Page 81 of Sienna Rossi: Beyond Shattered Trust

For a split second, nothing happens, and then she gasps, her heartbeat returning with a strong thud.

A sharp, violent gasp tears through her as her eyes snap open. She coughs, choking on water, her body jerking back to life.

Relief crashes over me so hard I’m fucking shaking as I pull her upright, holding her steady as I rub her back as she doubles over, coughing up water.

“Easy… I’ve got you,” I murmur as she grips my wrist weakly, coughing before her head hits my chest as she tries to get her breath back. Only then do I realise we’re not alone, and I wrap my arm around her upper body, shielding her from view.

Moments later, Grandma puts a blanket around her trembling body, and I glance up to see Dad and Katara in the hallway as well. Dad has his back partially turned whilst Katara is peering into the bathroom, her face chalk-white.

“She’s ok. I’m so sorry, I should have been watching,” Grandma murmurs, her face paler than usual.

“No, it’s not your fault,” I say truthfully. She would have needed some privacy; I’m the one who should have been here with her.

“Raihana and Delsanra are here already, but I think she’s going to be ok,” Dad says softly.

“She can still do with a check-up,” Grandma adds as I lift Sienna into my arms and carry her out of the bathroom and through to my bedroom.

“I’ll be back with them,” Dad says as he hurries down the stairs, no doubt alerted by one of our warriors that they were close. Katara follows me into my bedroom, fixing the pillows on the bed before pulling the duvet back.

“I’m sorry, you went after me, and that’s why she was left alone,” she says quietly, guilt written across her face. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it isn’t your fault; I fell asleep,” Sienna replies before I can say anything. I’m unable to bring myself to look at her, fearing that what’s left of my mask will shatter entirely.

Katara sits next to her, adjusting the duvet over her. “I wish I could do something to help,” she murmurs.

“I’m fine,” Sienna says, mustering a weak smile. I can sense her watching me as I simply stand in the middle of my bedroom, not knowing where to look or what to do.

Just knowing how close I was to losing her again has hit me hard. I almost failed her. Again.

There’s a light knock on the open door, and it jolts me from my thoughts. I look up as Delsanra, followed by Raihana, step inside, with Kaden in tow.

“Sienna!” he says as he rushes to the bed and hugs her tightly.

“Kaden…” she responds weakly as he touches her hair.

“Did you shower?” he asks. “You need to use a towel to dry your hair.”

He’s in pyjamas, and so is Delsanra. Raihana is in her Schattenblüte outfit; she must have been working. Both women move to Sienna’s side, and Delsanra hugs her tightly.

“I’m fine, Mama, I promise,” Sienna whispers as she hugs them both.

I take the chance to steal another glance at her, to really look at her. The colour is returning to her lips, but they are still a far cry from her natural cherry red.

Fuck, I hate that she’s so fucking beautiful even after a near-death experience. Her bra clings to her, still wet, and I avert my attention.

“Jayce, you look worse than Sienna,” Raihana remarks after kissing Sienna’s head. “The drakaths still present?”

I turn my gaze from Sienna to her, my chest tightening before I look away. “Yeah, they’re still here,” I answer quietly. I had been so focused on Sienna that I had been able to block them out a little, but they’re still in my mind, hacking away at my sanity.

“We all know there’s a simple way to get you both back to normal, so consider it a mission or whatever, and just do it,” Raihana declares with a toss of her hair, a move that is eerily similar to her daughter’s.

Dad coughs at her words from the hallway, and Sienna blushes. But both Delsanra and Grandma nod, although they seem to understand it’s not as easy as it sounds.

Ok, the deed itself is fucking easy, but it’s fucking complicated.

“Oh, come on, we’re all adults here, aside from this gremlin.” Raihana sends a glowing butterfly flying towards Kaden. It lands on his nose, and he giggles as he tries to grab hold of it.

“I’m fine. I just- I must have been tired,” Sienna says, looking between the adults as she tugs the duvet over her chest. I can see the flush of colour that spreads through her; she’s about to hit another round of heat.