Chapter 56 A Bee In Our Bonnet: Christabel
Serena
Saint and Sin prepared a full convoy for our departure the next morning.
While we waited for the security team to finish their final checks, the twins tried to discuss my aunt’s unexpected call.
“We can’t let Christabel win,” Saint said, glancing at me as he adjusted the cuff of his shirt. “But we also can’t let your aunt think we’re cheap or desperate.”
I sat on the edge of the couch, my legs crossed, still feeling the delicious ache from last night between my thighs. If only my aunt hadn't ruined the after sex glow for me with her call.
“You both need to make contact with your father soon,” I replied. “Before anything else. Christabel will deny every allegation, and right now it still favors her because your father doesn’t remember Mrs. Hale, or at least, he doesn’t remember her as his wife.”
Saint nodded in agreement. “Father is still in routine therapy. He’ll be ready for us when we reach the villa. But Christabel will definitely be there. Lara will be there too. And if we’re unlucky, they’ll alert the press the moment our convoy hits town.”
Right, the press. Damn gossip sellers.
Sin paced slowly near the window, his broad shoulders tense under the black shirt he wore.
“Let them call the press,” the words were a quiet threat. “The more noise they make, the more questions people will start asking. We’ve been hiding long enough.”
He stopped pacing and turned to look at me, his eyes dark with that familiar mix of protectiveness and possession.
I was starting to both love and hate it.
“But you stay close to us the entire time. No wandering off. And no being alone with anyone, not even domestic staff. Understood?”
I nodded, even though the thought of walking back into that villa made my stomach twist.
“I understand.”
Saint made a low, vicious curse, drawing both mine and Sin’s attention.
“What did you see on the news this time?” Sin asked with an exasperated sigh.
“Delaney has made an official post, and The York Daily has published an interview with Christabel,” Saint said, his facial features tightening with irritation. “Serena and our mother have been announced as the prime suspects for Father’s poisoning.”
I lowered my head into my hands, trying to process the information.
“Is this the part where I go into hiding forever?” I groaned.
“You’ll never have to go into hiding, but we’ll keep you on the inside for now,” Saint offered.
“Yep, that’s what I’m talking about,” I murmured. I would be required to lay low, like a fugitive. Ugh.
“As things stand, we need to visit the villa first,” Sin said decisively. “We need to check in with our father and see if there are any telltale signs that he suspects anything at all.”
Saint’s Apple Watch beeped, and he popped his knuckles. “The security details are complete. We’re moving to the villa,” he announced.
Sin strolled to my side and took my arm without warning, pulling me up until I stood on my toes, forced to look up at him. The position was intimate in a way sex could never be.
“Don’t try anything silly, Serena,” he warned, his hot breath fanning my face. “I know you’re a bundle of surprises, but don’t do anything that’ll come back to bite us in the ass.”
“You have nothing to worry about, Sinclair,” I told him dryly. “I will stay low, sit tight and pretty while your family drama unfolds beautifully.”
He ran his tongue over his lower lip, and my traitorous eyes caught every detail of that slow movement.
“The only thing we want sitting tight and pretty is your pussy,” his voice took on a dark, lethal quality. “Whatever happens, trust us to handle it. Now give me your hand. We’re leaving.”
My thighs forgot we were in an emergency situation and started to ache right there and then.
We’d barely settled into the back seat of the limo when Saint cursed again, the hundredth time that morning.
“I’m starting to fear sharing the same space with you, brother. You’ve been cursing nonstop lately.” Sun muttered, his forehead creasing with concern.
Saint gripped his phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. “It’s that fucking bitch, Lara. She’s telling the paparazzi that her fiancé, that’s you, by the way, is under the influence of Serena’s manipulative skills.” His voice dripped with disgust. “In her words: ‘Sin has always been a good man. I understand his need to protect a woman who’s only pretending to be weak.’”
He pressed play on the video and held the phone out for us to see. Before the clip could even finish, Sin snatched it from his hand and hurled it against the partition separating us from the driver.
The phone hit the partition with a sharp crack.
“Wow. Thanks,” Saint muttered, picking it up and checking the screen for damage.
“She’s asking for it now,” Sin growled, clenching his fist on his lap. “She really is asking for it.”
I swallowed hard. “Things would go differently if I just walked out of the picture. There’d be less drama.”
“No.”
The twins spoke at the exact same time, their voices overlapping with finality.
“No?” I echoed. “They’ll keep dragging you—”
“Let them,” they said in unison again.
“You’re ours,” Sin declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. “And once this drama settles, we’re making our union official. Whoever has issues with it can go burn in hell.”
I gulped, caught off guard by the raw vow. “Even if it’s your father?”
“I don’t care who it is,” Sin said flatly.
“Neither do I,” Saint added, his eyes locked on mine with the same fierce determination.
The rest of the drive dragged on in heavy silence. Sin and Saint took turns trying to comfort me, it started with gentle touches on my knee, then soft reassurances whispered against my hair, followed by promises that they would keep me safe.
But their words felt hollow. Deep down, I knew none of it would matter if Christabel got her way.
The fear sat like ice in my chest, it was cold and unrelenting, making every breath feel too shallow.
Saint’s phone vibrated against his thigh for three long seconds. I watched him stare at it, clearly fighting the urge to hurl the device at the partition screen.
For one solid minute he wrestled with his temper before finally exhaling sharply and swiping the screen on.
He rubbed his jaw roughly, tension radiating off him. “It’s Mother.”
“As in, Mrs. Hale?” I asked, straining my neck to catch a glimpse of the text.
“Yes.”
“What is the matter? Is she safe? Did they breach her security?” Sin fired question after question at his brother.
“Calm down,” Saint said, lifting a hand. “She’s doing okay. But we need to move Serena to a different location.” He paused, his eyes darkening.
“Why?” Sin asked, his hand resting on my thigh, as if he could protect me from what was coming.
“The villa is swarming with journalists, and Christabel has completely bypassed due process. She’s got cops on standby, ready to arrest Serena the moment we step foot inside the compound.”