Chapter 14 Stubbornness
Sienna
My mouth trembled as I looked up at him. Under his towering frame and that cold, Alpha stare, I felt incredibly small.
Damn it. Why was I stuttering? I had spent the last hour psyching myself up for this, and now I was falling apart. He hadn't even seen the outfit I’d spent my dignity on! That red lace wasn't meant for a married man; it was meant to make him lose his mind.
I took a shaky breath, clenching my fists inside the pockets of my robe. If I left now, I’d always be the "little sister" who got caught playing dress-up.
“I don’t want to,” I finally said, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze defiantly.
He massaged his temples, a move he seemed to save specifically for when I was in the room. I watched him, a bitter taste in my mouth. Was I really such a damn headache to him?
"I want you... to see," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I looked up at him with what I hoped was an innocent expression, though truthfully, I was flying blind. I didn't have the first clue how to actually seduce someone like him.
Even in the dim light, I could see his jaw clenching so hard it looked like it might snap. I knew I was pushing him, pissing him off way past his breaking point, but I wasn't ready to back down.
My fingers reached for the sash again, beginning to tug at the knot, when his hand shot out and clamped over mine.
"Stop," he hissed. He jerked his head away, refusing to even look at me. "Enough of this stupidity, Sienna. Get back to your room."
I let go and crossed my arms, my stubbornness flaring up. "No. I’m staying right here."
“Don’t start with me,” he snapped, finally looking at me with a look of pure frustration. “You’re acting like a goddamn kid right now.”
I narrowed my eyes. Seeing that flash of his darker, more aggressive side should have sent me running, but it didn't. If anything, it made my pulse race. I didn't care about the danger; I only cared about the man standing in front of me.
He let out a heavy, ragged sigh, the kind that meant I was digging deep under his skin. “I am at a loss as to why you’re doing this, but you must cease this behavior at once. Curiosity will lead you nowhere but trouble, Sienna.”
“I’m not curious,” I whispered. My throat felt tight, the honesty of what I was feeling threatening to spill over. Should I just say it? Should I just admit that I’m drowning in him?
“Then tell me,” he demanded, stepping closer until I could feel the heat radiating off him. “What exactly is it that you want?”
You. The word was screaming in my head, but I clamped my jaw shut. I wasn't ready to give him that much power over me, not yet.
“I want to stay here,” I replied. I wanted to see if he actually had the nerve to throw me out.
"Damn it, Sienna. Fine, stay then!" he growled, the frustration finally exploding. He turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him without a single glance back.
I stomped over to the bed—his bed—and threw myself onto it, face-planting into the pillows. They smelled exactly like him, which only made me want to kick something. I was stuck in his "playground," wearing a red lace funeral for my dignity, and he hadn't even looked.
I couldn’t help but stare at the ropes hanging from the ceiling, positioned directly over the bed. Against my better judgment, my mind flashed to an image of myself caught in them while Sev...
I gave my cheeks a sharp slap to snap out of it and sat up just as the door swung wide, revealing Tristan.
“I’ve been ordered to escort you back to your room,” he said, shrugging as he strolled toward me. “Even if it means carrying you. So, do you want the bridal style treatment? If my wife finds out, I’m not sure which one of us she’d kill first.” He flashed a smirk, clearly enjoying the challenge.
When I didn't give him the satisfaction of a reply, he stepped even closer.
“Fine! I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own,” I snapped, sliding off the bed and brushing past him. I could hear his heavy footsteps right behind me, catching up in a heartbeat.
“Would you have accepted if it was Sebastian offering the bridal carry?” he asked teasingly. My face heated up instantly, and he let out a short laugh. “Oh, you definitely would have.”
“That was one hell of a seduction attempt you had going back there. Sorry for the intrusion,” he added with a wink. “Don’t worry, I’ll erase that image from my head immediately and replace it with my wife, Yves. God, I miss her already.”
I rolled my eyes, my ego still bruised. “I wouldn’t even call it a seduction. It was a disaster. All I did was make Sev angry.”
“Angry?” Tristan chuckled, the sound echoing in the quiet hall. “Oh, it worked, alright. His morals just can’t stomach the fact that he’s actually attracted to you.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. I hated how everyone seemed determined to feed my delusions, but a part of me felt a surge of hope, and I hated that even more.
“You know what?” Tristan stopped and turned to face me, his expression turning surprisingly sharp. “If he had actually seen you in that outfit, I bet you wouldn't have been able to walk until morning.”
My heart thundered against my ribs, a different kind of electricity humming through my veins at the mental image he just painted. Tristan’s smirk widened.
“I’d love to see it, honestly. Our moral, untouchable Alpha losing his mind over a brat like you. Just keep pushing, Sienna. Who knows? Maybe next time, you’ll be the one getting pushed—right onto that bed.”