Page 53 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos (The Rossi Legacies #7)

Jayce

“ Y our girl?” Ahren’s eyes glimmer red, but they don’t change as his attention snaps to Sienna, who slowly moves away from him, but she doesn’t come to me either, her eyes wide in shock.

My own eyes widen as I look at the top she’s wearing.

It takes me a second to see the extremely faint outline of the tiny bra she’s wearing beneath that top.

Well fuck…

That’s one way to forget everything else. I avert my gaze and look into her eyes, making sure my gaze doesn’t dip to her boobs again.

That was not the way I should have broken the news to Ahren.

“What happened?” I ask Sienna, who’s looking between us.

She shakes her head. “You weren’t here, and you didn’t reply to my messages, and I just felt-”

“So that’s what got you upset.” Ahren clenches his jaw; I have never seen grey eyes look so cold.

“I got a little held up, but I’m here now.

Go enjoy the party. I’ll see you out there.

Ok?” I murmur, reaching over and cupping her chin, brushing the pad of my thumb along her jaw.

I want to pull her into my arms, to hold her close, to inhale her scent, because right now I’m fucking crumbling.

Is this how she felt after she lost her father?

I was too fucking hard on her. Guilt joins the already staggering emotions that are consuming me. She’s fine. I can sense her calmness and happiness. She touches my wrist fleetingly before she nods, glancing between Ahren and me. She then turns and hurries from the room.

“I really wasn’t fucking expecting this ,” Ahren says, his voice menacing. “Not from you.”

“You act like I committed a crime,” I reply quietly.

“We’re… I thought as a friend that you would honour that bond and respect the fact that she is my sister.”

I take out the packet of cigarettes I found in Theo’s car, light one, and look over at the taller man and tilt my head. “Why? Life is fucking short. I won’t hurt her if that is what you’re afraid of-”

“Afraid of? Neither of you has found your mates! I’ve seen her destroyed; I’ve seen her become a shell of what she was. And now, when she’s finally becoming herself…” he trails off, understanding dawning on his face, and what colour he does have in his pale face disappears.

He looks down. “You’re the reason she’s living once again…”

He steps back as I smoke the cigarette, and I give him a minute. He laughs humourlessly. “But you still broke my trust. I told you to train her, to help her, and instead you took an interest in her?”

“Wrong. There’s always been something, but for your sake and because of our families, I never made a move, not until she showed an interest in me.” I know that sounds arrogant, but it’s the truth, whether he likes it or not.

“And that makes it ok? You should have talked to me first.” There’s anger and hurt in his eyes. “I trusted you. I asked you to help her, not- you know exactly what I mean!”

Black smoke is beginning to surround him, his eyes slowly bleeding into red, his claws out, and I can sense the desire for blood from him. I don’t want to ruin this night for Sienna, so I push aside my own irritation and try to offer him an olive branch.

“I’m sorry for not asking you first, it just…

happened. I did try to ignore these feelings, but I couldn’t.

I do hope, though, that as my friend you know the kind of person I am.

I won’t abandon her or hurt her, you know that.

When I make a promise, Ahren, I keep it, and I have promised to be there for her. ”

It’s been a hard day, and I can’t take much more of it.

The smoke disappears, and he looks at me with his grey eyes once more. “I do know you, and the fact I’m seeing Sienna being Sienna again is the only reason I’m not taking this further… Seeing her healing from her pain is more important than both of our egos.”

I nod slowly. “It sure is. She’s getting there. She still has a ways to go, but she’s improving, Ahren.”

He exhales sharply and crosses his arms, leaning back against the wall, one leg bent, foot pressed against it. His eyes narrow. “And what if one of you finds your mate?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I reply sharply.

“It does matter! The bond of mates-”

“She’s my mate!” The words escape from my mouth before I can stop them, my eyes widening in shock as the air goes still. I freeze. My chest tightens. My own voice echoes back at me. The words are surreal, rendering me speechless.

Sienna’s my mate?

My mind blanks.

Fuck.

Sienna is my fated mate.

She’s mine.

Goddess… She’s mine.

Ahren stares at me, stunned. His arms drop to his sides, his face unreadable. “What? You can’t know that.”

“Yeah, maybe, but it’s true…” I murmur, combing my fingers through my hair. The day was becoming a lot, but this time, it is a dream come true. Sienna is made for me, and I am made for her.

“Then why the hell do you look so shocked?” Ahren asks, narrowing his eyes.

I don’t answer at first; I don’t know how. My hands are trembling. I rake my fingers through my hair, my heart pounding like it’s trying to claw its way out of my chest.

“That’s… that’s the first I heard of it,” I mutter, sinking down into the chair beside the door. I lean back, leaning my head against the wall behind me.

Ahren watches me carefully, tension rising in the silence. “Jayce, what the hell is going on with you? You’re not yourself today.”

I can’t meet his eyes. I don’t even know who I am at this moment.

“That’s thanks to this fucking Deimos intuition. Not everything I learn is good.” I close my eyes. “But… Sienna’s my mate… fuck.” I can’t help but smile softly.

