front of me. Her phone continuously rings in her bag, each time earning a growl from her that has the barmaid jumping. After a few hours, Carina suddenly halts her drinking and her gaze meets mine, a predatory glint in her eyes. "You remind me so much of your mother," she says, the words slurred with the alcohol she's been consuming. I can't hide the surprise that washes over me at the abrupt conversation; for the most part we have sat in stony silence. I never knew my mother, though her ghost seems to haunt my every step, tarnishing the ground I walk on with her ghostly shadowed footsteps. Cursing me to a fate that was destined for her, punishing me every time I try to step out of the image of who she was. "I suppose you hated her as much as everyone else?" I ask, the bitterness evident in my tone. I brace myself for her response, expecting the same scorn and distaste I've become accustomed to hearing. She surprises me when she answers. "No, actually, I find it oddly comforting, though I must admit, I do hate you. Your presence is set to ruin everything, just like my father claims. Still, you remind me of her," Carina rambles, her words slurred and eyes glassy from the copious amounts of consumed alcohol. My heart pounds in my chest. "You knew my mother?" I manage to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. Carina laughs, the sound off-kilter and out of place in the tense atmosphere. She stumbles off her stool, and I am quick to reach out and steady her. Her skirt has ridden up during her stumble, and I quickly adjust it for her, when I notice a table of nearby men watching her with their leering gazes. The gazes of the men are like hungry wolves, watching their prey, it unsettles me. "I'll tell you a secret," Carina whispers into my ear, her breath carrying the sweet, intoxicating scent of the margarita she has been drinking. "I loved her," she confesses, her words sending a jolt through me. "Which is making it extremely difficult to hate you." Then, without another word, she grabs my arm. "Where are we going now?" "To find something stronger, unless you're offering a vein?" she tells me, and I shake my head. She snorts. "Didn't think so, come on." We're off again, this time in search of something 'stronger'. She doesn't have to clarify what she means, I already know. As we leave this club, I hear the scrape of chairs. Glancing over my shoulder, I see the six men who were watching her move to leave as well. The next stop is a blood bar. The sight of humans willingly offering their veins to the vampires is unsettling, to say the least, though not as unsettling as those forced against their will. I watch as Carina selects a woman, pulling her into a booth and out of sight. I turn away, trying to ignore the reality of this world I've been thrust into. However, it's short-lived as Carina tugs my arm and pulls me into the booth as well, closing the curtain. I freeze, as Carina lowers her lips to the woman's neck. Her eyes flutter closed, and a soft moan escapes her lips as Carina begins to feed on her. It's revolting, my stomach roiling with nausea and fear. I want to scream and run away from this place, but my feet are rooted firmly in place. The girl starts to turn limp in her arms. "Carina... You're killing her," I whisper, pulling on the girl's arm. She pulls her fangs from the girl's neck, gripping the girl's chin; the girl has a goofy smile on her face when Carina shocks me when she kisses her. "So pretty, you best leave before I gobble you up," Carina whispers. I help the girl stand, and a nearby worker helps her by taking her away from the other patrons toward the back near the staff entrance, yet as I move to close the curtain of the booth. I notice the men from the previous club; I make eye contact with one, the sparkle in his gaze and the way he smirks makes me shut the curtain quickly. The danger of this situation presses down on me like a heavy weight. Carina, even in her drunk state, is clearly a well-known figure, though I'm realizing not in a good way. The men outside our curtained sanctuary clearly have scores to settle with her. However, the danger doesn't stop there because I am no fighter and can't shift and as I peer down at Carina slumped in her chair, it's clear she is not only intoxicated but blood drunk. I am grappling with panic and confusion when a foreign sound resonates through the cramped booth. It's a ringing phone, and I search for the sound, before realizing it's coming from Carina's clutch. She smacks her clutch haphazardly as if that alone will make it quiet, and it falls off the chair beside her. I scoop it up, unzipping it and looking at the screen. The caller ID displays a name that sends a new wave of fear coursing through me yet also relief. He's going to kill me. Although, he may have to get in line if my thoughts of the men outside are correct. Xandros. The ringing slices through the drunken haze enveloping Carina, she is far beyond answering it as she giggles to herself. I swipe to answer the call, my pulse echoing loudly in my ears. "Where is my mate, Carina!" The voice on the other end is frantic and seething. "I swear, if you've hurt