Page 21 of The Forsaken Heir

I’d noticed some of the other staff members around the house giving me similar looks to what Benedictus had, but it had been more worried or uncomfortable glances.

I was, after all, the eldest daughter of the family most likely to wish for their entire kingdom’s downfall.

It would have been expected. Despite their distrust, though, they still treated me with kindness.

There’d been no reason to bring it up and possibly get them in trouble.

After seeing the way Aurelius and his father had reacted to Benedictus, I was glad to have followed my gut on that one.

When we reached the door to my room, Aurelius stopped at the threshold.

“If you’d like to gather your things, I’ll wait here to get you home,” he said.

I glanced around the suite, then back at him, grinning. “Umm, I don’t really have anything. You guys kinda just scooped me when I was half asleep.”

Aurelius blinked twice. Rapidly. “Oh.” His cheeks flushed.

I gasped and put a hand to my chest. “Have I embarrassed Aurelius Decimus? I’ll need to put this in my journal.”

Aurelius chuckled. “I’m not embarrassed. I just forgot.” His brow furrowed. “Wait. Are you going to write about me in your journal?”

“You wish , big guy.” I grabbed my phone off the bedside table before scooping up the shirt and jeans I’d had on when Vince and Rasp kidnapped me. “Well, this is it.” I spun in a little circle. “I’m keeping this outfit you got for me, though. I like it.”

Serilia, one of the maids who’d been looking after me, had brought me a summer dress and wedge heels that morning to replace the riding gear I’d been given the day before.

“Of course,” he said. “It’s the least I could give you after all the trouble. Please, consider it a gift.”

“I will.”

Vincent and Rasp were waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs in the entryway.

They both seemed uncomfortable. From the way they looked at me like I was some broken doll that needed to be fixed, I figured they’d heard.

Rumors and news probably moved fast in a place like this, especially when it was much busier than it had been the day before.

More people moved about—guests, extra staff.

This was probably what it was typically like.

This, for all intents and purposes, was the hub of the dragon shifter kingdom.

Of course, people would be in and out all the time.

Saturdays must have been more relaxed. In that respect, the two good-natured goofballs had chosen a good time to kidnap me.

“Hey, Elle.” Vincent shrugged awkwardly. “I hear you can’t shift. That must suck.”

Rasp swung out and smacked his friend’s arm. “ Dude ! Seriously?”

Vincent glared back at him. “What? Was that not true?”

“Well, yeah, it’s just… I mean, it’s bad form.”

“What form should I have said it in? Did I need to shift into a dragon?”

Rasp slapped a hand to his forehead. “No, bro. I don’t mean form like your shape, I mean form as in etiquette.”

“Then why didn’t you say that?” Vincent asked.

“That’ll be enough, boys,” Aurelius said. “Do we have a car ready?”

“Yeah,” Rasp said. “I’ll have the valet bring one from the garage.”

“I’m confused,” Vince said when Rasp had left. “Why would your family not want you because you can’t shift?” His face twisted into the most earnest frown I’d ever seen. “I mean, I’m weird, so I know why my dad doesn’t like me, but you’re cool.”

Recalling what a bastard his father had been back in the throne room, I felt a little twist of anger in my chest.

“Vince, you are not weird. Do you understand me? Blunt? Overly literal? Sure. Weird, you are not,” I said.

He looked embarrassed, but he smiled brightly. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

“She’s right, Vince,” Aurelius added. “Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Hell, you’re best friends with the prince. That means that one day, you’ll be best friends with the king. The king wouldn’t be best friends with someone weird.”

Vincent’s brows shot up. “I never thought of that.” He grinned to himself as Rasp came back inside.

“Got a car ready,” he said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

Aurelius offered me his hand. “My lady?”

I took his hand, wanting to soak in all this pomp and circumstance while I could.

Soon I’d be back in my boring life again.

I hadn’t thought it was boring until I was brought here.

I’d pushed my old life out of my mind, and had come to peace with the way things were.

Being here, even for only a couple days, had given me a taste of the life I’d once had.

It wasn’t the luxury, it was the camaraderie of being around those like you.

Sure, they were dragons and I was a wolf, but they still understood what I understood.

Not only that, but none of them seemed to care that I couldn’t actually shift.

That alone was a miraculous gift I wanted to keep experiencing.

