I don’t buy it. That can’t be right.
I have a feeling there is more going on with that than it seems or even she knows, and I intend on getting to the bottom of it.
But I drop it for now, knowing that harping on it won’t help her at this moment. Or change anything she’s been through.
“You could’ve told us—” I confess but Ash cuts me off, the next question already flowing from his mouth.
“Wait, she said something about a deal.”
Cirella’s hands fidget in her lap, her shoulders curved inward. She’s shrinking herself, probably without even realizing it.
I intend to break that habit of hers. She should sit tall without worry, confident and free.
We’ll get her there.
“Yeah,” she sighs with embarrassment. “Please don’t hate me when I tell you.”
“We could never,” I promise her truthfully. “Ever. Just tell us everything.”
And she does, unloading it all, like a fountain of confessions that just can’t stop until it’s empty. She tells us how Adrianna drained her family’s riches, the only asset left being her parents’ house.
She made Cirella promise to hide her true identity so she could marry my father and sink her fangs into a new family. In return, Cirella would get the deed to her family’s home. If my father knew how truly wicked she was, he’d never agree to marry her, and having firsthand knowledge from Cirella would ruin Adrianna’s chances altogether.
“Thank you,” I tell her truthfully.
“You guys aren’t mad?” she whispers, her body wound tight.
Asher lifts his hands, palms up. “Come here.”
She remains frozen for a few heartbeats, but eventually stands to her feet and walks over, stopping between us. Carefully, she reaches over and sets Gus on her nightstand, who rushes to some fabric and curls up.
Asher crooks his finger and gesturing her closer to him. He wraps his hands around her hips, guiding her between his legs before reaching up and cupping her cheeks.
“I can never be mad at you. Not for that. Are you kidding?” he scoffs. “Nothinggets between us. Especially not her.”
A shaky exhale leaves her trembling lips, and I can tell she’s still struggling to believe him.
“O-okay.” She softens a little, her muscles loosening as she drops her forehead to his, tears pooling over her lashes.
More and more, she seems to accept our words, her quickened breathing starting to settle. Slowly, she melts into him, her knees dropping to the bed as she straddles his lap and wraps her arms around his neck.
A sob tears through her, heaving and guttural as we give her space to justbe. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank us for this, baby. That’s what we’re here for. We’ll always have your back,” I promise her, and she lifts her head enough to turn to me.
Her face is contorted with anguish, no masks or shields hiding her vulnerability. “You guys have no idea what you mean to me.”
A soft smile tips my lips up. “Trust me, the feeling is mutual.”
She reaches out with her left arm toward me, and I scoot closer, grabbing her hand and pulling it to my lips. I press a gentle kiss against her fingers, and then she cups my face before returning her arm around Ash’s neck.
“We’ll get your house back,” Asher whispers, and I know that to be true.
Fuck, if it comes to it, I’ll buy it from Adrianna for triple the price. If money’s all she wants, I’ll give it to her.
Cirella’s eyes shut, her head resting against Ash’s shoulder, and another big sigh leaves her, one that you can only make after coming out of fight-or-flight mode. I can’t help but wonder how long she’s been stuck in it.
But I’ll make sure that Adrianna feels it ten times harder and ten times longer for what she’s put Cirella through.
