Page 138 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 3
This Is Love - Chapter 10
Monday -James
I put the saucepan onto the drying rack and turned off the water. I was exhausted. If I sat down on the kitchen floor right now, I was pretty sure I’d fall asleep. And I’d wake up with pigtails and makeup all over my face like poor Melissa and Josh. I didn’t have the heart to wake them up. I had just covered them with a blanket and left them on the floor of Scarlett’s bedroom. They looked as exhausted as I felt.
I ran my hand down my face. I hadn’t expected to feel so much emotion when Scarlett jumped into Penny’s arms. Clearly I needed to pull myself together. Or maybe I just needed sleep. Penny needed me to be strong right now. Falling apart wasn’t an option. But all I wanted to do was hold Penny as tightly as I could. And thank her for coming back. And beg her to never leave again. My daughter wasn’t the only one that depended on Penny. Honestly, I probably depended on her even more than my child. I needed her like the air I breathed. I sighed and tossed the dry towel on top of the saucepan. It could wait until morning. Right now, I just needed to fall asleep with my arms wrapped around my beautiful wife.
When I reached our bedroom, I stopped and leaned against the doorjamb. Penny was running her fingers through Scarlett’s hair and reading. For a moment, I just stared at the two of them. Penny turned the page of the book and continued to read aloud, oblivious of my watching.
"Two gold drachmas for the beautiful lady," said the vendor with a crooked yellow smile.
Oriana immediately shook her head and took a step back. "I'm just looking."
"Nonsense, the color matches your golden hair." He smiled again.
She looked back down at the fabric. Maybe she could use it to patch the tear. A few designs sewn into the dress might be just what it needed. She ran her fingers across the smooth silk. The way it caught the sun truly was gorgeous. How could Prince Rixin's gaze not fall on her in something so lovely? But would it be enough fabric to cover the tear? She had planned to sew a whole new dress, so she hadn't measured it. And this wasn't nearly enough fabric for an entire dress. Oriana thought about the plain dresses that most of the women wore in the castle. Having a design would help her stand out. Or would it look foolish since no one else was wearing such a thing?
"Two gold is a good deal," said the merchant. "Usually I'd charge twice that, but I have a soft spot for women with blue eyes."
She thought of the three gold drachmas sitting in her coin purse. It was meant for a whole spool of fabric, not just a swatch.
"Get back here!" a deep voice boomed from a nearby merchant stand.
Oriana turned her head just in time to see a dirty little squirrel, with what appeared to be a vine of grapes in his mouth, scurrying toward her. It dashed across the fabric merchant's table like a miniature sandstorm. One second it was crawlingup a spool, then the next it was jumping onto a pile of fabric. The fabric teetered and fell onto the dusty ground. The merchant grabbed for the rodent, but he ended up with only a fistful of air. Oriana screamed and stepped back, tossing the swatch back onto the table. And then, just as quickly as it had come, the squirrel leapt onto a carpet on the side of the booth and disappeared onto the makeshift roof over the next vendor's table.
"Your pet just ruined everything!" yelled the fabric merchant, waving a dagger in the air.
"My pet? I've never seen that creature before in my life." Oriana looked around at the mess. Pieces of fabric were strewn in the dirt. Tiny brown footprints dotted the cloth left off the table. And the carpet now featured little tears where the squirrel's claws had dug into it on its way up to the roof. Oriana started to walk away, but the vendor grabbed her wrist.
"You have to pay for that," he snarled.
"Let go of me." She tried to pull her arm away, but the merchant tightened his grip.
"Two hundred gold for the lot of it."
"But it wasn't my fault."
"That animal of yours ruined everything. This is my livelihood!" He yanked her back toward the table.
Fear gripped her heart. Three gold was all she had. Why had she ventured out alone? "I only have three."
"That one swatch alone was worth twice that."
"I don't have the money, but I can get it. If you just let me go to the castle..."
"The castle?" he practically screamed. "You're not going anywhere until I get what I'm due." He pushed her against the table. "If I can't have it in gold, I'll take it in flesh."
She knew the punishment for stealing. But she hadn't stolen anything. Why was everyone just watching this? Why was no one standing up for her? She knew in her heart that Arwin wouldn't let anything happen to her. He was fair and just. But her belief waned as the vendor gripped the dagger tighter in his hand.
A whistling sound pierced the air. She turned to see who had produced the shrill noise. Was it a guard coming to stop this madness?
Before she could locate the source of the whistle, the fabric merchant started screaming behind her. But this time it wasn't directed at her. She turned back to see the squirrel had returned, dangling by its mouth from the merchant's ear.
A strong hand slipped into Oriana's. "Hurry, this way," said the stranger's deep voice. Before she could even turn to look at the man, he had already pulled her into the crowd away from the fabric merchant.
"I'm not going anywhere with a complete stranger," she hissed.And certainly not a strange man!It wouldn't be proper. She pulled her hand away.
He turned to face her. He had a smile and dimples worthy of any royalty. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He backed away from her, slowly disappearing into the masses of patrons.
