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“I want to learn to fight like that too,” she croaked, her voice rough. “I don’t want to be useless the next time,” she said matter-of-factly, almost as if the next time was bound to happen.

“You’re not useless,” I said at the same time Ella told her pointedly, “Don’t talk like that.”

Ari simply heaved a sigh. “Fine,” she mumbled, but gave me a small smile that said everything I needed to know.

“Are you okay after last night?” Ella’s soft eyes took in the bruise on my jaw.

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” I reassured her with a smile. “Trust me, I’ve had a lot worse.”

She shook her head, blinking her eyes at the floor. “Can’t believe my sister is an assassin,” she said under her breath.

Ari let out a croaky chuckle, and I simply smiled. It felt good that my secret was out and that my sisters didn’t even bat an eye at accepting that part of me.

Soon, we found ourselves in the kitchen, which shared the wraparound garden with the living room. I officially got acquainted with Georgie, and so did my sisters, and she turned out to be such a sweetheart. I couldn’t believe this woman mothered a man like Mikhail, who looked like someone who had lost the ability to smile since birth. Somehow, the more we spoke with her, the more I understood why Arkane trusted Mikhail with his life.

“So I assume the reason you cried the other day was Arkane Stormhold?” Ella raised a brow, popping a berry into her mouth. We had situated ourselves in the courtyard amid the sweet-smelling flowers and a freshly trimmed lawn, with the far ocean as our view. My sisters soon announced that, except for last night, everything else felt like a vacation.

“Yes, he used me to get Mother’s codes,” I said, nodding. “But I gave it to him anyway.”

Both my sisters paused, a stunned look in their eyes.

“What?” Ella asked, frowning. “Why would you even do that? Are we even safe here?” A sudden skeptical look crossed her eyes as she looked around. “Can we trust him?”

“Don’t worry,” I said with a smile. “Arkane only loves to play mind games, but he would never hurt an innocent. At least physically.”

“That only scares me more.” Ella clutched her cross like she did whenever she was anxious about something.

“We might as well enjoy this.” Ari signed with her hands, least bothered as she devoured her food. “This is the best food I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

Ella slowly nodded, going back to her breakfast. And we spent the rest of the day by ourselves, enjoying the garden and the stunning pool area that had a hot tub that did wonders for my sore muscles, while Georgie fed us till our stomachs were bursting.

My sisters were right. It kind of felt like a vacation to see this side of luxury and to appreciate the marvelous views this property offered. It reminded me of the time I spent with Arkane in his loft, which I secretly preferred more.

I didn’t see him or his brothers for the rest of the day.

Good, because I didn’t know how to deal with a pair of stormy-gray eyes that looked at me like they loved me, but just didn’t realize it.

CHAPTER 35

BELLE

For the next two weeks, my sisters and I stayed at Arkane’s home while my bruises healed. Although I reminded him once again that I could take another room, he insisted I stay in his loft. And except for a few relevant conversations here and there, we hardly spoke—the kiss never mentioned.

He came to the loft every morning, brought me coffee, made small talk, and then disappeared. This mansion was large enough to go unnoticed, but it was obvious Arkane was doing it deliberately. I didn’t know my presence affected him this much.

Surprisingly, my sister didn’t even bat an eye when I told them Arkane would have security guarding them and that we were going to stay at his place for the foreseeable future. In fact, it reassured them. Guess once you were coined the victim, you would do anything to not be labeled one again.

All I knew so far was that Arkane still had no clue where Heath Glenn was, nor did he have any inkling of the White Hand’s identity. He said he revealed to his inner circle that I never had the codes in the first place and told them about the fake painting he set up in a safe house, and instead of taking that bait, they figured out the truth and came at me, failing to realise the real truth—that Arkane had the codes and that he had already half won this war. So the White Hand’s next move would be crucial—he could either go for Arkane’s head and make Twins his own or go into hiding forever. And both would have terrible consequences.

And now, Arkane was simply waiting for the enemy to make the next move. He didn’t speak much about it, but I could tell that being in the unknown was weighing on him. Whoever the White Hand was, he was meticulous and dangerous, considering he hid himself for years, wearing the same skin as the Stormholds.

Brushing my hair one last time, I buttoned my coat and walked out of the room, and the smell of coffee instantly hit me. Arkane stood by the windows, waiting for me, looking so handsome that it was almost too cruel to see first thing in the morning.

“Morning, Bella,” he said hoarsely, taking me in with such intent that I felt my cheeks heat and my heart skip a beat.

“Morning, Arkane,” I mumbled, trying to keep a calm voice as I took the mug he held out—the only mug he brought my coffee in, making me almost assume that it was now mine. It was a shade of dark gray, like the skies on a stormy evening, my favorite color, and I don’t think I ever told him that.

There was always a soft tension in the air when we shared our morning coffees—our skins almost close enough to the touch, terribly craving it, but never acting on it. Instead, we simply sat in silence, looking at the ocean, trying to prolong the act of finishing the small coffee forever.