Labyrinth

Chapter 16

THOMAS'S POV

"I don't feel comfortable leaving her tonight." I sigh, sitting down opposite Nathaniel in my study, swirling the dark brown liquid in my glass.

"We can't impose on her space." He rebuts, seemingly as frustrated as I am as he runs a hand down his face.

"She shouldn't be alone." My voice gets more strained, "You saw her before."

"I'll give her a call but, you know how stubborn she can be at points." He reminds me.

He clicks a few buttons on his phone before placing it on speaker and setting it on my desk. Every second that passes with the dial tone ringing quickens my heart rate. Then voicemail. She needs to get better at picking up her phone.

"It doesn't matter whether it's an accident anymore, I'm going to redden her ass every time our calls go to voicemail." I grunt.

Just as I finish, a ring sounds throughout the room, "Princess." Nathaniel greets roughly.

"Hello? Sorry I didn't feel it vibrating at first." Her sweet voice apologises through the speaker. All the worry and tension drain from my stiff body as it floats into my ear.

"No worries, Darling. We'll just have to sort it out later." I tease her.

"And when will that be?" She copies the mischief in my voice.

"Princess," Nathaniel interjects, "there's no use riling him up."

A gasp resonates through the speaker and then it's silent for a few seconds, "He started it." She weakly protests.

I chuckle at this attempt, "Want to say that to my face, Darling?"

"Not sure I could," She honestly laughs.

"Why's that, Princess?" Nathaniel gets up and takes a bottle of water from the side.

"I'd probably be against the wall before I could even finish it." At least she knows the consequences of her words.

"So why do you think you're safer on the phone?" I ask, curious as to her thought process.

"Because then it's a problem for future Chloe." She hesitates, "Well- it just makes sure she'll have some fun soon."

This makes all of us laugh. Of course she enjoys the punishments.

"It looks like she's looking for trouble tonight." I tsk. I take Nathaniel's phone and turn it to a facetime.

Her beautifully confused face pops up on the screen, "Gorgeous." I mutter.

"Shush." She whines, placing her phone on a surface so the camera displays the ceiling.

"Uh uh. Pick that camera up, right now." My voice comes out rougher than intended.

Looking at her more closely, I recognise the background. She's in the café. I hand the phone to Nathaniel and walk around next to him, "That's better, Princess." He grins.

"I thought we dropped you off home?" I ask, curious. I thought she would've been tired after today. Even if she doesn't feel it, she needs the sleep.

She looks around before speaking, "Oh, yeah. I..." She pauses, "I wanted to be somewhere else."

"You need to rest, Princess" He says softly.

"We all need to rest, Nathaniel." She chuckles quietly.

"Princess," Nathaniel drawls, "you've had a long day." I can tell his daddy-dom side is kicking in.

"We all woke up around the same time. Why aren't you guys in bed?" She argues. Suddenly, my palm feels quite itchy.

"Darling, you've had an emotionally taxing day especially." I remind her. There's no way her sister being back has been easy on her. Her behaviour shows that.

"It's been like any other day." She curtly replies. I'm not going to overstep here so I decide to leave that conversation for now.

"Would it help if you came over?" Nathaniel asks. I want her closer too.

"I just left you guys." She clearly doesn't want to bother us. She could never.

"You can stay here until your sister leaves." I propose. There's definitely more to their relationship.

"She's my sister." How many times had she rehearsed that line?

"I'll pick you up. See you in ten, Darling." I finish and walk out of view.

"Nathaniel." I hear her whine as I leave, probably about to tell him to call me back as to not bother us.

Before long I reach the café. I head to the upstairs and the table which we usually occupy. I see her with her head down and leg bouncing, oblivious to anything around her.

"Darling," I call softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Jesus!" She jumps as she turns around and grasps my arm, "What have I said about sneaking up on me." She grumbles.

"Darling, I could have shouted in your ear and you wouldn't have noticed." I chuckle, "Come on, let's get you home."

"Are you sure you guys don't want to spend some time alone? I've been with you quite a lot." She says the last bit like it was a negative.

"Darling, you obviously need sleep and you're not going to get any at your place, are you?" I don't giver her a chance to respond, "Not to mention how we love the feeling of you in our arms anyway."

With nothing to argue back with, she slowly packs up her stuff. And she says she wasn't tired.

I carry Chloe into the house, she fell asleep only a few minutes into the drive.

"Thank you," She yawns.

"Good morning." Teases Nathaniel from the living room doorway.

"It was comfortable." She seems to argue.

I walk into the living room with Chloe still in my arms. "I know I am." I smirk.

"You really are." She mumbles. I lie down with her on top of me, watching her move with my breaths as she lays her head on my chest.

"Good luck getting away from me now." I tease.

We can hear Nathaniel moving around the kitchen, probably grabbing her a snack and a drink.

"I knew it." She says out of the blue.

"What?" I look down in confusion and see her smirking.

She tilts her head up at me, "I knew I could top you." And then she snuggles into my chest.

Shocked, I wonder if I heard that correctly. Then, I feel a small hand trailing the waistband of my joggers.

"Oh really?" I play along.

Nathaniel now stands in the doorway, obviously having heard her previous comment.

"Well I am on top of you." She states cheekily, her hand almost in my boxers.

"Darling," I let her enjoy this moment, "you may be on top of me but you will never top me." I grab her neck and turn us over. "Understood?"

Breathlessly, she utters, "Yes- understood."

I lower myself onto her, my mouth near her ear, "I think you're forgetting something, brat."

"Sorry, sir." She finally says.

"Thomas, she's had a long day." Nathaniel walks up to us and begins to lift her off of me.

"All bark no bite." She yawns into his shoulder.

This time it was Nathaniel's turn to put her in her place. He pushed her against the nearest wall with his hand resting on her throat, "Would you like to repeat that?"

You could see in her eyes that she just desired a release. If that's what she wants.