Page 45 of Losing My Siren Luna (Hidden Cove #1)

Cedric and I were walking back along the docks when Lachlan came out to meet us.

After what Cedric and I talked about, it was hard to keep the heat out of my cheeks watching him walk towards us.

He was very much an attractive man, with his strong physique and dark features set on a handsome tanned face, and now that I was trying to stay open to the bond for Val’s sake, it’s harder to bury down the natural reactions my body has to him.

“Lira,” he said my name with such affection that I lost the battle of trying to keep a blush off my face, “I was just coming to find you.”

“She’s been here with me,” Cedric smirks, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, making Val growl slightly in protest. “We were just enjoying a lovely stroll along the water’s edge if you would like to join us.”

Lachlan could barely hide his disapproval, because of both Cedric’s suggestion and of his arm around my shoulder.

The pestering bond is making it impossible to feel at ease in this situation.

I don’t want to displease Lachlan or make him uncomfortable, and between him and Val nagging in my head, I end up shrugging Cedric's arm off my shoulders and taking a tiny step forward.

“We were done with our stroll,” I looked at Cedric accusingly out of the corner of my eye, knowing he was trying to rile up Lachlan again, just like earlier today. “Cedric was just walking me back to my room.”

“I can do that,” Lachlan steps forward and holds his hand out towards me expectantly.

I bite my lip and stare at it for a moment, but the nagging bond creates this undeniable urge inside of me to go to him; to feel the tingles against my skin that sates the burning need that the bond creates inside of me.

I closed the gap between us and took his hand, feeling shy all of a sudden when he threaded his fingers between mine and smiled brightly down at me.

He truly is a handsome man, and when he smiles that way he is smiling at me right now, I can’t fight off the budding hope inside me that this truly will be okay.

“I guess that’s my sign to leave you two newlyweds for the evening. I will see you in the morning, princess. Have a wonderful night with your husband . If you need me,” he gave me a serious, pointed stare, referring to our conversation earlier, “Call for me, your strongest and most handsome tool.”

I grin, feeling grateful, not because I am worried about the night with Laclan.

I truly feel Lachan will not try to harm me after this morning and my reaction to him last night.

I’m grateful because I finally feel supported, and no longer alone.

I have Cedric and others now willing to fight my battles with me.

“Thank you Cedric. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, my princess.”

Lachlan stares after Cedric as he walks off towards the warrior’s barracks and the training area. I guess that would be where Lachlan set up a room for the duration of his stay.

“Did you two have a nice talk?” Lachlan asks me once Cedric is out of sight, running his thumb over my knuckles.

Tingles ran up my arms, making me shiver.

Lachlan mistakes my shivering for being cold and quickly lets go of my hand to wrap an arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards him, making the tingles intensify.

“Yes,” I looked up at him through my lashes, my voice sounding soft and airy. “It was very informative. He told me a little about my father.”

He nodded, like he expected that. “Did you get your questions answered?”

I quirked my lips to the side of my face, not sure if I did or not. “For the most part. I’m still wondering who my father is, but he told me it was not safe for it to be known I was his daughter yet, so I’ll have to wait.”

He pursed his lips. “Did he tell you till when you would have to wait or what you were waiting for?”

Anxiety at telling Lachlan the truth about me makes me shiver for a different reason.

I can’t tell him that I have to wait until I am 20 again, because that is the day my magic will be unleashed and I will gain my siren abilities.

We are finally comfortable around one another. I don’t want to ruin that.

“He just said it was not yet safe,” I lied, and Val groaned at my dishonesty.

Lying isn’t sitting right with either of us, but it’s better than going back to facing his hatred and wrath every day for something that we can’t change.

I can’t change my genes. Just like in my first life, I couldn’t change that my uncle forced me into this marriage.

I still don’t trust Lachlan not to be that man from before, and Val, even if she doesn’t like lying, feels the same.

“Hmm,” is his only response, but he grips my shoulder a little tighter, as if he is scared I may run away from his hold.

When we get back to my room, our room, Lachlan calls for Mimi to help me dress down for bed, and he retreats to get tea and snacks for the evening.

Mimi gushes over me, like she always used to.

There is a slight change in her in this life too.

