seven souls seven sins

chapter 83: double life

Xavier's pov:

"She's been up there for ages." I point out as we eat together in silence. Dinner hasn't felt like dinner in a while. "Amor needs to fuel herself." Chase glances over to her empty designated seat. "She'll be down any second." Adrien reassures us although we know it's a blatant lie.

"I'm full." A fib spills out of my mouth unapologetically and I stand up.

I feel the hot stares on me as I walk upstairs but I disregard them as fast as they came. I know I shouldn't be doing this and Vincent might serve my head on a silver platter but it's been eating me up all week. I slowly press down on Tash's bedroom handle. I peek in to find her sitting cross-legged on her bed with a laptop out front.

"Leave." She states without looking up from the enticing screen.

This only intrigues me more. I softly step inside her special space and gently shut the door behind me. "Did you not hear me the first time? I said leave." Her words get bolder as I approach her mattress. "Natasha." I pity her workload. She's been locked in her chambers the second the came home from school.

This has been going on for the past 2 weeks.

The same 2 weeks after Flynn's death. I noticed Seb's absence too but it's possible that he's just mourning and should be back soon enough. Unfortunately for my sister, Vincent forced her to go to school the day she got back from London. "I'm busy." Her fingers type on the keyboard without giving me a second thought.

I don't know what I was expecting, this is how she's been replying to us for weeks on end.

"With what?" I peer over the screen that she's very protective about. I know I shouldn't be speaking to her at all. Trust me, I know. I just can't help it whilst knowing that she's up here and not down there with the rest of us. This is the first time that I've spoken to her 1 on 1 since the original plan 12 started.

My eyes find her laptop and all the information about their assets are in display.

Loads of negative red numbers appear in every document she has out. "I thought we pulled out of the bomb blasts. Are there more incoming?" I ask because right after Flynn death, Vincent ordered an emergency ceasefire on the British Isles. We haven't touched their land in a fortnight, so why is she still so worked up?

"No." The nonchalant answer gives me everything that I need to know.

"Can I help?" I offer but she sits there and ignores me. I deserve that. "I know I'm not Leo but I'm good in cargo management, Seb is good but I'm way better." I hype myself up hoping she'll play along. Another long silence goes by before a frustrated sigh breaks loose from her mouth.

"Take it." She shoves the device in my lap.

Nat gets up to leave and my hopes get crushed. I wanted to spend time with her but if she doesn't feel comfortable I 100% get that. She flicks a glance over her shoulder and walks out. I don't ask where she's headed, but I pray that it's to get food. She needs to eat. If  Tash wasn't going to communicate with me, then I'll do her a favour and work on her cargo shipments.

From the looks of things, it's gotten quite hectic since the funeral but nothing I can't fix.

I slouch against her headboard and get a strong whiff of her delicious scent from the pillows. I missed sleeping in her bed during the winter when she got cold, the sleepovers kept me going. A frown bestows itself upon my face when I check her audit logs. It appears as if she's the only one who's been making changes for the past two weeks.