Chapter 154- Yes! I’m Going

Arabella:

Lucien stared at me for another second before stepping forward.

His hands settled around my waist. Before I could protest, he lifted me down from the bed and placed me on my feet. Then he picked up the blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders.

I was still too angry to be embarrassed. "I’m trying to tell you the truth, Lucien."

He held my gaze as he adjusted the blanket around me. "Zorro isn’t completely gone, Bella." The words died on my tongue and I stopped breathing for a second.

"W... what?"

"He’s still there." Lucien’s voice was quieter now. "I can feel him. Not the way I used to, but he’s there somewhere."

I searched his face, trying to believe him. "But you said—"

"I could feel him slipping away from me. Doctors said... eventually, he would die." His fingers tightened slightly around the blanket at my shoulders. "They don’t know how much time he has left."

My eyes burned, and this time it wasn’t the guilt crushing my chest. Zorro was alive?

Some part of him was still there.

I grabbed Lucien’s shirt with both hands. "Then you have to believe me about Jasmine. She gave me that potion. She told me it would only knock you out."

Lucien covered one of my hands with his. "As Lucien, I believe you." His expression remained serious. "But as King, I can’t punish Jasmine just because you accused her."

My relief disappeared almost as quickly as it had come. "So, she gets away with it?"

"No." His answer came immediately. "Bring me proof."

I stared at him. "Proof?"

"Yeah. Give me something I can use against her. Something she can’t deny." His gaze hardened. "And if Jasmine did what you’re accusing her of, she’ll be punished for it."

So that was it. Without proof, Jasmine might walk away untouched.

"She’ll be punished? Even if she’s your future Queen?" I asked.

Lucien didn’t answer that. He couldn’t. A bitter laugh escaped me.

"See? I get it now." I gave his shoulder a slow, mocking pat, finally understanding where this was going. "You can’t punish her, right? Because she’s your beloved."

"She is not my beloved, Bella."

"Oh, of course." I nodded several times, my smile growing more sarcastic. "I understand. She means absolutely nothing to you."

Lucien opened his mouth, but I wasn’t finished.

"That explains why you kissed her in front of me after I came back, right? More than once, if I remember correctly." I gave him another understanding nod. "You were just kissing a woman who means nothing to you. Makes perfect sense."

"Arabella—"

"No, no. You don’t have to explain yourself." I turned away from him, pulling the blanket more securely around my body. My gown was still lying somewhere near the bed, but I was too worked up to care about finding it. "She’s your future Queen. Of course you’re going to protect her."

"Can you at least listen to me before deciding what I’m going to say?" He dragged a hand through his hair, clearly losing patience. "You ask me a question and then answer it yourself."

My gaze wandered around his bedroom, and suddenly another thought hit me. What the hell was I even doing here?

"And speaking of your future Queen..." I gestured around the room. "Why am I even here? This is your bedroom. Shouldn’t she be the one spending time in it?" I started toward the door.

"I never slept with her." The quiet confession stooped me before I reached the door. My steps slowed.

For a moment, I simply stood there with my hand clutching the blanket at my chest. Then I slowly turned around. "Excuse me?"

Lucien hadn’t moved from his spot. "I said I never slept with Jasmine."

A disbelieving laugh left me. "Really?" I looked him up and down before nodding.

"Of course you didn’t. You only kissed her whenever you got the chance." I pressed a hand to my chest. "But I believe you. Completely. I trust you, Lucien."

I turned toward the door to walk away.

"I kissed her because you were there." My hand stopped before I could reach the handle. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"Just ... stop lying, Lucien." I said tiredly.

"I’m not lying." I heard his footsteps behind me, and a second later his hands settled firmly on my shoulders. I tried to shrug him off, but he turned me around to face him.

"I kissed Jasmine because I wanted to make you jealous." I stared at him, searching his face for some sign that he was messing with me. He wasn’t.

And somehow, that only pissed me off more.

***

"Have you ever considered that maybe he wasn’t lying?" Toby asked. "That he might actually be telling you the truth? You saw that mark on your parents faces when you returned..."

I didn’t answer. That was what I was scared of. What if he was telling the truth?

I had already changed into a T-shirt and jeans, but apparently Toby wasn’t done interrogating me. "And who told you to leave his room wrapped in a blanket?"

I groaned.

The memory of walking through the palace corridors came rushing back. Every Omega I had passed had stared at me in horror, their eyes moving from my bare legs to the blanket wrapped around my body before quickly dropping to the floor.

"We are not discussing that right now," I muttered. Toby continued pacing in front of me as if he hadn’t heard a word.

I glanced toward Maya. She was fast asleep in bed, completely exhausted after everything that had happened at the celebration. At this point, I could probably start banging pots beside her head and she still wouldn’t wake up.

She was sleeping like the dead.

Lucky woman!

I turned back to Toby, who was still pacing. "Can you stop doing that? You’re making me dizzy."

Toby finally stopped. "There’s still another night of this celebration tomorrow." He studied me for a moment. "You’re not seriously planning to go back, are you?"

I slowly raised my eyes to his, pulling a dangerous smile. "Hell yes, I’m going."

His brows shot up, and he stared at me as if I had officially lost my mind. I leaned back in my chair. "Who the fuck is going to stop me, Toby?" I held his gaze, daring him to argue.