Page 105 of Where Wild Hearts Dance
I don’t understand myself. I always knew I was wild, but this is different. This is dark. I’ve been tied up against my will and I’ve been approached in a blacked-out room. I was complicit in the pleasure that was created and received; I fully participated in the actions. And I would do it all again—with him.
A rustle of a comforter lifts my lids.
“What time is it?”
I look over and see Trilby rubbing her eyes. “It’s only five o’clock. You should try and get some more sleep. Big day for you—it’s the rehearsal.”
I smile and feel a combination of excitement and dread flow through my veins.
She sits up and looks around the room. Sera is laid next to her in the king sized bed, fast asleep, and Bambi is equally as dead to the world on a guest bed over the other side of the suite.
“I can never get back to sleep once I’ve woken up.” She stretches her arms over her head then slips her feet into the totally cliched fluffy slippers we bought her as a bachelorette gift.
She softly pads across the carpet and joins me in the window, sitting opposite me on the ledge. “Did you sleep?”
I note she didn’t say ‘much’ or ‘well’ and figure there isn’t a lot I can hide from my big sister. “Not really.”
She lowers her voice to a whisper since we’re not alone in the room. “Is it because of him?”
I sigh and pan my gaze out the window. “Yes.”
“I spoke to Cristiano about… you know, what happened.”
I’m about to roll my eyes. “You shouldn’t have?—”
“I am still annoyed with him,” she says in a grave tone.
“As am I with you,” I say, levelling her with a glare. “I didn’t want this to become a big deal.”
She holds up her hands. “And it isn’t. I said my piece and he’s given strict orders that…he… is to stay out of your way, at least until after the wedding.”
An unladylike snort shoots out through my nose and I hastily try to cover it up with a cough.
“What’s so funny?” Trilby frowns.
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “I wasn’t laughing.”
“You smirked.”
“I did not.”
“Tess…” her voice carries a warning note.
I close my eyes and sigh out a long breath. “It’s just, I don’t think Benito listens to anyone. Not even Cristiano.”
“What do you mean?” Trilby frowns. “What has he done now?”
I look up at her through my lashes. “Why do you think I took so long trying to find the champagne?”
Trilby sucks in a dramatic breath and clamps a hand over her mouth. “What?” she mumbles. “You ran into him?”
“It’s okay—he didn’t hurt me or upset me. It was fine.”
“So, what? Did you guys talk?”
I swallow and look away, too quickly. “Something like that.”
In the corner of my eye I see her slowly lower her hand. “I’m not going to pry, Tess. It’s only my business if you want it to be. Just know that if you need anything—anything at all—I’m here, okay?”
