by Marian Tee
Although it did not show on his face, Domenico was quietly amazed at the young woman’s decision to vouch for Misty. He had never expected for Misty to befriend the famously introverted princess of the Buenaventura pack. She was so shy that few people even knew what she looked like, in spite of her royal status.
The doors at the back burst open again, this time with much fanfare when a voice asked, “Am I too late?”
Heads swiveled to the doorway, and Domenico finally let himself relax at the familiar voice. Misty was safe. He would never have forgiven himself if there was even the slightest chance that Misty would come to harm. There should never even have the slightest chance of it, and he would not commit the same mistake again.
He was beginning to understand Matteo’s concern over the risks he was taking with Misty and despised the fact that it took almost losing Misty to make him realize it.
“Jayme?” Filippo choked as a tall guy swiftly made his way to the stage.
Misty’s eyes widened when she saw who it was.
It was the guy at the rooftop!
People around her appeared shocked at his presence, which confused her. Why? Was he human like her?
She blushed when the man winked at her. “I heard through the grapevine and came here as fast as I could.” Then he looked at Mr. Cavalier. “Hello, Father.”
Father?
He was a prince like Domenico then?
Filippo was still shaking his head. “You never participate in such matters.”
So that was why they were all surprised, Misty realized and blushed harder when Jayme’s gaze returned to her.
Domenico’s fists clenched at his sides. The pup better not try anything if he did not want to have every bone in his body broken. Misty was his. He willed Misty to look at him even though he could not yet afford to look at her. To do so would mean he doubted her and he did not want anyone thinking that.
But Misty didn’t look. She was too entranced at the exchange of words between Jayme and Rebecca.
“Rebecca, Rebecca,” Jayme was murmuring, wagging a finger at the other woman. “This is beyond you.”
Rebecca’s face hardened and her body became poker stiff underneath her black lace dress. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jayme shrugged. “We’ll see. But in case you’re wondering, I vouch for her loyalty as part of the Cavalier pack.”
Rebecca’s eyes gleamed. “That is not accepted. It is your pack that she has committed an offense against.”
Jayme shrugged. “Then as grandson of the Valencia pack leader.” He smiled at Rebecca, one that had invisible fangs. “I hope you didn’t forget I am connected to the Valencias as well.”
Rebecca looked like she had just swallowed poison.
Misty was still dazed. She had spoken to royalty and she hadn’t even known? All this lacked was---
“Then for the minimum of two votes,” Rebecca began stiffly.
“Did you really have to say ‘minimum’?” Another female voice piped from the back. This time, the noise from the crowd was deafening.
Rebecca visibly gnashed her teeth. “Please present yourself.”
Misty bowed her head. It was official. She absolutely had zero radar for detecting royal presence.
When the crowd parted, Misty was not even surprised to see the woman from the restroom sashay up the stage, her earlier misery nowhere to be seen. Instead, Misty saw a young woman brimming with confidence, one aware of the power in her hands – and knew exactly how to wield it.
The woman blew Rebecca a kiss. “Matilda, daughter of the pack leader of the Fontabella.”
“It figures.” Rebecca apparently couldn’t resist making the dig.
Misty was scared that would hurt Matilda but the other woman did not even bat an eyelash. Apparently, her brief display of weakness was an aberration.
Matilda just tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Sourgraping just makes your wrinkles show more, old gal.”
“I am not old!”
“Ancient then,” Matilda said airily as she continued walking. She only stopped when she stood next to Rebecca, and her stance said it all. Matilda was begging for comparison, and it was clear for everyone to see that she was so much more beautiful and sexier and – worst of all – younger than the other woman.
Rebecca’s face was stony. “Anything else?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” Matilda cooed. “Do you know that I’m what people call a walking lie detector?”
Rebecca took a step back. “Is that so?”
Misty wondered if she imagined the tiniest hint of tremor in Rebecca’s voice.
The whole room was spellbound at the unfolding drama.
Domenico noticed the beads of sweat forming on Rebecca’s forehead and smiled.
“I don’t like using my skills but this once, I would. I can smell lies even miles away. It smells…” Matilda sniffed. “…like you do.”
And before anyone could react, Matlida’s hand swiped something from Rebecca’s pocket.
“Give that back!” Rebecca screamed, but Jayme held her back easily.
Matilda tossed a scrap of paper onto the table.
Misty gasped.
The note!
She had remembered leaving it in her locker before going to Mr. Cavalier’s office and wondered if she had somehow misplaced it when her frantic search for the note afterwards produced nothing but more doubts about her loyalty.
Matilda looked at Rebecca with disgust. “People like her don’t like taking risks. Stupid, really. She should have burned it.”
Noise filled the hall once more, most of which Misty didn’t understand because everyone seemed to be talking in their own language. It sounded very much like Latin and Russian combined.
Domenico finally allowed himself to glance at Misty. She sensed his gaze immediately and turned to him.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly.
She nodded, feeling weak and tired all of a sudden. She wished he would put his arms around her but he didn’t.
