Page 63 of Midnight Revelations

Jordan was typing on his phone. “Megan and Cassandra are on their way down.”

Everyone moved into position and the music started playing. Xavier had planned everything to perfection with a little help from Papa, and I relaxed into the events of the day. Dinner was more like a family affair, and I kept expecting Catarina and Sofia to come walking in and join us as they had in the past in this room.

This was Papa’s old family home where he grew up and he used to insist we spent Christmas here every year. We used to scream with excitement when he brought us here since there was the chance of snow.

Xavier danced with Cassandra, their heads close together as they swayed to the music. I moved closer to Ash, the alcohol warming my veins and eroding all my self-control.

“Hey.” I touched his arm.

“Hey.” His smile made my tummy flip. “You look a little tipsy.”

“Dance with me.” It was a plea because I wanted to be normal for once, not some untouchable princess who lived in a tower. Behind closed doors, Ash made me feel alive. When those doors opened, he was polite and distant.

“You trying to seduce me?” he asked, that glint in his eye making me want to throw caution to the wind.

I shrugged. “Maybe. Is it working?”

“More than you know, Angel.”

I didn’t care about Papa or the others, this had been a day of romance and I was entitled to my share of that sentiment.

Taking his hand, I then led him to where the others were all dancing to the slow beat of the music. In private, we knew every inch of each other’s bodies. Under the scrutinising gaze of Papa, my movements were awkward until Ash’s hand landed on my waist and my body instinctively responded.

Everything else disappeared as I realised that this was our first dance together. My head rested on his chest and his heartbeat reassured me. My fingers intertwined with his and his grasp tightened so that we clung to each other.

Xavier and Cassandra left not long afterward, smiling and waving at everyone. Jealousy spiked deep in my stomach because I wanted freedom to love like they had found. I no longer wanted to be under the control of Papa and have all my decisions made for me.

When the house was silent and everyone in their bedrooms, I crept through the house, since I knew every squeaky floorboard that had been a trap when we were little. Ash sat propped up on his bed, looking at his phone when I sneaked inside.

His eyebrows flew up when I closed the door and pressed myself against it. “I don’t think Lucas would approve,” he commented dryly.

“I don’t care.” I crawled onto the bed and curled myself in a ball beside Ash, and his arms automatically came around me. All I wanted was his presence and I snuggled closer.

“Night, Angel.” His lips skimmed my hair and I kissed his chest.

It felt right sleeping beside him. I didn’t need sex tonight, I just needed Ash to reassure me. His fingers traced patterns over my back and my eyes slowly closed. I lived in a guarded castle, yet this was the only place I felt safe.

The moonlight shone through the window into the darkness of the room. Ash’s chest rose and fell in a rhythmic beat that told me he was still asleep. He had too much worry in his life, and the past few days living so close but feeling so far from him since Papa was here had shown me the fine edge Ash walked on a daily basis.

There was a noise outside the door, a squeak to a floorboard that meant someone was wandering around in the darkness. I didn’t have time to react or warn Ash before the door was flung open, the light flashed on, and Papa stormed into the room like an angry god hellbent on revenge and destruction.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he demanded, slamming the door shut.

I’d seen Papa annoyed, and angry, but I had never seen this level of rage before. Ash was awake and on his feet in an instant.

“What the fuck, Lucas?”

“My daughter is sleeping in your bed. I have made it very clear what my thoughts are where my girls are concerned.” My mouth fell open and I scrambled across the bed to stand in front of Ash when Papa pulled a gun from the pocket of his dressing gown.

“That’s enough, Papa.”

“I told you that no Blackwood would be involved in my family.” Papa pointed the gun at Ash and I pressed my back to his chest. “I will fucking kill him before he hurts you.”

“Stop!” I held my finger out to Papa. “If you hurt him, I’ll never forgive you, Papa.”

Ash’s hands gripped my waist and he slowly pushed me behind him. “Put the fucking gun down, Lucas. You’re scaring Lucrezia.”

That gun swung up to Ash’s head with precision. “Get away from my daughter.”

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