She would fawn over me while helping to care for me in my last life, but she would also have this underlying solemnness in all her deeds and words, like she was feeling sadness on my behalf.

Now, she is bursting with energy, her aged smile bright on her wrinkled face, making her eyes crinkle enduringly in their corners.

She seems so full of life, talking endlessly about how adorable she thinks me and my husband are together.

She even mentions how he came to check on her progress with her move again, and how much it meant to her.

By the time I am in a new nightdress, a gift from Lachlan for my birthday, and cleaned for bed, my head is filled with all Mimi’s positivity about my new husband.

I’m sitting in front of the window overlooking the ocean when Lachlan comes walking back in with a tray of fruits, little desserts and herbal tea.

He smiles at my appearance, complimenting my new nightdress as he sets the tray in front of me. I thanked him softly, then noticed there was only one tea cup on the tray.

“I thought it would help you to sleep. I don’t usually drink tea, but wanted to get it for you.”

He then leaves me for a few brief minutes as I ponder over his kindness, wondering if everything is really as simple as Val has been suggesting and this really is a new Lachlan on an entirely different timeline.

Maybe we really are getting a chance for happiness with him.

Maybe everything will really be alright this time.

When he comes back out of the ensuite, he has a nervous expression on his face and a hairbrush in his hands.

“Um, Lira. Killian has been hounding me all evening to ask you this. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can say no.”

I pull my eyebrows down questioningly. “What?” What would Killian want to do with my hairbrush?

“Can we, uh….brush your hair?”

My mouth drops, not expecting that request. It’s….I don’t know.

“ It’s adorable!” Val screamed in my head. “ You better say yes.”

It is adorable. Mimi had already brushed my hair, but there was no harm in doing it again.

“Yes, Lachlan,” I smiled, “you are both more than welcome to.”

I start to move my chair back, but he tells me to sit still, lifting me and the chair easily and moving me to where my back is facing the room.

I try to casually continue drinking my tea, but I feel a weird buzzing in my body as he gently pulls the brush through the strands of my hair, his hand always following after the brush, like he is testing my hair to see if it’s soft enough.

When Val begins purring in my chest, I give up my attempt at acting casual. He seems elated hearing the sound, and the action makes me feel adored. Truly adored and cherished for the first time in my life.

This is so much different from when my mother or when Mimi brushed my hair. This feels more intimate. It feels like he is treasuring me in a way that I could never have expected to feel these kinds of emotions.

When he is finally done, satisfied with his work, he sets the brush on the table, then moves my chair and me back to where I originally was.

“You have beautiful hair. I’ve been wanting to touch it since I first saw it,” he tells me.

“Thank you,” I looked down at my hands to hide my blush from his compliment.

“You’re welcome.” He grins, then looks at the tray with the snacks and tea. “You didn’t eat anything. Can I convince you to have some of the cookies, or at least a grape or two before we go to bed?”

I eye the food warily. I am already still over full from dinner. My body isn’t used to eating so much, and I feel like everyone has been constantly trying to feed me all day.

“I really couldn’t eat any more. I’m not used to eating so heartily. You should help yourself if you want to, though. Don’t let it go to waste.”

He makes an unidentifiable face, then picks up a grape and pops it in his mouth.

“Mmmh. It's really sweet. You should try one.”

He presses one to my lips, and I end up eating it, feeling shy as he personally feeds me.

He feeds each of us a few more grapes, and even somehow gets me to eat a few bites of a cookie before I have to stop him and tell him that I can’t eat any more.

He looks quite smug with himself, and I realize he played me to get me to eat more food.

Maybe he wants me heavier? Maybe I’m too skinny for him? Leona was heavier in the hips and chest than me. A lot heavier. Like she said, I don’t have a desirable body for men. Maybe Lachlan likes a curvier woman, and is trying to help me meet his expectations.

That thought makes my overfilled stomach turn with unease. I was just feeling cherished and a little more certain about this new life, but now I have doubts once again.

“Are you alright, my wife?” Lachlan asks.

I hurried to fake a smile. “I’m fine. Just full and tired.”

He stared at me for a moment, trying to read my face. He then stands with a sigh, holding his hands out for me to take.