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Dominic eyes us as he comes down the stairs and shakes his head.
“Don’t ask,” I tell him.
“Wasn’t going to,” he shoots back, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Have fun with these two mutts while I’m at work, Princess,” he adds, coming over to plant a kiss on her forehead. Sienna lights up and hugs him.
“You have a good day too,” she says. My heart clenches as I take in this scene of domestic bliss. I wish it could be like this always, but I know that her research is coming to an end.
On top of that, we have the looming Serpent threat hanging over us. If we don’t get it taken care of once and for all, we’re risking Sienna’s life by staying with her.
Either way, we have to make a decision soon.
Feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders, I decide it’s time to take action. As we wander the aisles of Walmart on our impromptu outing, the urgency of our situation weighs heavily on my mind.
“What do you need?” I ask, watching Caleb as he checks out a new video game and Sienna scans the books on the opposite side of the aisle.
“I need to pick up makeup remover wipes, a new paddle brush, and some pretzel sticks. I got a craving,” she adds. “Also, sometimes I like to wander around and have Walmart tell me what I want, you know?”
I shake my head but Caleb wanders back over, nodding. “I get it,” he says. “Sometimes you just gotta let go and let the universe tell you what it is you need.”
“Exactly,” Sienna agrees. I don’t know that I get it but since Caleb seems to, I follow along behind the two of them as they wander the aisles, the scent of freshly baked goods wafting from the bakery and the squeaking of nearby carts accompanying us like a noisy symphony.
The last time we were this relaxed feels like it was years ago. I don’t think I’ve seen Caleb smile this much since the early days with Emily. But it feels different this time too, because the relationship with Sienna feels like it was built on a more solid foundation.
Before, we were young, idealistic kids but Sienna keeps us grounded. I just want things to stay this way, but how can I ask that of Sienna when she was already attacked once? After what happened to our mom, the idea of a repeat with Sienna leaves me feeling nauseous.
“Hey, do you guys want pizza for dinner?” Sienna turns to me and holds up a frozen Margherita pizza, pulling me out of my head. “We can watch another movie tonight. Maybe something with fewer car races.”
“Sounds good,” I say, giving her a thumbs up. Caleb leans over her while they pick out a few more pizzas. I grin as they argue over toppings and brands and realize that I love this and I never want it to end.
My gaze lingers on Sienna as we move through the aisles, a surge of protectiveness welling within me. I want her to stay with us, to be ours forever. But the looming threat of the Serpents reminds me of how fragile this happiness is and I realize I need to make a decision here, I need to take action to keep her safe.
Fuck.
I don’t know how I’ll bring it up to her, but I know I can’t ask her to stay as long as the Serpents are still a threat. If I want to ask her to stay, I have to get rid of them. Determination settles within me.
Pulling out my phone, I dial a number I haven’t called in years.
“Hey, Dorian?” I ask. “This is Bastian Ravenwood. I have a question for you.”
He sounds surprised to hear from me but when I explain what it is I need, he’s more than happy to help. I hang up a few minutes later, feeling more confident.
This town is everything to me, it means just as much as Sienna does. If I have to get my hands dirty to keep it—and her—safe, I will.
As we stroll down the grocery aisles, Sienna grabs a bag of chips off the shelf, inspecting it with a critical eye. “Do we want these?” she asks, turning to Caleb and me.
Caleb shrugs. “A snack attack can strike any time, you gotta be prepared,” he says with a mischievous grin, grabbing the chips and tossing them into the cart.
I chuckle, reaching for some cheese dip. "Yeah, and you know how cranky you get when you're hungry, Sienna. We can't have that,” I tease, winking at her.
Sienna rolls her eyes, but there's a playful glint in them. “Just don’t hog the chips, Caleb,” she jokes.
Caleb feigns offense, clutching his chest dramatically. "Hey now, I’ll have you know I have impeccable self-control when it comes to snacks,” he declares, earning a snort of laughter from Sienna.
I raise an eyebrow. "Sure, Caleb. That's why we always find empty chip bags hidden under your bed," I tease, nudging him with my elbow.
He ducks his head, but he's still grinning. “A man needs fuel to please a lover,” he says, winking at Sienna as he grabs another bag of chips.
Sienna shakes her head, amused. Once we’re done, we head up to the register with our cart and I nudge Sienna out of the way, flashing my card. “I’ve got this,” I tell her. Caleb eyes me, a silent question in his gaze but I wave him off. “It’s fine,” I tell him. “Don’t worry about it.”