“This will be all over soon.” Domenico ached to take her in his arms but knew he should not – or at least not just yet. Because the game was not yet over and he still had moves to execute if his grand plan was to succeed.
Filippo cleared his throat. “In light of recent events, the case for exile against Misty Wall is dropped. The fate of Rebecca Findley is in your hands, Domenico.”
“Domenico, please,” Rebecca murmured. “For the sake of what we shared before---”
Misty stiffened at the implications of Rebecca’s words, her eyes unconsciously seeking Domenico’s face for reassurance. But what she saw in Domenico’s face made her step back in surprised hurt.
They had been lovers.
Damn, damn, damn. Domenico had been hoping this could end without Misty knowing the past he had shared with Rebecca. A stupid meaningless fling, truthfully, but he knew Misty would not like or understand it.
“It will be my eternal regret that I had wasted a second of my time with you.”
“Bastard,” Rebecca screamed.
Domenico’s eyes held a warning. “Another word and you will be exiled.”
Whitening at the threat, Rebecca was reduced to glaring at Misty with loathing.
Domenico was not satisfied. “On second thought, I think you do deserve to be---”
Aghast at what Domenico was about to do, Misty whispered, “No.”
Domenico had known Misty would protest. He knew he was being ruthless, manipulating Misty even though she was hurting, but it was too big an opportunity to pass up.
“What is it, darling?”
Misty flinched, but Domenico pretended not to notice it. Later, he would fix it between them. Later, he would please her and they would forget everything that happened and everything would be all right between them again.
“Not exile. It’s too harsh.” Matteo had once told her that exile was worse than a death sentence for Lyccans. It meant existing without a p
ack and pack was the lifeblood of every Lyccan.
“Are you sure?” Domenico asked.
Still not looking at Rebecca or Domenico, Misty said, “Yes.”
He nodded then looked at the crowd, one by one, before facing Rebecca. His voice reached every corner of the enormous hall as he spoke, commanding and inflexible, because he wanted everyone to be clear on what he was about to declare.
“Know everyone present here and that my act of clemency is only and will always be on behalf of what my future wife---”
He waited for the gasps to die down.
“---Misty Wall has asked. Anything who goes against her goes against the pack of Moretti and anything she holds dear is precious to the Morettis.” He nodded to Penelope, who mumbled and turned red, to Jayme Cavalier, whose face remained free of expression, and to Matilda, whose eyes glittered in understanding.
It was over, Misty thought almost an hour later. A feeling of immense relief set in as she leaned back against the car seat.
“Misty.”
She stiffened, eyes shooting open as she remembered something painful.
Domenico cursed at the silent hurt in her eyes.
“Misty---”
She asked slowly, “Why didn’t you tell me about Rebecca?”
Domenico took her hand in his. “It was in the past.”
She just as quickly retrieved it. “Please don’t treat me as if I’m stupid, Domenico. You’re so smart. I know you’d have known that it’s more than possible we’d meet and that she’d be antagonistic toward me. Don’t you think I deserved to know?”
Domenico’s fists clenched at how helpless he was in erasing the hurt in Misty’s eyes. “I know what I did was wrong and I deeply apologize. I promise it won’t happen again.”
“But it did happen,” Misty cried out, unable to help herself.
Domenico’s tone hardened. “What is the point of all this? I apologized already, Misty. But I can’t change the past.” He was beginning to feel impatient and furious even though he knew it was wrong. He did not make a habit of apologizing but he did so – for her. Didn’t she realize how privileged she was to hear him say ‘sorry’? He wasn’t used to begging and he sure as hell didn’t want to be used to it. He would not let himself be manipulated and from his point, that was exactly what Misty was doing.
“That’s not the point, Domenico. I want you to explain why you chose not to tell me about Rebecca. Didn’t you care about what she could do to me because of what…what you had between you? Are you so selfish---”
“If that’s what you think of me then there’s nothing to be said,” Domenico cut her off harshly.
Misty bowed her head, doing her best not to cry until she could be alone.
They did not speak for the rest of the ride.
Chapter Nine
Dear Diary,
Jayme Cavalier wants me to leave Domenico Moretti.
And I’m hurting so badly that I’m beginning to think maybe I should. I want to see Domenico driven wild and furious in jealousy. I want to see how his face looks like as I let Jayme have his hands roam all over my body, undress me before Domenico and let him cup my breasts the way Domenico does.
I know I won’t ever let this come true, but God sometimes I want it so badly because then – maybe then Domenico would understand how I hate knowing other women have tasted him, too.
Misty’s eyes were red-rimmed behind her sunglasses. Domenico had not come to her room last night and she didn’t know if she was okay about it. She was beginning to understand just how manipulative Domenico could be.
Could she really marry him?
The answer eluded her, and even the serene quiet of the rooftop area failed to soothe her today. It was her last day working in Lyccan Hall, but because of yesterday’s fiasco people had become extremely skittish around her, fearful that she would remember how they had treated her and tattle to Domenico about it.