her⁠-" "It's me, Xandros," I interrupt him. There's a heartbeat of silence, then he breathes out. "You're alive," he breathes out. I'm certain he would know if I were dead, it's not like either of us can escape the buzz of the bond. "You're okay." His words are not a question, but a sigh of relief. I shake off the thought of him caring for me. I can't afford to dwell on that now because I know it's only a façade. "Where are you?" he demands, and his tone brings me back to reality. "Some blood bank bar, Carina is drunk as shit and..." I glance back at Carina, and my heart sinks as I see her passed out against the wall of the booth. "What's wrong?" Xandros asks, picking up on the anxiety in my voice. "She's passed out," I whisper, scanning the increasingly hostile crowd around us as I stick my head out the curtain. "Where is her guard?" "She didn't bring one, we are alone... ah, Xandros?" I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper. "I think we were followed by a group of men; they were watching Carina and I at the other club," I admit. His growl resonates through the phone, making me flinch. "I'm on my way, and don't you dare think about running, Sienna." Xandros's icy tone sends chills down my spine as he ends the call. I'm left staring at the phone in my hand, then at Carina, who is slumped in her seat. Then whispers creep through the heavy curtain separating us from the bar. The men outside are becoming increasingly agitated, their comments growing more venomous. "Isn't that the vampire bitch, our future queen," one sneers. Another adds, "It's unlike the future king to leave his betrothed unguarded." Another man from the other club laughs. "Easy pickings, I've always hated that bitch." The hostility in his voice makes my skin crawl. "I owe that king a bit of vengeance, took my fucking eye when he killed Mal," one growls. The atmosphere outside the booth is a boiling pot of resentment and hostility. With rising dread, I realize we are sitting ducks. Against all logic, I try to rouse Carina again. I could abandon her to whatever fate they have in store for her, but I would never be able to live with myself if they hurt her when I could have helped her. "We can't stay here, Carina. We aren't safe here," I whisper, pulling on her arm. Carina is dead weight. As if on cue, the curtain is ripped open, three men crowding the entrance of the booth, their menacing expressions promising nothing good. I'm caught off guard and stumble back and nearly fall on Carina's lap. The men eye Carina behind me with undisguised malice. One reaches for her, grabbing her wrist. Summoning the last shred of courage, I force myself between them. "Back off, the king is on his way." I warn the man. He smirks. "Is that right?" he laughs. I slap his wrist when he reaches for her again. "I said leave her, if you touch her the king will kill you," I sputter. One man sneers-the man missing an eye. The only thing left is just a hollow socket on one side. "We best be quick, then." His words echo in the space, and they send my heart hammering against my ribs. My words of warning have fallen on deaf ears, and I can only hope Xandros arrives soon. As much as Xandros is feared, it's clear he's also hated. I lean down to Carina, whispering, "Carina, you need to get up." Before the words have fully left my mouth, the man snarls. The sudden glare of the bar lights is blinding. The three burly men cram themselves into the booth, their ravenous eyes falling on Carina. Though they clearly recognize Carina, they don't seem to know of Xandros's mate. Their attention is solely on Carina, who has become an easier target in her current state. "Back off!" I warn them. Their reaction is far from what I had hoped for. Their smirks turn crueler. Another scrutinizes me and recognition flits across his face. "I recognize you, you're Sienna... whatsy's face's niece," he smirks. "Your uncle owes me $1500! Best settle that debt while here." With that, he grabs my wrist with a grip that could crush bones. My struggle proves futile as they haul me out of the booth and toss me onto a nearby pool table. I instantly thrash as they jerk me around like a rag doll. My legs kicking frantically while they try to pin me. In the midst of the chaos, I catch sight of Carina being dragged away. She comes to just in time, awareness flooding her face as she is bent over a pool table nearby. "Sienna?" she mumbles, panic lacing her voice as she pushes off the table, only to have her head slammed against the wood. It's too late; they've begun tearing at her clothes, their cruel laughter mingling with the deafening beat of the music I know will forever haunt me. "Do you have any idea who I am? Get your fucking hands off me!" Carina snarls, her voice echoing through the now nearly empty club. Peering around, I see most patrons have left, even the staff have abandoned us as I kick and thrash in panic. One of the men responds, "Oh, we know exactly who you are, love. Now you're going to know who we are," the man answers her. My foot connects with one man's face. On the pool table, I scramble to my knees, and my eyes land on a pool cue, I crawl to it. Grasping