Chapter 182: Not Sheltered Anymore

I flinched when he rolled my hips and my hands shot out and braced on his shoulder.

Zade checked his Rolex. "We will be home in an hour. So get comfortable."

G-Get comfortable? How the hell am I gonna do that?!

I sucked in breath when I pressed harder against his bulge that just got bigger and bigger.

"You okay?"

The audacity of him to ask me that question.

"We should talk." He switched.

"T-Talk?"

"If I get something about this piece of information you gave me. About this ball. You know what’s gonna happen, right?"

I blinked. "What are you saying?"

"It means you won’t be sheltered from this world anymore."

I almost laughed, but I settled for a scoff instead.

"I haven’t been much sheltered since I married you. I get it, Zade, it’s not a world I should be involved with, but isn’t it too late for that?"

"Fair point. But all I’m saying is it won’t be like the Night Chamber, from months ago."

And worse, that day still traumatized me in a way, especially with the shootout and everything. There was actually something worse than that. Color me intrigued.

"I think the real question I should ask right now is if you want me to go through with this. Can you trust me with that?" I asked.

"I trust you," he murmured as he brushed my hair over my shoulder.

That was all I needed to know.

~☆~

I paced in my room, getting restless by the second. I ran a hand through my hair when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I pitched.

The door opened to reveal Cynthia, and my babies ran in.

"Heyyyy!" I dropped to my knees. "Did they enjoy their little stroll?"

I rained kisses on Coca and Boba’s cheeks.

Cynthia giggled. "Yes, they did! Thank you for letting me do this. I didn’t want it to end!"

"Hope you didn’t get close to the greenhouse, though."

"No, I stayed as far away as possible! Are Calla lilies really harmful for them?"

I nodded. "Too bad, I really love those flowers."

There was a knock, and we turned our heads to the door where Dante stood.

He didn’t say a word, and he didn’t need to.

"Um, Cynthia. Could you watch them for the rest of the day?"

She beamed, nodding frantically. "Yes, yes, yes!"

I mouthed a thank you, then kissed my babies before following Dante out.

"What took you so long? I have been waiting," I began as we strolled the hallway.

"Is there a reason for your adrenaline rush?" he asked.

"I just wanna know if there’s feedback from Zade’s network. You know... about the Syndicate and everything."

He halted his steps and then faced me. I haven’t exactly had time alone with Dante except when he threatened me after the wedding.

I have learned to be more comfortable around Luca given his goofy nature, but Dante? He was still uptight as usual.

"You know, I didn’t expect you to want to get involved in this. Shouldn’t a princess be locked away somewhere safe or something? You’re still a target."

"Have no one ever told you how much of a sunshine you are when you’re worried?"

"Worried?" he scoffed. "Who said I’m worried about you?"

"Nice try, Sunshine."

"Don’t call me that," he said through gritted teeth.

I know he loves it.

"What’s taking so long?"

We looked toward Elliot.

"Just Dante being the sunshine as always," I replied, and he glared at me before mumbling under his breath.

Elliot nodded. "Go ahead, I’ll bring Ana."

Dante left.

"Hi."

He forced a smile. "We haven’t really seen much, have we?"

"I believe so."

"It was my mistake. I know how difficult this time must be for you, but I’m glad to see that you’re... spirited."

I huffed. "Believe me, I’m trying."

I was so focused on this that I didn’t have time to think about anything else.

"I heard about your plan, and how you met with Julius alone."

"The twins told you?"

"I don’t think it’s much of a secret anymore," he replied. "Zade isn’t giving you any chances, is he? Even now he’s still willing to throw you in the face of danger."

I fixed him with a pointed stare. "I was the one who decided to speak with Julius alone, not Zade."

"Why?"

"Because I’m the only one who can find out what he knows."

"I see... I guess this falls on us for not doing as swift a job as possible to deal with the threat on your life. Now you’re more involved in this."

"Please don’t do this... I get it, the undercity is no place for me and I wouldn’t have grown up as a sheltered princess if it was."

"Ana—"

"I’ve been more involved in this ever since the sniper attack on my father’s funeral."

"You have your mind made up about this, haven’t you?"

"Yes"

He was silent for a while before he spoke. "We shouldn’t keep the others waiting."

"Elliot."

He stopped in his tracks, and slowly he faced me.

I smiled. "Thank you for worrying about me. I never had much of that growing up due to an absent father, and Annabeth was..." I paused, choosing not to finish that last sentence. "But you get what I mean, right?"

He smiled briefly.

"You’re like a big brother I never had."

He scoffed, but his expression faltered. His mouth opened as though a response had already formed, but he didn’t get them out. His jaw tightened before he finally gave me a slow nod.

"I’m glad." He replied tightly.

I narrowed my eyes in puzzlement because his reaction was a little bit... off?

Did I say something wrong?

"We should go."

"S-Sure."

We walked, and the silence had me stealing glances at him not until we got to Zade’s office, and he held the door open for me.

I walked in. Dante and Luca were present as well as...

"Candy?"

She grinned. "Well, well... if it isn’t Scarlet in the flesh."