Arranged to be Yours

Chapter 16

I am shattered.

Half of a whole, if that.

Not much registered in my mind after the incident. I was vaguely aware of Damien still whispering soothing nonsense in my ear, stopping only to shoot a quick text to someone, before rocking me once more as he did when I'd been a child and had fallen, scraping my knee. But this wasn't a case of merely broken skin. The wound lied deeper, hidden underneath my ribs. A slice to my heart so great that it pained with every breath I took.

"Come on," Damien murmured after a while, voice deep and familiar. "Let's go get your things. You're moving out. Today."

I nodded. Many times before I have been stubborn and just as many times I'd stood up against my cousin. But not this time. He was right. I refused to stay in a house with a man that had no honour. Which is why I wordlessly got into his car, a Land Rover, and let him drive me home in silence. All the while, he never let go or complained as I clung to his hand like it was my lifeline.

The first thing I noticed was that the door was open and boxes were outside. Strange, yes, but not remotely enough for me to actually feel concern.

"Aurelia is here. I asked her to start packing so long."

Of course he did. Damien was nothing if not diligent and precise. You wanted something done, then ask him. And for family, he'd move mountains. I was ever thankful for him.

Mind blank, I stepped out of the car, habit telling me to close the door, before I followed my cousin inside.

"What the hell do you want?" Damien snarled, making me look up. There, standing in the foyer, was the last person I wanted, or expected, to see.

Adrien Salvatore.

His dark hair was in slight disarray. Probably because a certain someone had run her clutches through them in the practice room.

I muttered something underneath my breath, the first word I'd spoken since the ordeal . Damien, who was only a two steps ahead, turned slightly before asking for only me to hear, "Did you just say 'witch'?"

I shook my head, scowling at the floor as if the whole predicament I was facing was the wood's fault. "No. But it rhymed with it." I answered faintly. And I honestly swear that Damien snickered softly because it was so rare for me to show signs of the Gloriosa blood flowing through my veins.

Adrien cleared his throat, taking a step closer, only to have Damien block him. True, though close in height, my cousin was furious and that itself made him seem gigantic, a force to be reckoned with.

"I want to speak to Katherine," he managed under the piercing glare. "In private?" He phrased it as a question, not trying to push his luck.

I squeezed my cousin's hand, nodding to him, and he made his way upstairs to help Aurelia pack.

"Katherine-" I cut him off.

" 'I can explain, Katherine,' or 'It's not what it looked like, Katherine.' Am I right?"

Shamefully, he ducked his head. "I really can explain..."

I laughed. Loud, humourless, borderline insanity. "Well then, my love," I mocked, "It had better be something extremely out of this world because as an author, I've heard and written it all."

Gentle as always, although a halo of sweaty beads surrounded his forehead, he began. "Look, she's the model we used for the music video. She comes from a very high class and respected family. Isabelle Carstairs."

Does he really think I want to know the identity of that...that...nevermind.

"And look, she looks a lot like you, her features are just a bit sharper, hair slightly darker and her eyes...well, I'll say that they're dangerous because she can surely cast spells." Oh, I see. We're saying she's an enchantress now, are we? "Either way, the thing is," he continued, "I was exhausted. In fact, I'd fallen asleep but she woke me up and in my tired haze she looked just like you and she acted just like you would, although a bit more daring..." Did he just call me a meek little lamb? "But that's not the point! The point is that it was an honest mistake. And when I said 'I love you', I ended the sentence with 'Katherine'. It was meant for you. It really was an honest mistake!"