Finally, Mr. Cavalier had asked if she wanted to take a break from work. Misty understood what he was really asking. He wanted her out of the way so that his office would return to normal, and that was why she had been at the rooftop since ten in the morning – and with a few more hours to kill before the work day officially ended.
“May I join you?”
Her eyes widened. “Y-you!”
It was Jayme Cavalier again. It felt déjà vu and ironic at the same time, meeting him in the rooftop once more. He was in shirt and jeans this time, and he looked very relaxed with his twinkling eyes and carefree smile.
“I know I haven’t properly introduced myself but surely you’d have remembered my name after my gallant rescue?” He gestured at the extra space of the bench she was sitting on. “May I?”
She reddened. “O-oh, yes, sorry.”
She noticed how the few other employees in the area stared at Jayme as he gracefully took a seat. It made her look at him more properly, and she realized with a surprise that he really was handsome.
“You’re waiting for Domenico?”
She shook her head quickly, staying silent. She did not believe in sharing her problems with other people, and she certainly didn’t think it would be a good idea to talk about Domenico with another man.
Jayme smiled. “Amazing. You can resist the urge to complain about men.”
That made her laugh.
“There. That’s better.” He leaned against the bench. “Would you like some coffee?”
She blinked. “Coffee?”
“Yes, coffee.”
“Umm…I don’t really feel like going out.”
“But you do want to drink coffee?”
His insistence made her smile. “Yes, but---”
“What kind?”
“A mocha frap?”
Jayme took out his phone and dialed a number. “Two mocha fraps, rooftop. Thanks.”
She was grinning when he finished the call. “You,” she said good-naturedly, “are such a showoff.”
“I know.”
They were quiet again and Jayme only spoke after a man in a blue and white uniform had handed them their mocha fraps before leaving just as quickly and unobtrusively.
“Blue and white are the colors of your pack then?” she asked.
Instead of answering, he asked, “Are you really marrying Moretti?”
She choked on her coffee.
“Should I take that as a no?” he teased.
Misty smiled but shook her head. “It’s a ‘yes’. I’m still marrying Domenico.” Now was not the time to express her doubts.
“I see.” His lips twisted. “I was hoping you’d say no.”
Her eyes widened.
“We Lyccans aren’t the type to beat around the bush.” He stared at her directly. “I find you interesting. Attractive. I hope you’ll reconsider your decision.”
“I’m…I’m speechless and, umm, honored?” She was stumbling all over her words, mostly because she never thought someone like Jayme Cavalier would be attracted to her – if he really was that.
“I can prove I’m attracted to you if you want,” Jayme offered wickedly when he saw the wariness in her eyes.
She choked again. “No, no need!”
Jayme burst into laughter. “Ah, well. It was worth the try. Friends then?”
Misty looked at his hand doubtfully.
“Come on. I won’t bite.” He grinned wolfishly. “Not unless you want me to.”
Another laugh escaped her and she took his hand gingerly for a really quick shake.
Misty felt much better when she came back home, recalling fondly the many stories Jayme had shared about Lyccan society. Although Jayme had the same striking looks that Domenico had, they were still polar opposites. Jayme was a lot less complicated and more open about what he thought and felt.
Her smile faded when she saw Domenico standing alone in the expansive foyer of his home, her family nowhere in sight.
“Where have you been?”
Ignoring that, she called out her siblings�
� names one by one but none of them answered. She whirled back to demand at Domenico, “Where’s everyone?” It was already eight in the evening. All of their classes should have ended by now.
Domenico gritted his teeth at the way Misty avoided his question. “I had Matteo drive them to the mall. A shopping trip to ensure that they do not witness our discussion. Now answer me,” he gritted out. “Where have you been?”
“Out.”
Domenico couldn’t believe how calm she was. How dare she come to his home smelling of another man’s scent? That Cavalier pup had been with her throughout the day. He had seen it with his own two eyes, having been informed by the bodyguards he had assigned to follow Misty without her knowledge. It had taken every inch of his control not to go to them and drag Misty away.
“With who?”
She stared at him for a moment. “I think…you already know so why bother to ask?”
Domenico exhaled in frustration. He wasn’t used to Misty being like this. He liked her shy, sweet, or cute. “Don’t play this game with me, Misty, or you won’t like the consequences.”
“But I’m not playing any g-games!” The tears that stung her eyes caught Misty by surprise. She turned away, but it was too late.
Domenico didn’t miss the tears and with a groan, he crossed the room and pulled her forcibly into his arms, unmindful of her struggles. He kept on hugging her until she finally subsided, crying in his chest.
“I hated that you lied to me,” she sobbed. “You made it seem like that you didn’t care people would think I was just your mistress---”
“I’m sorry,” Domenico said raggedly. “I was a bastard for doing that. I never thought she would dare make your life hell. All I wanted to know was who would actually be on your side. I won’t do it again, Misty. I promised you that.”
Misty nodded against his chest, to show that she understood and forgave him for it.
He added reluctantly, “I also have to admit that I didn’t want you to know I had an affair with her.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because you wouldn’t understand,” he said quietly.