Aurelius led me to a black sedan and opened the back door for me.

“After you,” he said.

“See you later, Elle,” Rasp said.

“Yeah,” Vincent said. “We’re probably never going to see you again. So, goodbye, I guess.”

Rasp’s head snapped around, and he scoffed at his friend. “My guy, we have to work on your tact.”

“See you guys later,” I said, and waved to them as I climbed in.

Aurelius slid into the backseat beside me and closed the door.

“We can go,” he said to the driver. An instant later, the car pulled away.

Glancing out the back window, I watched the mansion slowly shrink as we cruised down the long driveway, leaving behind the beautiful and expansive grounds. After only a few moments, the house and the mountains vanished from sight.

The drive back home didn’t take long. In fact, it seemed to fly by faster than was natural.

Aurelius and I sat in companionable silence.

I wondered if the same thoughts were going through his head.

I was undeniably attracted to him. No other man had ever elicited such a reaction out of me.

He was gorgeous, smart, kind, funny, and easygoing.

Everything you could imagine. He was like a paper cutout of the perfect man.

This had truly been the most magical thirty-six hours of my life. Soon, it would all seem like a dream.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” he finally asked as we turned into my neighborhood.

“You’ve done more than enough,” I said. “Please. I don’t want you going home thinking you’ve ruined my life or anything.”

“Whew, that’s a load off,” he said, pretending to wipe sweat from his brow. “I was nervous.”

“Jerk.” I laughed and nudged his leg with my foot.

“We’ve arrived, my lord,” the driver said as we pulled up outside my apartment complex.

Aurelius got out first and held the door for me, then walked me to the entrance. He was tense, acting awkward. If my instincts were right, he was uncomfortable.

“This is me,” I said, turning to face him.

“I suppose it is,” he murmured, then turned to gaze into my eyes. “I’m… I’m going to miss you. That might sound strange. Forgive me, if it does.”

Shaking my head, I touched his arm. “I’m going to miss you too.”

He cleared his throat and nodded toward the mountains. “You know where I live.”

“Is that an invitation?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Not if you don’t want to. I mean, I’m sure you have a lot going on.” Aurelius’s voice was uncharacteristically strained. Normally controlled and precise, he was almost stumbling over his words now.

“Maybe I will visit sometime,” I said, though I doubted that would actually happen.

As much as this connection between us had formed over the last day and a half, he was still the prince of dragons.

He would slowly forget about this sad, non-shifting shifter woman.

That was fine, though. I’d still have the memories.

He gave me a brief smile, and relief flashed in his eyes.

“Good. I’d like that,” he said. “Well, I guess this is it.”

Before I could react, he leaned forward, his face mere inches from mine.

He was going to kiss me. His lips would press against mine, feather soft, before becoming more urgent.

Maybe the tip of his tongue would slip along my bottom lip.

It would be hot and steamy, and his body would rub against mine, heat melding together until we were one. I was ready for it.

God, I was dying for it.

His lips bypassed mine and landed chastely on my cheek.

“Have a good day, Brielle Laurent,” he said as he slowly walked backward to the car, not taking his eyes off me.

Suppressing the disappointment, I waved at him.

“Good bye, Aurelius Decimus,” I said.

With one final—was that longing on his face?—look, Aurelius got into the car, and it pulled away. As I stood there, I did feel like everything that had happened was nothing more than a dream. It was already fading into memory. Sighing heavily, I walked inside and made my way up to the penthouse.

It wasn’t until I was in the elevator that I realized I’d never informed Delphine that I’d be spending an additional night away. My time with Aurelius and his friends had sent everything else fleeing from my mind.

Delphine rushed at me as soon as I walked in.

“Where have you been?” she nearly shouted, and I could see the fear in her eyes. More shame washed across me for making her worry.

“I’m sorry. Things got away from me. I should have let you know.”

Delphine, having possibly noticed something in my tone or the look on my face, frowned at me.

“Elle? Are you all right? You look sad. Did something happen while you were gone?”

“It’s fine,” I said, waving her off. “Uh, I’m going to go change and lie down, okay?”

Before she could answer, I hurried toward my room.

“Elle, are you sure nothing is wrong?”

I turned and gave her a sad smile. “No. Everything’s fine,” I said, then closed the door.

I hated lying to Delphine.