“Doesn’t mean I’m happy with this, and she’s not officially your mate yet…” Ahren frowns. “You could be wrong.”

He knows I’m not wrong, but sure if that helps him sleep better.

“I don’t plan to tell her. Like you said, the bond hasn’t clicked into place, not officially, and I don’t want that to influence her in any way. So let’s keep that between us.”

Ahren snorts. “Right.”

I cock a brow. “Don’t act like it’s hard to believe.”

“I don’t think she can survive another heartbreak, so you better not fucking hurt her.”

This time it’s my turn to scoff. “I’m not a Rossi. We Westwood men don’t abandon or hurt our women even if it means swallowing our pride, fear or guilt. Before going off on me, remember that,” I say coldly.

“A fair point, but my father and grandfather were not like that, so you have those role models to live up to as well.”

“My father and my grandfather are also examples of great partners. Rest assured, Sienna won’t be mistreated.” My eyes flash, but my words are sincere.

Ahren nods slowly. “Facts. Fine. Whatever. Was that outfit your choice?” His eyes are icy again.

“I am not about to tell her what to or what not to wear, but no. Fuck, I didn’t tell her to wear that,” I answer defensively.

Ahren pinches the bridge of his nose. “I blame Aunty Ri then.”

I stiffen as I’m reminded of what I saw.

“Yeah… maybe… So can I get out there and actually go and see if she’s ok?”

Ahren frowns. “I fucking hate this.”

“Yeah, well, if it was up to me, I’d have preferred her not to be your sister. But we don’t get to choose now, do we?”

“Right,” he answers icily. We both look at one another before Ahren gestures to the door. “After you, Deimos King,” he says mockingly.

“After you, Demon Prince,” I reply with equal sarcasm.

He brushes past me. “I prefer the title, Prince of Darkness,” he says with a princely air that fucking fits well.

“Yeah, well, I don’t give a fuck what you prefer,” I counter, walking and brushing past him with the same arrogance.

The music reaches my ears, loud and incessant, and I try to think of anything but those thoughts.

I put out my cigarette before I step into the crowd, searching for Sienna.

“I didn’t think you’d go that far to try to catch Jayce’s attention.”

My jaw clenches. Allison.

“What I wear and why is none of your business, Allison,” Sienna says, her voice softer than usual, but laced with steel. I turn at the sound, catching sight of her standing across from Himari and Allison, fingers brushing her earring, the ruby catching the light, making it glitter.

“No, it isn’t,” Allison bites back, crossing her arms. “But don’t confuse it with whatever happened with Jayce. He doesn’t do serious. Trust me, I know.”

Sienna’s eyes lock onto mine the second she spots me, her heart rate spikes. I can hear it from here, and I know it’s hers. I don’t even glance at Allison or her lapdog and walk right past them.

“Shit…” Himari mutters under her breath.

I don’t stop walking until I’m right in front of Sienna. My hand slides around her slender waist, and I pull her in close, flush against me. Her breath catches in her throat. I smile faintly.

“Speaking of clothes…” I murmur, my eyes sweeping down her body. I take my time dragging my gaze back up, drinking her in like a shot I can’t stop chasing. “You look fucking incredible tonight. Then again… when don’t you?”

Her eyes widen, her heartbeat pounding. She places a hand on my arm hesitantly, and I gaze down at the woman before me.

Fuck, Sienna…

I lean in, head tilted, my lips grazing hers, and then I kiss her deeply and passionately. A ripple of gasps goes through the crowd around us, like a whisper spreading in the wind. Her mouth opens beneath mine, and everything else disappears.

The voices, the eyes, the bullshit and the pain. It all fades away. Right now, it’s just her. Her warmth, her taste, the way she clings to my shirt is as if she fears she’ll lose me if she lets go.

And for this blissful moment, she becomes the only thing on my mind.

Her lips move against mine with a kind of need I feel in every inch of me. I deepen the kiss, pulling her closer until there’s no space left between us. My fingers press into the small of her back, anchoring her to me like I’m afraid she’ll vanish if I let go.

She makes me forget everything I hate about the world. The noise in my head, the weight on my shoulders. Every scar, every regret – none of it matters when we’re kissing like this.

Her hand slides up to rest on my chest, and it’s my undoing. She touches me like I’m worth something, like I’m not broken or dangerous or fucked up beyond repair. Just hers.

A sound escapes her, a soft, breathless moan, sending a wave of pleasure to my cock. I want more. Not just her body, but everything. She’s the woman I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with.

I want to know everything about her, every inch of her body, her fears, her past, her future. All of it. I want to know what makes her smile and what keeps her up at night. I want to ruin every other man for her. I want her to never want anyone else again.

She gives me strength, she makes me forget, she makes me fucking happy.

And in this kiss, I tell her all of that without saying a word.

And with the crowd watching, it’s perfect, because if there’s one thing everyone knows about me, it’s that I don’t kiss. Not like this.

And that alone is enough to make it crystal clear: Sienna Rossi is mine.