age, stands before me, a silver tray in hand.
“Hello.”
“Hi,” she greets. Her eyes are wide, her mouth tilting upwards at the corners. “Are you…?” Her voice falters, her cheeks turning a soft pink as she regards me. “Are you here for Mr. Shaw?” The way she’s looking at me makes me feel as if she’s assessing me.
“I…” Honestly, I have no clue how to answer her. Am I here for him? Or am I a prisoner in his house? A bit of both. I’m not sure why Lycan wants me of all people. Surely there are a million women out there who would be better suited to him. “I’m not sure,” I finally tell her.
“Oh,” she whispers, setting the tray down gently. She moves quietly as she places the cup, small teapot, and plate on the setting at the head of a long, wooden dining table. The silver cutlery shimmers as the sunlight that’s now streaming through the patio doors brighten the space. Once she’s readied everything, she steps away.
“What is your name?”
The young woman glances at me with uncertainty on her pretty features. With long, chestnut hair tied into a ponytail at the back of her head and porcelain features, I wonder if Lycan finds her attractive.
Shaking my head to clear the stupidly jealous thoughts away, I focus on her. “I’m Scarlett. My family lives next door. Well, my grandmother does.”
“You’re the Bardot?” Her gasp is loud, her eyes even wider than before, the blue tinkling like sparkles in the sunlight. “I… I didn’t realize you’d be here.”
Confusion settles in my gut, my brows furrowed before I ask, “What do you mean?”
Her mouth opens as if to respond, but a moment later, she shakes her head and makes to leave me alone in the room with more questions than I have answers.
“Wait, please. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She glances at me from over her shoulder, her expression void of emotion as she looks at me. “My name is Aliana,” she tells me. “Please, don’t ever speak to me again. It’s best that way.” Before I can ask something more, she’s gone. The door to where I’m guessing the kitchen is hidden swings shut, and I’m alone.
What have I done to her to make her so angry?
The door I entered through opens, and there on the threshold is the man who brought me here. Dressed in a gray suit and black button-up, he looks like he’s ready for board meetings, and I wonder what work he does. I don’t recall him telling me, and I don’t remember if my father mentioned it at the dinner when we first met.
“Now, this is a sight I could get used to every morning,” Lycan says with a wolfish smirk, making his handsome face light up with amusement. “What are you doing here, little red?” He moves through the room as if floating on air. When he finally reaches me, I take in the dark stubble on his jaw, and for a moment, my hand tingles with the need to touch it.
“I… I was just exploring the house and found my way in here,” I tell him, omitting the fact that I met Aliana. The pretty girl seemed to not want me around, and to be completely honest, I wouldn’t want to be around here, but I know if I tried to leave, Lycan would find me before I made it next door.
“Well, sit,” he tells me before pulling out one of the chairs, which I slide into. Perhaps Lycan will give me answers. I can only hope and pray. “I’ll call your grandmother later,” he informs me, which has me straightening my back.
“Let me talk to her. I need to understand—”
“You don’t need to do anything.” His dark green gaze lands on me, holding me hostage, stealing the breath from my lungs with the dark promise of something I truly don’t want to fathom. He is danger wrapped up in a tailored suit. That’s all it is. Undeniably handsome, but also unpredictable in his demeanor.
“I need to speak to my family. You cannot hold me here for no reason. I’m not your property, even though my father signed that godforsaken agreement.” My voice is brittle with frustration, my throat feels dry as if sandpaper has lodged itself in my esophagus, and with each word I utter, it only seems to hurt more and more.
“If you’d like to talk to someone, it can be your friend, Aelin. Other than that, you’re not to