Page 99 of Sold to the Devil
The little bastard.
“Sorry, all this training is tiring me out,” I sigh, rolling my eyes.
His features soften and he wraps his arms around me again, this time in a comforting embrace. His arms wrap around my body, now more muscular thanks to the many workouts we've had over the past few weeks. His chin rests on my head and he strokes my lower back with his hand.
“Let's take a break then, what do you say?”
I nod slowly and we leave the room in Leroi Manor that we've converted into a gym. We haven't been back to the Academy since the wedding, and we don't plan on going back, except to kidnap or kill Law and O'Connor.
We head to the kitchen to quench our thirst and return to our suite, slightly out of breath, our bodies glistening with sweat. A shower will do us good.
My mind drifts to our workouts as we enter our bathroom and get ready to shower. I've made a lot of progress since we started. Fully focused, I'm easily kicking Mattheo's ass now.
This means only one thing: I am ready for the war.
A few hours later, I sit on the couch in front of our bedroom bookshelf reading a fantasy novel. Mattheo is busy feeding my snake—which Arthur kindly rescued from our dorm at the Academy when we decided to stay at the manor for a few more weeks. A knock at the door makes us look up simultaneously.
I signal Mattheo that I'm going. He nods before returning to his task of placing a live mouse in the terrarium for my snake to hunt and eat. I open the door and I smile at the sight of my cousin followed by our friends.
Guilt creeps into me, we neglected our friendship since what happened. Of course, they know I was tortured, but they don't know about our baby.
Which is a good thing though because I don't want them to know. I still feel bad that we got so caught up in our grief and training that we practically ignored them.
“Hey, how are you guys?” Theodore asks with a small, shy smile.
I step away from the door and gesture for them to come in, my smile widening when Enzo feels sick noticing what Mattheo is doing.
“Tired,” I sigh as I close the door. “What about all of you?”
Cameron shrugs and shakes his head, looking weary. “Tired too. We're working hard to find the traitors but also to keep up with our studies.”
Mattheo nods slowly, letting them know we're grateful for their help, as he closes the terrarium and disinfects his hands. I thank our friends, feeling even more guilty for neglecting them when they're doing everything they can to help us with our chores. We all settle down across the room, some on the sofas and armchairs in front of the bookshelf, others on the bed, Theodore and Mattheo on the windowsill as they light cigarettes.
“Hey girls?” I call out with a hesitant voice, causing the conversations to stop. “Hm, how about a girls' night out tonight?”
Their eyebrows raise in surprise before they smile brightly, nodding quickly.
“Sure, honey. That would be awesome!” Kiara places her hand on mine from across the table, a bright smile stretching her pink lips.
Paula and Nancy nod, making me smile softly. I want to be a better friend, and we all need a break.
‘Are you sure, princess?’Mattheo's concerned voice echoes in my mind.
I grab his hand under the table and intertwine our fingers.
‘Yes. We all need a break, Matt. You should do the same with the boys. Go out, drink, have fun.’
‘I don't want to leave you alone,’he protests.
‘I won't be, besides, we'll stay at the Manor. Please, Matt, we all need it…’
He sighs before nodding. I know he's not exactly thrilled, but he also knows I'm right. We need one night to forget it’s wartime and be young adults again. He kisses my cheek, and I smile softly.
Mattheo suggests the boys go out for a drink, and they're immediately enthusiastic, agreeing eagerly. We all chat for a while before they decide to go, leaving us to our girls' night. My husband kisses me tenderly and promises me not to leave the Mansion, then follows the boys out of our suite.
The girls and I change into comfortable clothes and leave the bedroom to retrieve a mattress from an unused guest room. The elves, busy cleaning the Mansion, give us strange looks, causing us to laugh as we carry the mattress into the bedroom. We place the mattress next to the bed with Mattheo, and Nancy quickly declares that she's sleeping with me. Kiara and Paula laugh as they take possession of the mattress, rummaging through the closet for sheets and pillows.
We spend the night talking, laughing, drinking, and smoking. I don't drink too much, but I compensate by smoking a lot.
