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“Jensen,” she called after him, before he could close the door after him.
He turned to her with an expectant look and a surprising level of kindness shining in his eyes. Sienna’s stomach fluttered just by looking at him. Jensen was the most handsome man she had ever seen. His dark blue eyes at times resembled the deepest and wildest sea, while other times she was reminded of the midnight sky. His raven black hair was always perfectly styled in a way that befitted the Carrington heir, but with enough imperfections to make him real. Tall, quiet, and brooding with infinite love and kindness that he saved for his loved ones. When someone was lucky become a part of his inner circle, Jensen would protect them with fierceness and brutality unlike any other. Sienna was one of those people and she considered herself incredibly lucky. Her Carrington heirs were precious and unique, each in their own special way.
“What will happen to me, to us when this is over?” she asked him, her voice turning quite as she feared what his answer might be.
Jensen’s brows furrowed as he contemplated her question, then he gave her a small smile and said with a soft voice, “We’ll finally get to live.”
Sienna couldn’t remember how it was to live without fear and the constant threat on your life. She yearned to be able to make her own decisions, ones that wouldn’t affect the lives of millions of people, but only hers. Maybe that life would never happen, but seeing Jensen now, feeling his confidence, Sienna was sure that he would do everything in his power to give her the closest thing to it.
“Good night, Sienna,” he whispered quietly enough for her not to fully hear him but got the meaning through the way his lips moved.
Despite having a somewhat crappy day and not getting what she wanted from Jensen, Sienna didn’t consider it a complete waste. There were more things that needed to be done, but she would tackle them one by one until there were none left. The list of her enemies was growing, but so was the list of her allies. It would take all of their combined powers to cross them all out, but first, she had to get some sleep. Her brain was too tired to come up with elaborate schemes that could turn the tide in their favor.
After a quick washup, Sienna put on something comfortable and climbed to bed. She checked her phone for messages but didn’t read them because her attention got stuck on the date. Tomorrow was her birthday and she completely forgot about it. As far as she knew, no one was aware of it and maybe it was for the best. It didn’t feel right to celebrate it at times like these.
In the past, her birthdays were a big deal with massive parties and a lot of gifts, but now her family and friends were gone, replaced by new people that gradually grew on her. Despite being tired, she couldn’t fall asleep and kept tossing and turning while thinking about her birthday. The remains of her good mood dissipated, leaving sadness and anxiety in its wake. Tears started falling down her cheek without her noticing as she cried herself to sleep.
CHAPTER 24
Siennawashedupandgot dressed before Adrianna could see the mess she was in and made wrong assumptions about what had happened the night before. She wasn’t in the mood to talk about the real reason for her sadness, but also didn’t want her friend to blame Jensen.
Adrianna came with the news that the Carringtons and Lockwoods had gathered for breakfast, then urged her to hurry up because they wouldn’t wait for her.
“I wish they’d let me know about those breakfasts at least a day before. I hate to rush in the mornings,” Sienna complained to her friend. “The best way to start a morning is with ease. I don’t mind doing the family breakfast, but if I’d known, I’d get up a bit earlier.”
“I don’t know what you’re complaining about because you’ve been ready even before I arrived,” Adrianna retorted.
Sienna rolled her eyes. “That’s so not the point and you know it. A little courtesy would be nice. I’m a guest and an equal partner. They should stop treating me like a prisoner and assume that I have all the time in the world. I have a company to run now, you know? And believe it or not, I’m actually going to have a lot of work with it in the near future.”
“Will you leave?” Adrianna asked, trying to sound nonchalant but the way she held her breath and refused to look Sienna in the eyes told her it was far from it.
“Eventually,” she replied, then turned to her friend and took her hand in hers, waiting for her to look her in the eyes. “I know you’re a part of the Carrington clan, but I want you to know that you’ll always have a place with me. Not as my employee, but as my equal. You’re my family, Adrianna, and I promise you whenever you’ll be in my house, you’ll be treated like one.”
Adrianna’s eyes widened as she released her breath only to take another, sharper one. Her eyes welled up and she opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again without any words coming out.
Sienna gave her hand a comforting squeeze and smiled. “You don’t need to say anything, I just want you to know that you have options.”
Adrianna nodded, then threw her arms around Sienna. “Thank you,” she whispered the two words that carried the world of meaning.
Sienna cleared her throat and broke the hug before she would ruin her makeup. “I better go, or I’ll be late for breakfast.”
Leaving her friend behind to tidy up the usual mess in her room, Sienna walked with her head held high to the dining room. She reminded herself that she was a powerful figure in her own right and that she shouldn’t cower before the Carringtons and the Lockwoods. With the Aghayan fortune, she could play the game on their level without asking for their permission.
“Equality,” she muttered under her breath before entering the already full dining room. She hated that it was always her who was late, but at the same time she liked making them wait. It was their fault after all for not letting her know sooner about the breakfast meeting.
It was the first time that she didn’t apologize for her lateness, but instead walked to her place between Jensen and Aiden. Jensen gave her a curt but polite nod, while Aiden stood up and helped her with her chair. Their eyes met and Sienna’s gut clenched with the realization of just how much she’d missed him. It seemed like forever since the last time they talked.
“How lovely of you to join us, Miss Ryder,” Mr. Carrington said, trying to make her feel uncomfortable, but it didn’t work.
Sienna looked him straight in the eye as her lips curled up into a small smile. “I would appreciate being told about it with an appropriate time in advance.”
Mr. Carrington’s brows furrowed quizzically, then his gaze turned to his wife, putting her on the spot. It was the first time that Sienna saw Aurora squirm under attention.
“I sent Adrianna to fetch her,” she said in her defense.
“That was fifteen minutes ago,” Sienna said, forcing herself to remain calm. “How can you expect me to join you at this early breakfast when I get the invite five minutes before it’s happening?”
“She was supposed to be notified yesterday,” Mr. Carrington said, still looking at his wife.
