“Then we should go get him before more damage is done,” Dedra said, stabbing a piece of egg with her fork. Her eyes locked onto Xavier with a fierce glare.
He met her gaze with equal intensity. “I told you, no one is going.”
Dedra’s frustration was palpable, her body practically vibrating with anger as she remained seated.
“If you can’t control your temper, Dedra, you should leave. I have no patience for it today,” Xavier snapped, stabbing his fork blindly at his plate.
“Fine. I’ll go check on the guards.” Dedra stood abruptly, her tone clipped as she slammed her napkin onto the table. As she began to walk away, Xavier made no move to stop her.
She cast a final, menacing glance over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing as they met mine. “I’m watching you,Princess.” Her voice was a low growl before she turned sharply and exited the room, the door closing behind her with a decisive click.
“Don’t mind her,” Theo said, pushing back his chair and standing up. “She has trust issues.” He gave me a wink before following his sister out of the room.
Julian sighed, his gaze drifting to the door through which Dedra and Theo had just left. “It’s a good thing everyone is arriving today.” He set his silverware down and rose from his seat, facing us with a resigned expression. “I should go and start preparing for their arrival.”
He glanced at me with a warm, if slightly hesitant, smile. “Your new clothes will be in your room when you return later today. Sorry about your current outfit, Dedra… well, it doesn’t matter. Enjoy your day.”
“Thank you, Julian. You are kind,” I said, my voice sincere. I could have sworn I saw a faint blush creep across his cheeks before he turned and left, following after the twins.
“You hold a very informal court,” I said, trying to break the thick silence that had settled around us.
Xavier’s gaze shifted to me as he leaned back in his chair. “I don’t like to be treated any differently than anyone else in my kingdom. I only pull rank when it’s necessary.”
His knee brushed against mine as he spoke, and the unexpected contact made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. “How do your parents' rule?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. “My father is a military man. He values protocol, rules, structure…” I trailed off, feeling my explanation fall short, but Xavier seemed to grunt in understanding.
“And what about your mother?” he pressed.
“My mother…” I chuckled, at a loss for words, unsure how to even describe her. “She’s old-fashioned in many ways. Like my father, she likes her rules, but it's the control she craves most,” I said, staring down at my plate as I moved my food around. “She’s trying to arrange a marriage for me because shefound out your brother has been in my room.” I snorted, the bitterness sharp in my voice. “She’d probably make me marry him out of spite. After our first encounter, she found your shirt in my room and gave me a warning… so now, there have to be consequences.” I laughed humorlessly, but the sound faltered when I met Xavier’s gaze.
He was deathly still beside me, his eyes once again blazed with hidden emotion. “You're betrothed to my brother?” Xavier's voice came out low and deadly.
“No, she only wanted to threaten me, I think,” I said nervously, regretting bringing it up. I looked down and continued moving my food around on my plate with my fork. Why was I all of a sudden so nervous?
“But something did happen between you and my brother,” he stated rather than asked, his tone tight with restrained fury. My body flushed with heat, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
“Not exactly… well, kind of,” I stammered, my face growing warmer by the second. I didn’t want to discuss this with him.
“And what does ‘kind of’ mean?” His voice was a deep rumble, each word weighted with unspoken threat.
“None of your business,” I snapped, finally meeting his gaze. “What does it matter?”
His beautiful green eyes narrowed, his anger palpable. “It matters,” he hissed, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
Who did he think he was? My private life was none of his business. I squared my shoulders and faced him in my chair. “It shouldn’t,” I said through clenched teeth.
His eyes locked onto mine, and a storm of heat and anger reflected back at me. We stared at each other, the air between us crackling with energy. “I’m not having this conversation with you,” I said, standing abruptly from my chair. I tossed my utensils and napkin onto the table, the clatter echoing in the still room.
Unsure of where I was going, I started walking toward the door the others had left, no longer wanting to be here with him.
Before I could reach the door, Xavier moved with startling speed. He was suddenly in front of me, making me gasp in surprise. His hand gripped my chin with a force that bordered on bruising. His other hand came around me, and my heart raced as he drew me closer, pulling me against his chest. The heat of his body pressed flush against mine, overwhelming my senses.
“Make no mistake, Princess,” Xavier growled, his voice harsh. “I’ve been tolerant up to now, but my brother will pay for his crimes—all his crimes.”
A terrifying twist of rage contorted his features, his jaw clenched tight, and I struggled against his relentless strength.
“Get off me,” I demanded, trying to push him away.