it, just as fingers lock around my ankle. I swing blindly with all my might; the cue connecting with one of the men's groin. He doubles over, letting me go. I bolt off the table, heading for Carina. She's managed to fight one off, when another-a vampire-has sunk his teeth into her neck. Her scream is cut off abruptly, replaced by a gurgling sound that has my stomach churning when I am cut off by another man. "Stay back!" I snap at him, trying to keep my eyes on both men. Suddenly, the screech of tires outside steals my attention, my heart hammering even louder. As I turn back to Carina, I see her ripping a man's heart from his chest. "Oh, you've fucked up," she taunts, albeit shakily. Her victory is short-lived, as another man shoves her back over a pool table after punching her. One man lay dead at her feet, leaving five to contend with. "You think so?" the man laughs, while I am backed into a corner by three others, brandishing my broken pool stick while trying to keep track of the two men who have Carina. They are tall and muscular, with dark eyes full of malice boring into me, Their faces are twisted in menacing sneers, and one has a deep scar down his face. They move toward me with predatory grace. They wear dark clothing, ripped and stained with blood. One has a leather jacket on, the other a cloak that I can tell is expensive by how thick it is. Their hands are clenched into fists, and they have an air of danger about them. Two of which I swear I've seen in Toby's bar or Mal's, so I know they frequent the seedier areas of the city, which means it won't end well for us. "I know so," Carina laughs. The man holding her wrists to the table glances at his friend. "I may be the king's wife, but she is his mate and that?" Carina laughs, nodding toward the door. The sound of car doors opening and closing outside sends a wave of silence through the room. Everyone freezes, our ears straining over the music. "Is the sound of your death." Her words hang heavily in the air. The men glance at each other nervously. It seems as if the door has opened on cue, and Xandros steps inside, accompanied by his guards. All eyes turn to Xandros as he strides into the club, his eyes scanning the room. Xandros is an imposing figure, standing tall, leaving no questioning of his authority. His features are sharp, and his gaze is intense. He is dressed in a black suit, and it is crinkled, which I find odd; he always looks impeccable. As he moves further into the room, his presence commands everyone's attention, the men watching him fearfully, and his presence alone is enough to fill the room with tension. His gaze sweeps over the scene-Carina bent over a pool table, a man cowering away from her the moment he steps into the room, and me, petrified, brandishing a pool cue. His eyes burn with a fury that could ignite the air itself. He's a tempest made of flesh, and I am caught in the eye of his storm. His gaze lands on me, and the room shrinks until it is only us. The dim light paints shadows on his face, turning him into a terrifying apparition of his usual self. When eyes find mine, for a moment, time is suspended in the space between our locked gazes. There is an entire conversation at that moment, a silent promise of wrath and retribution. "What do we have here?" Xandros growls, the deadly timbre of his voice sending chills down my spine. The men around me shrink back, their once bold stances now wilted in the presence of the king. One of them stammers, "We didn't know they were yours." A low growl escapes his throat, rippling through the room like a menacing premonition. The men around me instinctively back away, their smirks faltering at the sight of the furious king. "Carina, are you okay?" he calls over to her, not taking his eyes off the men who dared touch us. She pulls herself to a standing position, one hand clutching her torn clothes, a mad laugh escaping her lips. "Oh, they'll wish they never touched us, Xan." "Sienna," he says, his voice barely audible over the pounding music. "Are you okay?" I shake my head, unable to find my voice. The pool cue still feels heavy in my grip, my fingers numb from the strain. "You knew exactly who they are," Xandros speaks menacingly. "No, My King, we would never." A humorless smile spreads across Xandros's face, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He saunters through the room, taking in the carnage with an air of detached calm. "Grab my wife," he instructs his guards, never breaking his stride. They rush to obey, pulling Carina off the pool table. Turning to me, Xandros picks up a pool stick, twirling it effortlessly between his fingers. The question he poses is deceptively gentle. "Did they hurt you, Sienna?" I shake my head, my pulse still pounding in my ears. They hadn't hurt me-not yet-it's clear from their leering faces they had every intention to. "We were just helping them get home, they freaked out," one man splutters, desperation tinging his voice. Carina laughs at this, a maniacal sound that bounces off the walls. "Liar, liar, pants on fire," she teases, her voice wavering as it slurs. "No...she is drunk, my-" the man's voice dies in his throat as