Midnight Secrets

Chapter 3

I had conditioned my body to never react in front of others, but this absolutely knocked me off balance and made it almost hard for my lungs to work. It felt like ice was being poured down my throat and that every part of my body was being hacked through by shards of pure steel.

I stood up straight. My throat tightened as my heart pounded. Please let me have mistaken what Claud had just said.

"I don't know what you mean." I was able to talk despite my tight throat.

Claud let out a low laugh, shaking his head ever so slightly. "Princess. Let's not start lying to each other."

I turned to him again, plastering my millionth smile of the day on my face. How my foundation didn't crack was a phenomenon I still had to crack.

"I believe I will go to bed for the evening."

Claud didn't even hide his laugh this time around. He laughed heartily, with his head thrown back. He exaggeratedly wiped an unseen tear from his eye, displaying his usual flare for attention. "Damn, princess. If I didn't know you were taken I'd kiss you senselessly on this table right now."

I scowled at his crude remark and pondered how he ever felt confident enough to say anything like that out loud. Our previous conversations were typically chilly and sparse, but it was obvious that he wanted to alter the direction of the track. It didn't make me happy. All of these guys, who are connected to my most beloved father, are raped. Some monumental things had to shift in the universe for me to even consider ever befriending any of his associates.

"I'm not taken." I complied since I didn't like how aware he was of my personal life. The only person who was aware of my late-night activities was Lorna, since nothing escaped her notice. I kept it from everyone else because the repercussions would be too severe.

Claud raised his water glass and smiled.

I used the opportunity to get up from my chair and give my father a quick look. He was looking at me once again, but this time, I truly didn't care about his terrible lecture that would undoubtedly follow if I got up from the table.

I struggled to go against the respect he had so forcefully instilled in me as I cocked my head in his direction. If I wasn't so weak I would have just turned around and not spared him one single look.

I waited... and waited. A few seconds passed before he returned a small incline of his head - effortlessly dismissing me at his own pace.

I turned around, gather my dress and speedily hightailed it out the dining room.Although I could hear footsteps behind me, I knew they were coming from Lorna because of how little and delicate they were. She would seldom leave my side on days like these.

Even at her age, she caught up quickly. "To bed?" As we reached the top of the steps, she questioned.

The furthest room in this home, my bedroom, was the first stop as we turned the corner. It took me a while to realise that my father didn't want me to be close to him, but now I value the separation. It prevented me from walloping in my silly emotions and kept me grounded.