Chapter 6

Chapter 6

RAYANA POV

The morning arrived, and I peeled myself reluctantly from the warm pillow. The inside of my head felt like a clubhouse of a thousand trolls, and there was this sinking feeling that seemed to be pulling my insides into a bottomless pit. I remained seated for a few minutes, trying to come to the current reality and not drift away in the musings of my mind.

As much as my mind had rather amusing things- and I would rather be anywhere than in my current life- I had to get up and face the day.

The door was yanked open and in came Charlotte dressed in a pair of black pants, black stiletto heels, and a black coat. She had on her head a small veil that covered her pale skin and undoubtedly poofy eyes.

“You look like shit.” She said walking in my direction and stood before my bed. I wanted to ask where she got the energy to get up so early and prep up, while I was here feeling like I had had a one on one with John Cena in a wrestling mania!

“And you bathed nice,” I said taking in her outfit. She wasn’t much of a fashionista like I was. As long as she had her body covered, my baby sister was good to go. Hell, this one could pull up a whole wedding dress to a black tie or wear jeans and cowboy boots at her wedding. And she cared less about what anybody thought of her.

She heaved a loud, heavy sigh before dropping on my bed, then scooted closer and grasped my hand in hers.

“I know losing dad has been hard, Dona. And today is going to be the hardest of all the days, but we need to get through this one. Once we put Dad at rest, we can finally move on.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she rapidly blinked then away before sniffling out loud.

“Can’t I just run away and hide?” I asked, feeling that annoying sting in my eyes.

And Gosh, I was so tired of crying.

Heck. My tear ducts were probably nearing dryness and the headache was just the proof.

“Very, unfortunately-,” She grinned, revealing a perfect set of whities. “No one will survive this if you don’t. And no one is looking up to James’s long speech about how ready he is to be the archduke.”

The mere mention of my brother’s name had me rolling my eyes.

“Oh please.” I pulled my hand from her grasp and jumped out of bed. Walking towards my ensuite bathroom, I spun around and pointed a finger at her.

“If he starts yapping again about the inheritance bullshit, I am going to yank his head off his neck.”

“Wash away that resentment, Dona. We don’t want to bury another family member.”

The words followed as I jumped into the shower. I switched on the faucets, let the water splash my body, and washed away the sticky resentment and grief before I murdered my blood!

~~~

ALEJANDRO POV

I hated funerals. Which is why I never deemed it necessary to attend any.

They were time-consuming. And all of that crying? That made me want to yank my hair from my roots because it all felt like an apocalyptic clock.

But this one, something compelled me to attend it. And that something had black hair, black eyes with dimples on its face. And she fuckin’ looked great in a black knee-length skirt with the small coat that accentuated her lush curves.

I arrived just in time as the coffin was lowered into the ground. My eyes found her in the throng of people, and her tear-stained face made something move painfully in my chest. I swallowed audibly and maintained my distance. It was a very intimate moment, one I didn’t want to ruin.

I wanted her to ride this wave, go through the rollercoaster of emotions, and feel every stinging pain of it.

Because I would be there to hold her every step of the way.

Her fiance? Fuck that excuse of a man. I couldn’t care less if he burned and died. He was just a good for nothing like her brother who only saw money over everything else.

And right now she had to feel every stinking pain of the loss of her father because what came next was going to rock her world.

All of this was the beginning.

The priest called out long prayers and not before long, we were all called to cast out tiny paper flowers that were presented to us.

I glanced up in her direction, and our eyes collided.

Electricity crackled between us with a stinging blue current, causing her to suck in a large puff of breath. My heart leaped into my throat as her stare pulled me in. It was intense.

Something I have never felt before. I broke the intense stare and then cleared my own throat, then reclaimed my stance where I standing.

I made sure that she was looking aside before I clutched my chest and gave myself a small massage, wondering what the hell that was that just happened!

Did she know that I was the one she was in the gardens last night?

Or does she feel that electricity that lasered through my being by just looking in her eyes?

And fuck… What a moment it was!

Did such things even exist?

The priest said the last prayer and we all cried “Amen” before we started walking away from the small cemetery.

I made sure to hurry the fuck out of there and to recoup my thoughts.

I needed to chill the fuck out!

Arriving at my car, I yanked the back door open and climbed inside before shutting it close, then clenched my fist tight. Blue eyes found mine in the rearview mirror, and a knowing smirk pulled up on that bloody face.

“Princess got you feeling all moody, huh?” Viper smirked harder as I glared harder, ready to yank his head off his neck.

“Ahhhh. Who thought we’d live to see the day?” He teased as he started the ignition, and I kicked the back of the driver’s seat.

“Shut up and drive, Viper. What the hell do you know?” But he was right!

Who the fuck thought we’d live to see the day?

~~~

The drive from Windsor Castle was a lonesome crusade through an ocean of thoughts. It didn’t bother me to think; it never has. This time I was worried about my sanity because every single thought involved black r and curvy little body, and I wondered if I had lost my shit.

I suddenly felt the need to see Kimberly!

Rriiing!

The loud ringtone yanked me from my musings, and for a second, I was excited for the small distraction.

Viper pulled out his phone, checked his phone, and stared at me:

“It’s the lawyer.” He informed.

“Answer it,” I commanded in a low gruff, shifting in my seat for more comfort.

“Lorenzo Marino speaking.” He said as he swerved down to the main road, leaving the long junction from the castle. He nodded into the speaker before his eyes found mine in the rearview. A sense of triumph bubbled inside of me when he gave out that sinister smile.

“Stay where you are. I’ll be there in a few.” He hung up the call, threw the phone on his passenger seat, and grinned. “James called the lawyer to read the will today. He is on his way as we speak.” The information caused something to stir inside of me, and I fell back into my seat before barking out a loud laughter.

This felt so fucking good. Everything was happening in such a rush that at times, I failed to grasp it all in one swoop. The death of the archduke was the beginning of the long empire I was going to build, and the reckless eldest son just pushed the first domino.

“Where is he?”

“He’s in Slough.” He informed me, and I nodded.

“Then Slough is where we’re going.”