Xandros sends the pool stick flying. It finds its mark, spearing through the man's mouth and pinning him to the drywall. His eyes widen in shock as he convulses violently, choking on his own blood before going still. The room erupts into chaos. Xandros moves with lethal precision, seizing two pool balls from the table. His eyes blaze with an intense fury as he launches himself at the remaining men. There's no hesitation, no mercy, only the brutal efficiency of a seasoned fighter. His movements are a blur, a deadly dance of violence. The crunch of bones, the wet sounds of impact, and the screams of the men fill the room. Every swing, every hit lands with deadly accuracy, reducing the once arrogant men into whimpering heaps on the floor. When the dust settles, Xandros stands in the middle of the carnage, his chest heaving. Blood splatters his face, and his hands are stained with it. Around him, the men lay sprawled on the ground, gasping before becoming lifeless corpses. The men's blood-soaked bodies crumpled against the floor and broken furniture, each face masks of pain and terror. Blood is everywhere on the carpet, pooling, creating a lake of red. As Xandros moves, his boot splatters it, causing the crimson to spray and fleck. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The man's grizzled face is a mask of insanity, his eyes bulging and red, his mouth gaping. Their faces contort as they choke and sputter, as if they will never willingly give in. This is a fight they can't possibly win. I stand petrified. The guards clutching Carina and me are the only ones left standing. The sickening smell of blood fills the air. "They touched what's mine, Sienna. Don't look so shocked. Dead men bleed red," Xandros states and my eyes flick to him. I listen to their last raspy breaths, watching their chests rise and fall in a desperate attempt to survive. His gaze is cold, and his hands flex around the now bloody pool balls. The tang of copper in the air, the odor of blood and bile. The king is back in control, and there's nothing except death in his wake as he drops the bloody pool balls onto the table, one sinking into the pocket while the other leaves a bloody trail along the table as it rolls. "You didn't run?" he questions, tilting his head to the side. "I couldn't leave her with them." His brows crease in the middle. "You could have. Why didn't you? You had a chance to escape," he asks, walking slowly toward me. My eyes go to Carina, who is now slumped passed out in one guard's arms. "They would have raped her," I stammer. "So?" he asks, his eyes watching me, scrutinizing my every move. I can't tell if it is anger or admiration in his gaze as he steps closer to me and raises a hand to my chin. His fingers are cold against my skin, and I force myself not to flinch away. "I couldn't leave her with them," I repeat steadily, forcing down the fear that is rising in me. Xandros's expression softens ever so slightly as his hand drops away from my face. "You risked your life for her," he says quietly and nods toward Carina. "Why?" I hesitate before answering, still unsure of why I had done it or of what this might mean for me. "Because no one should have to go through that," I finally answer truthfully, meeting his gaze without flinching. "You are an odd woman. Carina has done nothing but keep us apart, and you would remain to protect her, when she doesn't deserve your protection?" "I'm a woman," I growl like that should be explanation enough, and he raises an eyebrow at me. "You are," he answers, stepping in front of me, his hands bloody when he cups my face in them. "Something you'll never understand, my reasoning doesn't matter, not to a man," I tell him. "You speak in riddles." "No, I am pretty sure I spoke clearly, Xandros. I didn't abandon her because I know exactly what it's like to be forced against your will," I sneer, and his thumb stops brushing my cheek, stopping below my ear. "I have never forced you." "Using the bond against me is the same thing; you know I can't fight the bond, I am not used to my instincts to fight them, but you, you are." "You're mine," he growls, becoming annoyed, still I refuse to release him from my angry gaze. "That is exactly the problem, Xandros. I am yours, but you're never to be mine. I am property, one of your captives," I tell him, and he lifts his chin, his gaze turning unsettling. "Put Carina in the car," he calls over his shoulder. The guards leave, leaving me with my angry mate. "It appears you think you can talk back to me now," I hold my breath waiting for whatever punishment he decides to come. I step back from him, and he pauses when my ass hits the pool table. He clenches his jaw, and my heart skips a beat in fear. "Come," he says, turning abruptly on his heel and walking toward the doors. I can feel his anger radiating off him in waves, and I don't dare to speak or even look up at him. We make our way to the parking lot, and he stops abruptly. He turns to me and his gaze is menacing and full of rage. "Now, Sienna! Don't make me chase you," he warns, and I swallow, knowing I have no choice. Reluctantly, I follow him outside to see the staff of the