His Forbidden Mate
Part 15

My stomach tightened at this sudden revelation and change.

Why was there a sudden change in his voice, his countenance, and body language? He spoke as if we were enemies… We were, but the tension was lesser a few minutes ago, so what snapped? What took us back to that state? What rid him of his usual cheerful self?

“You do not ‘own’ this place. This is still a partnership, right?”

He remained silent.

“Right?” I repeated.

Again, he remained silent.

“Are you going to talk to me, or are we going to act like strangers?” I demanded, taking hold of his arm, so he stopped walking.

He turned to me, a flare which I wasn’t used to appearing in his eyes. I let go of his wrist, but he doesn’t walk away. He stood facing me, ready to talk.

Though I would have appreciated it if we had done the talking in the private chamber instead of here in the hallway where anyone close by could hear.

“Have you come around to tell your workers that they have been a power change yet?” he asked, with eyes fixed on mine.

“No, I have not,” I answered in honesty.

“Why not?”

Because one thing the workers of Desire Parlour sold to their victims was confidence. Telling them there was a new owner of the parlour would send panic through all of them and rob them of their confidence. They would no longer carry out their work effectively because their worries would be how long before they lose the only haven they had. It would be unfair to place the burden of such news on them.

However, I couldn’t tell him that. He didn’t deserve to know, not with that attitude. “Because I don’t see the point.”

“You had a month to do that, but chose not to. Tell me, did you do that to undermine my ownership of this place?”

Yes.

“You answer to me. Did you forget that? Part of the agreement you read said to reveal the change in the first few weeks after the agreement had been seal. You consented and placed your seal on the agreement.” He added.

“I did what I thought was best.”

“For who? Them or yourself?”

I wanted to know why he was on the attack suddenly. It made little sense. If he wanted to have this conversation, why didn’t he do it last night? Why did he get in bed with me when I clearly wanted to leave? What was I missing?

“You do not know the first thing about running a successful parlour. I doubt they have assigned you an impossible task in your whole royal life. This parlour is delicate. Playing with the structure would ruin thing from the bottom up, unless that’s what you want.”

“You have no clue what I want and breaking the deal means no deal.” he seethe.

My heart shrunk in response to his last sentence and the strength I had in me reduced drastically. My world in this moment came crashing down with those words. Everything I’d worked so hard to build and make had come down to nothing. Once again, he had me back up against the wall and there was nothing I could do or say about it.

“Will you make the announcement, or should I?”

This was my responsibility and despite hating his guts, and feeling like I was conversing with a stranger, I appreciated that he offered the option to me. “I will.”

He led the way to the hall, and I followed behind. Just like he said, the workers already gathered themselves in the hall as though expecting us and when they all saw us step in, their eyes became clouded with different emotions. Their emotions ranged from confusion to pity, sadness and scepticism.

It broke my heart.

I wonder to what length he will push me just to have his way.

These people who counted on me now had their eyes fixed waiting for me and I knew what they’d hear this morning would crush their spirit.

Edward stayed silent, waiting for me to take the lead and although hating this, I spoke. “I am sorry we had to meet on such short notice. I know some of you will have a hard day today.” I know I would.

I turned back to Edward, and I found his eyes fixed on me while I took the lead. “You all mean so much to me and I will always put you first no matter what, but sometimes tough decisions have to be made.”

I dragged in a deep breath and continued explaining to them how the last couple of weeks had played out and how I no longer owned the parlour.

There was a mumble through the workers gathered and I didn’t blame them and none sounded happy. My eyes met Jane and I could see the much question in her eyes, questions I couldn’t answer now. This wasn’t what I told her weeks ago, but things had changed and even I was getting to know it.

The sadness in their faces multiplied, and I fought to keep my tears in as I stepped back and let the prince speak as if this was both our agreement.

Why was he doing this? What did he hope to gain? I wondered to myself, and the answer was simple. To make me suffer.

The meeting ended, and the workers dismissed themselves to go home and I hurried my feet to my private chambers. B***d rushed through my veins with the same force as the anger I felt on the inside. I needed to be inside. My remorse and pain had turned into anger and I needed to be away from the eyes of anyone and everyone. I entered the room and I flipped my desk away. It flew and slammed against the wall.

I tugged my hair and bit down on my bottom lips. I didn’t want to cry. He wasn’t worth any of my tears and I would not give it to him. So I screamed out loud, my claws shooting out and my body turning hairier. My wolf fought to take over, but it wasn’t her time yet, and her surfacing would only multiply my misery later on.

My door opened, and I spun around to see the one responsible for my rage.

“What do you want?” I snarled at him. Although still in hums forms, my claws, teeth and fur had manifested to show the struggle for power between my two forms.

I didn’t hide my fury anymore. He had pushed me back against the wall and I wanted to be anywhere but in the same room with him.

He had much audacity to come in here after what he just did. “Haven’t you taken enough?”

“Kailani.” he called out, sounding more reasonable than he was in the hall.

The deed had already been done, and the damage inflicted. I didn’t need him reasoning with me. Not anymore.

“Don’t take my name, don’t f*****g take my name. You’ve taken my parlour, you’ve taken my people. You’ve done all that to spite me. What more could you f*****g want?”

My hands balled into a fist. His reasonable response wasn’t helping.

“Nothing.” he said, his voice so low I almost missed it.

I stormed toward him, only stopping when I was a few inches away. “Then get out of my room.” I didn’t want to see him anymore. “Until I’m gone, this space is still mine, so get out.”

He uttered no more word before is appearing from the room, leaving me with my broken heart and shattered spirit.