Chapter 12 Untitled Chapter
The room changed temperature.
Kendrix blinked. “What?”
Skyler stepped forward. “It’s not…”
“It’s exactly that,” Bash cut in.
Kendrix shook her head. “No. No, that’s not…wait, whose engagement?”
Nora’s voice didn’t waver. “Yours.”
The word landed wrong. Her brain kicked it back. Then it stuck.
Kendrix let out a laugh that didn’t sound like her.
“You people are insane. There is no engagement.”
Skyler tried again. “Kendrix…”
“No.” Her voice went sharp. “I didn’t agree to anything.”
Bash tilted his head. “Didn’t ask for agreement.”
That shut her up for a second. Slowly, she looked at him. “What did you just say?”
Before he could answer, another voice came from behind her. Calm. Low. Like he’d been waiting for her to turn around.
“You’re awake.”
Of course he was down there. Of course he waited.
She turned on the stairs. Roberto stood at the bottom like he owned the quiet. Like the quiet was his.
“No,” she said before he could say anything else. “No fucking way.”
He took two steps up. Not fast. Not threatening. Just enough that she couldn’t pretend he wasn’t there.
“You look restless,” he said.
“Restless?” Kendrix barked a laugh. “You announce I’m getting married and you think I’m restless?”
Bash muttered something behind her and Skyler shut him up with a look.
Roberto ignored all of it.
“I told you, you weren’t leaving properly.”
“So this is punishment?”
“Yes.”
One word. No wince. No hesitation. The air got heavy. Even Bash stopped breathing loud.
“Say that again,” Kendrix said. Her voice was lower now. Dangerous.
“It’s your correction,” Roberto said.
Correction. Like she was a typo. Like her whole life was a mistake he got to fix.
Her hands clenched.
“You don’t get to decide that.”
“I already did.”
He moved closer. Not cornering her. He didn’t need to. The house did that for him.
“You’ll be at the announcement tonight.”
“No.”
“You will.”
Bash exhaled behind her. “Yeah, that’s not optional.”
Kendrix didn’t look away from Roberto.
“Announcing what, exactly?”
“Your engagement.”
Her stomach dropped. “To who?”
Roberto’s eyes didn’t leave hers. “Me.”
The word hit like a slap. Kendrix laughed, but it was ugly.
“You’re joking.”
He didn’t laugh back. That was the answer.
“No,” she whispered. “I’m not doing that.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Kendrix stepped down one step. Skyler tensed.
“I’m not your property, Lucifer.”
Roberto’s jaw tightened. Just for a second.
“You were never just property.” He traced a finger down her jaw, then added. “And don’t call me Lucifer in front of them again.”
Kendrix blinked. “What?”
Bash snorted. “Okay, so that’s real.”
Roberto ignored him. His eyes stayed locked on Kendrix.
“Get ready. You’ll be introduced tonight.”
“This is insane,” she said. Quieter now. Because yelling felt useless.
Roberto stepped back. Not leaving. Ending it. Before he turned, his eyes dropped to her mouth for half a second.
“Little devil,” he said.
Kendrix froze. “Don’t call me that.”
But he was already walking away. And for the first time, he didn’t look like he was in control because he wanted to be.
He looked like he was in control because if he stopped, something worse would happen.
Skyler let out a breath.
Bash muttered, “Yeah. That’s bad.”
Kendrix stayed on the stairs. The house felt smaller. Like the walls were listening.
Like the countdown had already started and no one told her the number.
The mansion didn’t look like the same house by evening. Staff moved through the halls with trays and clipped steps. Security came and went. Flowers showed up in places they hadn’t been this morning. Downstairs, the lights were warm and low and expensive. Fake as hell.
Kendrix stood in front of the mirror while Nora fixed the back of her dress. Neither of them talked for a while.
“You don’t have to look so happy,” Nora said finally.
Kendrix stared at her reflection. “I’m deciding if murder counts as dramatic tonight.”
That almost got a smile out of Nora.
The dress was black. Of course it was black. Long sleeves. Fitted waist. Expensive without trying. Roberto probably picked it himself. That thought made her jaw tighten.
“I hate this,” Kendrix muttered.
“I know.”
“I mean it. If someone gave me a shovel right now, I’d bury myself.”
Nora adjusted the shoulder seam. “You’ll survive one party.”
Kendrix met her eyes in the mirror. “That’s your pep talk?”
Nora’s expression softened.
“No,” she said. “It’s the truth.”
Silence fell again.
Downstairs, music drifted up. Too smooth. Too careful. Kendrix felt caged all over again.
Nora noticed. “Hey.”
Kendrix looked up.
“Don’t let them see you scared tonight,” Nora said quietly.
Kendrix frowned. “Them?”
Nora nodded. “ Yes, them. People watch Roberto. That means they’ll watch you now.”
Great.
Kendrix exhaled sharp through her nose. “Love that for me.”
A knock hit the door. Neither of them moved. Then Bash’s voice came through.
“Are you decent or having a breakdown?”
Kendrix rolled her eyes. “Go away.”
“Can’t. Roberto’s waiting.”
Her stomach knotted at the name. Nora opened the door. Bash leaned against the frame in a dark suit that still looked sloppy on him. Skyler was behind him, fixing his cuffs. Both stopped when they saw her.
Bash blinked. “Well. Damn.”
Skyler nodded slowly. “You clean up terrifyingly well.”
Kendrix crossed her arms. “I hate all of you.”
“Yeah, but you look expensive saying it,” Bash said.
Nora sighed. “Please don’t start.”
“Too late,” Kendrix muttered.
Bash pushed off the doorway. “Anyway. Small problem.”
Kendrix narrowed her eyes. “Why do you sound excited about that?”
“Because it’s not my problem.”
Skyler rubbed his forehead like he was already done. “The guests are here.”
The room went quiet. Kendrix felt it hit her chest. Real now. Not just threats and empty halls. People. People who would be watching. Asking questions. Paying attention.
Her breathing got shallow.
Bash caught it first. His expression shifted to something less joking.
“Hey,” he said, casual. “You don’t have to like this. Just get through it.”
Kendrix stared at him. “Was that…
emotional support?”
“Disgusting, right?”
Skyler snorted. Even Nora looked surprised.
Kendrix shook her head slowly. “You people are deeply confusing.”
“Occupational hazard,” Bash said.
There was another knock. It was short and controlled. Nobody asked who it was.
Roberto stepped in a second later. Black suit. Dark tie. Calm face. Like the house ran on him. Maybe it did.
His eyes found Kendrix immediately and didn’t leave. The silence stretched too long.
Bash glanced between them. Skyler suddenly studied the wall. Nora stepped back quietly.
Kendrix hated that her heart jumped first.
Roberto moved closer. Slow. His gaze swept over her once, then locked on her face.
“You’re late,” he said.
Kendrix stared back. “I considered jumping out the window again.”
Bash coughed to hide a laugh.
Roberto didn’t react.
“Yet here you are,” he said.
That annoyed her instantly.
“Don’t sound pleased about it.”
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Barely. But she caught it. And it pissed her off more.