blood bar waiting outside along the sidewalk. Xandros waits by the open door of the car, his stony gaze glaring at the brickwork of the club he's parked in front of. As I near him, he does not meet my gaze. Ducking my head, I slide across the seat, and he climbs in after me. The car immediately takes off and I move to fix Carina's skirt that once again has ridden up, before grabbing the throw blanket between the limousine seats and tossing it over her. Sitting back in my seat, I find Xandros watching me with an indecipherable look on his face. I turn my attention to the window, watching the city lights pass me by. The silence in the limo is cold, deafening and no one speaks. I kinda wish for Carina to wake up, at least then the tension wouldn't be so thick with Xandros attention on his wife instead of me. As we reach the iron gates of the castle, I sit up straighter, eager to go back to my prison of a room. Never have I wished for that cold ass room so much. I'm exhausted and want nothing more than to be in my own company. However, as the car pulls up, I find that won't be allowed. "Wait," Xandros calls, as the driver opens the door. My heart skips a beat in surprise. I thought we were already done with our silent journey back to the castle. The driver opens my door, and I wait for Xandros's command. When he says nothing, I roll my eyes, and turn back to see him scoop up Carina, lifting her from the seat. "I need you to open the doors for me," he tells me. Of course, that is what he wants me for; an errand girl. Shaking my head, I climb out of the limo as he slides out with her in his arms. I lead him through the castle back to his quarters, opening doors like he asks. Finally, opening the bedroom door, I leave him with his wife and make my way back to the other side of the castle, to my gilded prison. The door is open, and I step inside, only to hear footsteps come up behind me. With a heavy sigh, I wait for the maid or whoever followed me to lock me inside. However, I'm surprised to see Xandros step into the room, closing the door behind him. He moves to the fireplace to get it going, while I choose to ignore his presence by wandering into the bathroom. If he is starting the fire means he wants one thing, and one thing only. He can at least let me shower first. Stripping my clothes off, I turn the taps on, and I am about to step in when I feel his presence behind me. The air is suddenly pungent with his scent. "Can I at least shower first?" I ask him, gritting my teeth. He runs his fingertips down my arm, sending shivers through my body despite my best efforts to remain still. When he doesn't answer right away, I glance over my shoulder to see him watching me intently. His gaze is so intense it feels like a thousand needles pressing into my skin. He slowly comes closer and wraps his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on the top of my head and sighing. "Can I join you?" he whispers in a soft, broken voice that makes me shiver even more than before. Like I have any choice, ignoring his words I step in, and he removes his shirt, then his pants, letting them slip to the floor. As I said, I don't have a choice. He invades my space as I shower, bumping into me as he washes himself. I shower quickly, choosing not to linger and get this over with, so I can hopefully sleep. Stepping into the bedroom, I ponder whether to actually bother getting dressed. I just got my new pajamas and these ones are actually warm, I don't want him ripping them like he usually does. Xandros steps out a few moments after me and wanders to the walk-in closet. He disappears for a few seconds while I dry myself, then crawl into bed, waiting for his calling to slip out and subdue me as he likes to do. I am surprised when Xandros crawls in beside me, tugging back the covers and tugging my back against his chest. I tense, expecting him to do something. Instead he just sighs and wraps his arm around me securely. Confused, I glance over my shoulder to find him wearing shorts. His usually pale skin now shows shades of pink on his cheeks as he has a peaceful expression on his face. "You don't like your new pajamas?" he asks softly. I furrow my brows, yet before I can question his odd behavior, I hear his breathing even out, his breath warm against my neck. Glancing over my shoulder again, I find him asleep with a look of contentment on his face. Did he just want some warmth tonight? Unable to wrap my mind around it all, I make myself comfortable and drift off into a deep sleep, too. In "Accidentally Seduced the Billionaire Heir After Betrayal" by CrushReel, a tale of romance and revenge unfolds as our protagonist faces the aftermath of her husband's betrayal. After three years of separation, she uncovers a shocking truth: her estranged husband has fathered a child with his mistress. Despite the heartbreak, she navigates through the complexities with resilience and unwavering determination. Amidst themes of trust, resilience, and self-discovery, this modern romance delves into the intricacies of love and betrayal in the high-stakes world of CEOs and billionaires. 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