Twenty three

Sienna Williams sighed as she stepped out of her car and into the cool evening air. It had been a long day of unwanted visits and conversations. All she wanted right now was a glass of wine whilst she cuddled with her girls.

As she walked up the steps of the Fortress, Damien was already there waiting for her, his expression unusually serious.

“Sienna,” he said as she approached, his tone gentle but firm. “Aaron’s here. He’s waiting for you in your study downstairs.”

Sienna paused mid-step, a frown creasing her forehead. “Aaron? What on earth is he doing here?”

Damien shrugged, though the slight tension in his shoulders betrayed his unease. “He didn’t say. Just that it was important.”

Sienna’s frown deepened. She hadn’t seen Aaron since they bumped into each other at the mall, and she couldn’t imagine what could be so urgent that he’d come to see her. A part of her wanted to tell Damien to send him away, but another part—perhaps the more curious part—urged her to get this over with.